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Married to Medicines Dr. Contessa Metcalfe has had a year similar to everyone elses. Shes been trying to keep her loved ones safe from the COVID-19 pandemic while balancing the job of wife, mother and physician during uncertain, tumultuous times. Shes also partnered with the Kleenex brand to help people get through an especially challenging cold and flu season. Shes looking to keep her family happy and well, and also help others to stay healthy. So when Bravo released the first trailer for the upcoming eighth season of Married to Medicine, Metcalfe says she was proud of how the producers managed to incorporate current events into it as much as the drama weve come to expect over the years from the series. In one scene highlighted in the trailer, the group travels to Washington D.C. for a meeting with Al Sharpton, and later at a rally, the physicians work as a collective to encourage bypassers to get tested for COVID. There is serious depth in Season 8. But of course, there are the confrontations and heated moments people also tune in for, including one between Dr. Contessa and husband Scott Metcalfe where they struggle to confront their issues.

Ahead of Married to Medicines newest season, we sat down with Dr. Contessa to learn more about balancing family and her dreams. We also learned more about what we can expect from the new season, as well as explored her tips for getting through another season cold, flu and COVID.

MadameNoire: What items should we be sure to keep at home during these brutal winter months?

Dr. Contessa Metcalfe: Of course, with this being cold and flu season, in addition to COVID season, one thing I always keep on hand is my Kleenex Soothing Lotion [tissue]. The reason is because even when your nose isnt running when you have some sort of infection, were always kinda dealing with that in cold weather or when the weathers changing. Its just always much safer to use something disposable like a Kleenex brand tissue and what I love about Soothing Lotion is that its infused with Vitamin E, coconut oil and aloe, helping to moisturize the facial skin, which is so important especially in these dry winter months when all were doing is trying to stay moisturized and prepare for the summer.

A lot of us are just now discovering things like echinacea tea to combat illness. Can you name anything else we ought to be storing in our cabinets right now?

Probably the most common thing that people dont have on hand when they need them is some sort of anti-inflammatory because if they are indeed coming down with something, the best thing to do is ward it off at the pass.

And the best thing I believe you can do to protect yourself, believe it or not, is to eat well. Food is medicine and so the better your nutritional status is, if you were to come down with something, the more apt you are to recover very quickly. And what that means is that the plant-based diet is actually the new science. The data has been around for a couple of decades now and more of these tests and studies are coming out that are just proving that you should do your best to keep your plate colorful. Its not only about eating something green. Like, if youre eating cabbage, try purple cabbage. Eggplant. Squash. Try to get as many nutrients as you can naturally. There are some things you just cant really get enough of. For instance, vitamin D. Black people in particular, of course, have low levels of Vitamin D unfortunately because we just cant get enough of it. Thats one supplement that I would definitely recommend.

But for the most part? Food, food, food. Eating well and trying to stay away from processed foods and things that arent gonna serve any nutritional value.

Moving on to Married to Medicine, is there anything you think viewers should be paying special attention to this season?

One thing Ill say that the network did well this year was to capitalize on what was going on in the world and not just whats going on in our homes. So we really covered the civil rights movement of 2020. They covered the pandemic and the effect it had on everyone and of course, it covered us as physicians and clinicians with families.

So thats another perspective that I dont know that a lot of people will understand. The fear that the world was living in was also the fear that we were living in. We didnt know anything about the virus and were still learning. So I thought that was great. It wasnt just about arguing, it wasnt just about relationships, but it was tackling current events.

Speaking of the pandemic, what is going on down there in Atlanta? How do you feel about how COVID is being handled in your city?

Like, wide open? Like there is no COVID? [laughs]

Right! Particularly as a doctor watching all this happen

Its challenging! The major challenge is just reinforcing the things that we know work. Like social distancing, right? Wearing a mask if you cant maintain that six-foot distance. Washing your hands. Making sure that youre doing the best you can to not spread the infection. So a lot of things like going to lot of parties and going to clubs and having big events, those type of things right now are just over.

And its been challenging for us. We all love eating out and having a good time with a lot of friends, but its just not a healthy idea at this moment. We have to make sure we have fresh air of course. I am not advocating just staying inside and not getting fresh air. Go outside. Exercise. Thats another reason I really love Kleenex tissues. I keep em on me because when I run, its not a cold, its actually just that nasal motor. So if you keep them on you because when youre walking past people you want to cover your face, especially if youre talking, because we learned that youre more easily transmitting the virus as youre talking. So its nice to have something that you can hold in front of you and dispose of, without worrying about germs being on your hands.

Source: Bravo / Getty

What are your thoughts on Lisa Marie Cloud and Kari Wells returning to the show this season?

I came on in Season 4 so I didnt meet them really, outside of it just being in passing or at a couple of events. Ive seen them around being that [Kari] and I are actually neighbors, so back in the olden days 2019, 2020 we went to the same gym.

But its been nice to see how their lives changed dramatically, even from what I watched on the show. Lisa Nicoles kids are in high school now and last time viewers saw them, they were my kids age. Same thing with [Keri], her children are in high school as well, so its nice to see that, what the challenges are with them now and what theyve been doing.

Are you still hoping to become surgeon general one day?

Its so funny because I do, but some of the challenges with the position as Im sure you may have noticed on television, its a very political career choice and you arent always able to carte blanche. Like in medicine. If I want to prescribe Medicine X to you and I want to refer you to someone, I have autonomy and I can do that but when youre in a public position like that, there are a lot of bosses and they put external pressure on you. Now more than ever!

Most people probably never even knew who the surgeon general was before the past couple of years. So it just gave another dynamic. But absolutely. Its definitely still a dream, but I think Im also more realistic about what Im able to do and how much it really is not just all about one person. Its a lot of pressure from other places. To me, it was kind of sad. Dr. [Jerome] Adams [surgeon general from 2017-2021] is a fantastic physician and I dont know that we got actually to see what he was fully capable of doing. He got a raw deal.

Do either you or your husband have any regrets about sharing as much as you have on the show?

The only time thats uncomfortable is when someone walks up to you and just starts talking to you and giving you very intimate advice like they know you. But for the most part, I dont. I really value transparency and its been very cathartic for me.

I grew up in a family where we didnt really talk about a lot of stuff. There was always an elephant in the room. Thats actually emotionally and physically toxic, and a lot of people dont understand how much anxiety and depression can be rooted from holding things in and not being able to release them. So its been freeing, and every time something comes out that I was like, Eh I wasnt comfortable sharing that but here we go I feel better. I feel lighter and I realize that no ones perfect. Actually, last night my daughter was doing some homework and she got so frustrated that she actually started crying, and so I just told her, Let me tell you a secret: Perfection is the biggest lie. Its a lot but since Ive learned that seeking perfection is not realistic, its not on my radar. Im not even trying to do that anymore.

Youre actually inspiring so many women that need to see that representation on TV: a wife and mother going after her dreams, even when certain people cant understand. Even the ones you love.

That feels good because we, especially as women, once we become mothers, all the rest of our goals and our vision boards are supposed to fall to the wayside. But I always say, Kids keep growing, even if you dont. So I dont know where that came from where were not supposed to grow anymore because we get married and have children. If mama aint happy, nobodys happy. So its actually better for them to see, especially with two little girls, that you can do [anything]. Kids dont hold you back, they inspire you.

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Dr. Contessa On Balancing Family And Dreams, Married to Medicine Season 8 - MadameNoire