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Home · Money & Career

Labor Of Love: This Husband Founded A Wellness Brand After His Wife Was Diagnosed As Pre-Diabetic. Now It's Changing Health Outcomes For Millions

Husband-wife duo, L.J and Kim Williams are behind Jinka, a turmeric-based health product line that's transforming lives.
Labor Of Love: This Husband Founded A Wellness Brand After His Wife Was Diagnosed As Pre-Diabetic. Now It’s Changing Health Outcomes For Millions
By Jasmine Browley · Updated February 13, 2023

Bobby Caldwell sang it best.

In my world, only you make me do for love what I would not do
Make me do for love what I would not do
.

The 1978 classic song may as be the Williams’ personal soundtrack.

Kim and L.J. met in 2012, and after nearly two years of blissful coupledom, they had their first child together in 2014. Unfortunately, Kim was met with a scary health outcome.

“I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic after having a daughter at almost 39,” said Kim Williams. “It was really tough because I’d never had any health issues at all before that.”

When he heard the news, L.J. immediately jumped into action.

“Since I’d already been cooking for her throughout the pregnancy, I was ready to start looking into ingredients that were safe for us to eat after this new diagnosis,” he said.

After months of research and tinkering, L.J. created a product called Jinka, a vegan product aimed at reducing inflammation in the body. The edible paste is made up of turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, pink Himalayan salt, coconut oil, date sugar and black pepper.

Labor Of Love: This Husband Founded A Wellness Brand After His Wife Was Diagnosed As Pre-Diabetic. Now It’s Changing Health Outcomes For Millions

“It tasted horrible at first,” L.J. said laughingly in a phone interview with ESSENCE. “But we kept at it and now it’s so delicious you wouldn’t even be able to tell it’s good for you.”

After taking the paste for six months, Kim’s diagnosis was reversed. She sang the product’s praises to her network and soon, more people in her community were asking for Jinka to try out themselves.

Labor Of Love: This Husband Founded A Wellness Brand After His Wife Was Diagnosed As Pre-Diabetic. Now It’s Changing Health Outcomes For Millions

“After the overwhelming reception from our friends and family, we took the product to farmer’s markets, health fairs and then health stores,” Kim explained.

Now, the product is being sold at the Texas-based grocer chain H-E-B.

Labor Of Love: This Husband Founded A Wellness Brand After His Wife Was Diagnosed As Pre-Diabetic. Now It’s Changing Health Outcomes For Millions

“What started out of love for my family is now transforming lives everywhere and it’s incredible.”

For more information and to view customer testimonials, check out ilovejinka.com.

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