Most mornings, Brooke Burke’s day begins in her serene Malibu backyard with her daily superfood smoothie in one hand, a yoga mat in the other. This is her happy place. The clamor of the outside world fades into whispers and she can become one with the natural world.
It’s a ritual that lends harmony to nights dedicated to the Las Vegas stage.
“I'm in my 50s; I've never felt better,” Burke shares with Modern Luxury.
Living the best of both worlds, Burke is a fitness guru by day and a TV and entertainment personality by night. Currently hosting the live magic show Penn & Teller: Fool Us where contestants will try to dupe infamous illusionists, Burke describes her job as “big” and “glamorous.”
At this point in her career, her charismatic stage presence comes naturally. Since the early 90s, Burke has been found either in front of a camera, modeling or performing on television screens across the world. When the opportunity to host Dancing With the Stars arose following her big win back in 2008, she took the job and ran with it.
This journey, however, traces back to her early years. Born in Hartford, Conn., Burke later moved to Tucson, Ariz. at a young age. It was in Arizona where her love for the earth’s energy and desert sunsets first ignited.
Decades into her career, amid a busy Hollywood schedule, Burke was diagnosed with thyroid cancer during a physical examination in 2012. Even with her dedication to health and wellness and her routine checkups for her pre-existing Hashimoto’s disease, she learned that no one is exempt from health scares. Following surgery, Burke successfully overcame her thyroid cancer and, as she detailed to Orlando Health, was given instructions to continue to monitor her symptoms as a precautionary measure. In speaking out about her experience, she hopes that other people will take her story as a lesson to be advocates for their own bodies.
“We have to be a detective of our own body and an advocate for our own health. Period,” she says.
Aside from her time on screen and role as a health advocate, being a mother to six kids and living a healthy and harmonious lifestyle is what brings her back down to earth. “I feel like I’ve got my feet firmly planted on the ground in a healthy way with a foundation that’s built on family and love,” Burke shares.
“I never strive for balance that seems so unattainable,” she continues. “But, I do manage all of the madness and chaos of the business and a superficial profession with being really grounded.”
Having an outdoor “office” (a.k.a. her backyard sanctuary) suits the wellness aficionado, who has been health-driven for as long as she can remember. For Burke, maintaining your health is more than just traditional exercise and mindful eating, it involves soaking up vitamin D, breathing in fresh air and dancing barefoot in the grass. Mother nature, she explains, offers us an endless supply of tools to “drop into a space of connectedness and self-realization.”
Burke adds, “Mother Nature isn’t always very kind to us, but if you can partner up with her you have a much better chance.”
Her backyard sanctuary, Soul Creek Wellness, is far from your average at-home outdoor space. Littered around the oasis are teepees and an outdoor stage called Mother Nature Studio. “In that space, I do transformation work, meditation, Qigong, sisterhood circles, cacao ceremonies, I offer body sculpting classes outdoors, I host events, plant-based meals, gardening projects… all of these things that I feel like really light up our inner network,” she says.
Her mission is to share both her knowledge of living a healthy, sustainable life and backyard space with peers. And rather than striving for a quick fix, longevity is Burke’s aim. In fact, her goal of creating her very own blue zone is underway in Carefree, Ariz.
Blue Zones are five regions around the world with exceptionally high rates of vitality and extended lifespan. The regions share nine lifestyle habits: moving naturally, cultivating a sense of purpose, having a sense of belonging, eating until 80% full, effectively managing stress levels, putting loved ones first, eating lots of plants, indulging in wine after 5 p.m. and having a social circle that supports healthy behaviors.
“It’s about purpose, community, mobility, mindful choices, connection and nutrition,” Burke affirms,” “I want to show people that you can do that anywhere.”
One of the original Blue Zones is located in the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. It was in Nosara, a district of Nicoya in the Guanacaste province, where Burke had the opportunity to lead an international retreat. Her fascination with the philosophy of living longer and stronger sparked here, but she learned that you can cultivate a healthy community anywhere.
Back in Malibu, Burke opens her home to the public for various classes. Partnering with people in the wellness space, like Yogando Style and other experts in the field (such as reiki practitioners, certified yoga instructors, breathwork facilitators and more) lights a fire under her wings.
Up next, Burke has a day retreat, Spring into Summer, on May 4 at Soul Creek Wellness. The day will be filled with yoga, body sculpting, biohacking, Qigong, breathwork, an expert panel discussion, community connection, farm-to-table dining by Fresco Dining and wellness brand pop-ups.
“Our mission is really to take people on a journey back to self, to discover, to reimagine, to reboot, to recharge their batteries,” she says.
What’s more, those looking to participate in Burke’s curated rejuvenation do not have to be in the Malibu-Los Angeles area. You can find it all on the Brooke Burke Body app, which has her latest workout classes and program releases, healthy recipes and the opportunity to embark on a journey of intentional wellness. In particular, her Friday Zoom workouts are a great way to stay on top of fitness goals from the comfort of your own home. Or, if you would rather work one-on-one, Burke also offers an in-person workout and consultation.
“Life is happening, but harmony is a beautiful goal,” Burke reflects. “When you can marry strength and weakness, marry light and darkness, marry masculine and feminine energies, then you can live a harmonious life that’s long and strong and based on longevity.”
See also: Coloring Outside The Lines: The Unconventional Journey Of Street Artist Jules Muck
Photography by: Brooke Burke Body
