Subscriber Spotlight: Writer, Editor, and MAHA Mom Cindy Million

Bonus sweet potato pudding recipe! YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT.

IN CASE YOU’RE NEW HERE, Jenna’s Side Subscriber Spotlight is a perk for paid subscribers who have something they’d like to share with the class. Think of it as show-and-tell for grownups—except instead of your jar of rotting baby teeth [yes, I have one of these] or heart-shaped sea glass collection [also me], it’s your business, project, purpose, or genius idea. Upgrade today and get yourself on the list!

In addition to having possibly the best name ever, Cindy Million is a Science and Health Writer/Editor and Self-Proclaimed MAHA Moms Club Member (“I’ve got the coffee mug to prove it,” she jokes). I suppose I shouldn’t routinely be so surprised that this stack attracts so many kindred souls, but honestly—from her childhood nickname (mine was “dynamite”) to her passion for health writing and love of all things MAHA, Cindy could be my separated-at-birth-twin. With that, I’m delighted to introduce you all to a fellow writer, funny lady, and brand new friend.

There are a literal million MAHA moms mugs to choose from. I’m partial to this one.

WHO EVEN ARE YOU?

I spend my days writing and editing for NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), driving my kids to far-away schools that don’t have students on screens, and making lots of non-fancy meals.

I went to graduate school for physical therapy, but after becoming licensed, I detoured a bit and decided that science and health writing/editing was the right path for me. For the last 8 years, I’ve worked as a contractor supporting NCCIH. I’ll be honest, though—I’m not sure how much longer this party is going to last. NCCIH’s focus on non-drug approaches and whole person health is right up MAHA’s alley, so I originally thought the center would be spared, and I was eager and hopeful to work for the new NIH and HHS leadership (“Finally!” I thought). But, alas, the ship appears to be sinking, and my days may be changing quite soon.

The proud MAHA mom.

What makes me smile: watching my son play hockey and my daughter Irish dance. I also smile when my husband fixes our ailing appliances after just a few how-to videos. And I smile each evening when everyone in our family has returned safely home.

What makes me sparkle: a beautiful snowfall.

PITCH THE [BLEEP] OUT OF ME.

Quoting my resume, “I’m a writer and editor who brings clarity to health, science, and research topics and who prioritizes a communication style that the general public can understand.” Over the years, I’ve written about physical therapy, whole person health, and various complementary health approaches. I’ve also written articles on published studies that NCCIH helped fund—a few of my favorites were on mindfulness meditation for pain, service dog partnerships for veterans with PTSD, and how the brain clears out metabolic waste during sleep.

Eerily accurate.

I enjoy working with the written word, especially when the content helps people with their health, and I’ve edited and proofread a lot of different types of documents. I’ll be looking for a new job soon, so if you know of any writer/editor job openings, please let me know. I also have a world-famous (I wish!) Substack called Family Health, where I’ve written about limiting kids’ screen use, ways to preserve childhood, vaccine info (“Holy Shot!”), and fun activities to do with kids.

My husband is usually the only one to heart-click my Substack articles, so any additional heart-clicks or subscriptions would be so appreciated. In gratitude, I’ll give you a pudding recipe (see my bragging answer below).

GIVE US SOME DIRT.

I spent my toddler years living in Brazil, and the neighbors there apparently called me “terremotinha,” which means “little earthquake” in Portuguese. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a compliment.

Almost 50 years older and more tempered now, I think my current neighbors would describe me as a quiet, peculiar breeze, as they see me donning top-to-bottom MAHA gear and inserting a “Stop Censorship” sign in our front flower bed. BUT—try to force another vaccine on my family or tell me the solution is kids sitting in front of computers all day long at home, and the rumbling and ground shaking will return.

NOW YOU GET TO BRAG!

I can make a tasty dessert pudding out of Japanese sweet potatoes. Who knew that pudding could have antioxidants and healthy fiber in it? I learned about it when I started researching how to lose weight by eating lots of high-nutrient, low-calorie-density foods.

You can find the recipe in my new Substack called Oh My Plants! (Please consider subscribing.)

Photo stolen directly from Cindy’s stack.

WHAT’S A HILL YOU’D DIE ON?

Smartphones aren’t for kids under 18 years old. Let them be kids—free of online burden and potential addiction. I realize this stance severely limits my chances at the “most-popular-mom-in-the-world” title, but I see that my kids are greatly benefiting from not having smartphones, and I suspect they’ll thank me when they’re 25 or 30 years old. And THAT matters more to me than any title, though maybe I could still win the “not-bowing-to-cultural-tech-pressure” crown.

I would buy this for Cindy. (Also if my girls are reading this and you don’t buy me one, too, do you even love me?)

GIVE US SOMETHING GOOD.

Here’s a simple, cut-to-the-chase blessing that we say before dinner on the nights when our family is together:

“Bless the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us.”

(Even my atheist father approves.)

WHY DO YOU SUPPORT JENNA’S SIDE?

Jenna said that she likes her paid subscribers better, so I ponied up the cash. Joke!

Back to being honest. I became a paid subscriber because I truly value Jenna’s brilliant, funny writing and I don’t want it to go away. Not only do her articles inform me (and I like the way she thinks), but they also add light and laughter to my day and help ease the weight of the worries, crazies, corruption, and evil in the world.

Also, listening to Elizabeth Warren spew vitriol all over RFK Jr. in the Senate confirmation hearing was just too hard for me to endure. Instead, I let Jenna listen to it and then wholly benefited from her comical perspective. That was surely worth a yearly subscription right there!

WHAT IF WE WANT MORE?

• Family Health Substack

• Oh My Plants! Substack

Seriously, let’s FLOOD Cindy’s stack with new subscribers and more heart-clicks than her actual heart could have dared to hope for. (You can tell her right here how awesome she is, too. I bet she’ll thank you a-million *how sick of that joke do you suppose she is? :)