Dr. Angela Gala

I walked in your shoes.

Here you will find part of my story. The story of an ordinary woman who struggled, suffered, and grew up facing challenges like you.

Here it is!

I’m Dr. Angela Gala, but I love it when my friends call me Angie. Many people are impressed when they find out that my career was in Russia. But nothing was more common in Cuba than getting a scholarship thanks to the former Soviet Union’s economic collaboration. All you had to do was get good grades and have a good general academic performance during the school years.

After graduating in 1991, I returned to Cuba and began working as a medical epidemiologist.

I was extremely fortunate to build a successful and successful academic career and gain recognition as a scientist.

In 2003, after completing the World Health Organization’s International Health Certification Program in Washington, DC, my reputation as a world leader in health was established.

I traveled to at least sixteen countries on three continents, including Africa, North and South America, and Europe. In all of these countries, I felt deeply connected to the people and their communities.

I tell you, all these more than 28 years of work fueled my love and passion for health and social well-being.

Immigration

In 2012, I decided to continue my life and my service in this great country. Thanks to the Family Reunification Program and the very recent change in Cuban immigration law, my dream came true in December 2014.

Since then, I have settled in my home in Houston, Texas.

The path of immigration, which is not easy for anyone, put me in the challenge of not traveling with my son because he had already reached adulthood (21 years according to US law). However, God had a plan for him. My son traveled to Asia, where he became a talented artist.

During the last five years, many miles separated us, but thanks to technology, we talk and see each other every day. Very soon, God first, I hope to visit him or for him to visit me here.

Settled in Houston.

Shortly after arriving in Houston, I began looking for work or, rather, a way to give my love and passion to others.

My first job was in a specialty bra store, My Bra Boutique. In My Bra Boutique, you could see all possible sizes and styles of bras.

It was scary to start a whole new career in sales, but I soon found a connection to what I had done my entire life, providing health education for healthy results. That was, I think, another training for my vocation as a coach. I loved when many women who walked into the store looking unhappy left with a smile on their faces, with that feeling of relief. You could tell something good had happened.

At My Bra Boutique, I learned how to choose the correct bra size. Also, I learned that more than 75% of those who visited our store did not know. I immediately found the opportunity to communicate health and prevention with my clients; many returned with their friends or recommended us, mentioning what they learned about women’s health.

I always remember the good times we spent with my colleagues at My Bra Boutique. We are still great friends, and we keep in touch. I will be eternally grateful.

A couple of months later, I finally got what I considered my dream job at the Houston Health Department (HHD).

With this, I left the store.

I have been fortunate to be part of a fantastic team at HHD, working to strengthen community health programs and participating in community-based interventions, protecting the “H” about Houston.

My service to public health in Houston helped me better understand our communities’ needs and the disparities that affect minorities, especially women.

Mary Kay and enriching the lives of other women!

I was enjoying working in my field. However, I still had a feeling of unease inside of me. I felt there was something else I could do; a better way to help, contact people and directly impact their lives.

So I entered the world of cosmetics and skincare through the Mary Kay business opportunity; A fantastic initiative dedicated to enriching women’s lives through a powerful beauty training program. Quickly, I learned how I could help other women build their dreams while continuing to raise awareness. I believe that every woman is beautiful and has the potential to live a full life.

Mary Kay’s legacy lies in the philosophy of a relationship with God as a priority, then family, and finally, business or career. She focuses on empowering women, providing training, and the opportunity to build her own business. I found another source of happiness by offering beauty consultations and at the same time helping to bridge the gap in women’s health.

"They have all been through something that has changed them in a way that they could never be the person they once were."

Unknown author Tweet

I walked in your shoes; I can walk an extra mile next to you today.

The reproductive life of women begins with the first menstrual cycle, which is known as menarche. My menarche came as early as nine years old.

Like many other girls of my time, the first bleeding surprised me; I was not ready. I tried to hide it until it was no longer possible. Also, I had to learn how to use homemade sanitary napkins during that time of the month.

The scarcity of resources in my country made each menstrual cycle a tough event for women.

To my complete amazement, I learned that here in the United States, it is also a problem for many girls, even here in Houston.

My first pregnancy

At the end of the second year of my career, I got married (yes, in Russia); we were both students. I longed for a baby; So a year later, I gave birth to my princess.

During the third year of my career, it was complicated; I still remember the pain in my legs and hips when I had to walk in the snow with my huge pregnant belly to attend my classes.

My first time in labor.

By then, there was no epidural anesthesia, or at least it wasn’t available to everyone. I also did not have time to attend training on how to perform labor. It took me over 19 hours of excruciating pain to bring my girl. However, shortly after giving birth, I forgot all the pain. Indescribable happiness flooded me when I held my baby for the first time.

My second baby arrived five years later. By then, I had married a second time and was working as a resident physician. Once again, I was in the middle of a crucial stage in my career. However, the delivery was much more relaxed.

…And, There Is Menopause

I must admit that reaching menopause was one of the hardest challenges to overcome.

I have never had pain during my periods. However, it was the first symptom that ushered in what would become my midlife crisis. I learned what other women go through each month when they have painful menstrual periods.

It all started after my 47th birthday.

The list of symptoms was long: severe pain, profuse bleeding for more than seven days, mood swings, hot flashes, followed by extreme cold, insomnia, anxiety.

You name it!

Sometimes I was sad, seeming in my own tears, not even knowing why. Of course, someone would take the blame; most of the time, my husband, and my motive was: You never understand me! Thank you, God, for his patience.

What else?

I think I had each symptom as described in the literature. It took me a while to converge and try to find a solution.

WoMen© – The initiative

I exhausted all therapeutic alternatives except surgery, which my doctor suggested if severe pain did not resolve with the medications he prescribed.

So there I was, swallowing pills and hoping for better.

Among other things, I read about the benefits of the low-carb, high-healthy-fat diet known as the Keto diet, which was trending on social media, with promising results. I decided to give it a try.

There were tons of posts about the ketogenic diet and its health benefits. I made my plan and decided to take it to the letter.

The results were immediate; The first thing I noticed was the energy, then the pain went away, and I lost a lot of weight (29 pounds to be exact).

I was feeling renewed…

I also included other items to support my mental health, such as meditation, reading motivational topics, increasing physical activity, staying hydrated, and much more.

By then, I had already earned the Health Coach Certification from the National Society of Health Coaches (NSHC). A Modest Coaching Training for Physicians.

I was searching for something bigger, something that would really make a shift in my life.

In my constant search, I came across the Transformational Coaching Method (TCM) by the Health Coach Institute, which is based on cutting-edge psychology, brain science, nutrition, intuitive listening, habit change, and healthy lifestyle design.

TCM supports you in moving beyond your present paradigm, liberating you from limited thinking, and expanding possibility beyond your imagination.

That is what good coaching is about!

The TCM is far more powerful than any other method because it draws on so many other models and is inherent person-focused. TCM is psychological, humanistic, integrative, and holistic.

I faced the little person that lived within me. That same girl who had been carrying all of her stories until now. This experience unleashed the potential within me, and my life purpose finally made sense.

Putting all these pieces together, I started working on an initiative to help women who are in a midlife crisis and have been lost.

This is how Fabulous 50 -WoMen© came about, to help women turn challenges into unique gifts and opportunities to grow and shine.

WoMen © – is an acronym: a word formed from two, where “Wo” is the first two letters of Women in English and “Men” the first three letters of menopause. WoMen© is the elite program of Dr. Gala founded on the TCM.

I envision WoMen© as an essential resource that all women can trust to make their decisions. Provide the right support to encourage them to self-manage their basic health needs while enjoying a safe transition to middle age.

Each woman who participates in this program becomes the most powerful, beautiful, and healthy version of herself.

For busy women who struggle every day to do magic with their hands; that they are teachers, scientists, housewives who take care of their grandchildren and know where to find anything with their eyes covered; They do not take much care of themselves, but they feel the need to change things in their lives, to feel more secure and happy with themselves; They have an open mind and are willing to do whatever it takes to take better care of themselves; They are ready to work on self-confidence and live a more mindful, satisfying, and stress-free life.

At this stage, we all tend to wait for the right moment to do something for us, even though we know that things are not going so well.

How do you know if it’s time to join Fabulous 50 – WoMen©?
Glad you asked this question! You don’t have to be 50 years old; It’s just about deciding to act for yourself at any time!

Here are some tips to help you decide:

Have you been told that you have hypertension, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or obesity?

Or, are you struggling with:

Hot flushes
loneliness and sadness (empty nest syndrome)
bone and joint pain
decreased sexual arousal
depression;
frequent mood swings
feeling lost or without purpose
lack of energy
that you are losing your youthful appearance
that you have gained too much weight

If you said Yes to one or more of these situations, or if you feel like it is the time for you to step in for yourself?

Then you are in the right place!

Book now!