Growing up in Slovakia, Adriana Shuman initially approached health and wellness in a conventional way, by studying pharmacology. But when she realized that many people were taking medications and not getting well, she began questioning this approach.
“I saw people who kept coming back, and I’m not making any difference in their lives,” Shuman recalls of her time as a pharmacist, handing out pills that either did nothing or even made patients worse.
That, and the traumatic deaths of several family members from cancer, made Shuman realize that there had to be a better way to treat illness. She immigrated to the United States in 2001 and began working in various health industries, all the while developing a unique philosophy that would allow people to find true wellness.
Now, more than two decades later, Shuman is a certified health and wellness strategist who is sharing her method with the world. Her book, Live Well: Empowering Habits for Vibrant Health and Unstoppable Energy, released in May 2025, is already a USA Today National Bestseller.
“Live Well” is a clear, empowering roadmap to understanding your body and environment so you can finally take charge of your health. It contains practical steps, real-food recipes and a holistic approach to creating vibrant health.
The Carmel resident is the founder of Your Wellness Made Simple, a science-based health and wellness practice that helps people restore their energy, heal their gut, and create real health from the roots up. She developed her system after extensive research, study and observation of what was truly making people sick — and what they needed to do to get well.
“It’s horrific to listen to people’s stories, about how doctors dismissed them and their concerns,” she says, saying that often medical practitioners prescribe drugs automatically without looking for or examining the true causes of disease and illness.
Many people struggle with fatigue, migraines, bloating and other symptoms, and cannot get clear answers or pathways to dealing with these problems, Shuman says. This leads to a cycle of exhaustion and confusion that is hard to escape.
Her goal is to empower people to take charge of their own health by giving them clear, personalized strategies, whether it’s to heal chronic symptoms, manage or prevent disease.
She continues to coach clients both near and far to help them understand that every aspect of their lives can impact their health, from what they’re using as cooking utensils to the kinds of beds they sleep on to their relationships.
The foundation of her wellness system rests on four pillars: environment, food, sleep and movement. As Shuman explains, it’s all about the human body, how we function and what we need. Living in a healthful environment that is free from toxic substances and stressors is key, as are healthy foods for nourishment. Sleep is essential for rejuvenating mind and body, and movement ensures that the body continues to work as it’s intended.
“Sleep is really the biggest factor in our wellness,” Shuman says, and notes that most of us don’t get enough restful sleep. “It’s when the body gets a chance to repair, and the quality of sleep is as important as the quantity.”
One of the most elusive causes of illness are the toxins in our home environments, which can be hiding in items like carpet, paint, furniture and other items that are all around us, every day. Identifying hidden culprits in the environment, and avoiding them or replacing them with nontoxic alternatives, is one of the ways in which people can take charge of their health.
Also important to understand are the ways in which stress can affect us and make us sick, she says. Such factors as childhood trauma, daily stress, and our relationships can also weigh people down in ways that might go unacknowledged, but all these factors play a part: “Every single cell in your body is paying attention to every single thought,” Shuman says.
Her system addresses root causes rather than just symptoms, by helping clients really look at what is in the environment that might be making them sick—such as toxins and molds—as well as making sure they are eating healthy organic foods and using the proper implements and methods to prepare them. She uses a hands-on approach with her clients to guide them to sustainable ways of living for better health and improved energy.
Since “Live Well” was released earlier this year, Shuman has received praise from readers as well as doctors and other health professionals who have read the book and taken her message to heart.
“It’s a foundation that I wanted to make available to everyone in a way that is easy to understand,” says Shuman.
The book is available from online booksellers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop, as well as through Shuman’s website. In the Monterey Bay area, you’ll find it at Bookworks in Pacific Grove and River House Books in Carmel.
More at: yourwellness-madesimple.com
About the author
Kathryn McKenzie, who grew up in Santa Cruz and now lives on a Christmas tree farm in north Monterey County, writes about the environment, sustainable living and health for numerous publications and websites. She is the co-author of “Humbled: How California’s Monterey Bay Escaped Industrial Ruin.”
