Whether you’re just coming around to the idea of establishing a fitness routine, or you’re someone who already incorporates lots of movement and exercise into your days, you may wonder, "Is it bad to work out at night?" On the one hand, it’s easy to understand the “If I save my workout for bedtime, I’ll just wear myself out for a good night’s sleep!” school of thought. On the other hand, there has been speculation that regular evening workouts can negatively impact not only how long it takes you to fall asleep on average, but the...

Lindsey Williams • Mar 18, 2024

Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It’s a painful, challenging, and sometimes downright embarrassing condition that can have you running to the bathroom at the worst times. Fortunately, IBS is a very manageable condition with the right care and strategies to help control your symptoms. If you suspect that you have IBS, the first step is to consult with your doctor to determine the best care plan for you. But did you know that there are also some at-home ways to relieve your discomfort? First, what is IBS? IBS is a chronic condition that affects both the stomach and...

Erin Pettis • Feb 26, 2024

PCOS — or polycystic ovary syndrome — is an endocrine (hormonal) condition that comes with a plethora of unwelcome symptoms. Specifically, PCOS occurs when the body’s ovaries create a higher-than-normal level of hormones called androgens. From fertility problems to irregular periods, to headaches and pelvic pain, to excess body hair, anyone living with PCOS knows that the condition is certainly not a walk in the park. One of the side effects you may have heard of is “PCOS belly." But what exactly is PCOS belly, and what differentiates it from other types of weight gain? PCOS and weight gain:...

Lindsey Williams • Jan 22, 2024

Somatic exercises are different from your typical HIIT or weight-lifting workouts. They’re slow. They’re intentional. They focus on the mind-body connection, allowing you to better understand where you hold certain tensions and emotions within your body.  You might be wondering how slow movements can help with weight loss and overall health, but we’ll break it down for you — from the benefits to exercises you can do at home.  Somatic exercise and being present in the moment Somatic exercise requires that you focus on your inner experience as you go through the movements and expand your...

Brighid Flynn • Jan 7, 2024

In the past few years, we’ve taken a good, hard look at the damaging effects of diet culture. For those of us who grew up in the Diet-Coke-and-100-calorie-snack-pack landscape of the ‘90s, then began navigating the “clean eating” movement as young adults, it feels almost impossible to dethrone those diet culture…but we’re finally getting somewhere. And now, it’s time we get equally clear about dismantling our long-held ideas about exercise. Exercise used to be viewed as something you had to do, especially if you’d been “bad” with your eating habits. It was meant to be challenging...

Zara Hanawalt • Jan 3, 2024

Even though the holiday season is supposed to be about joy, togetherness, and celebration, let’s get real about one thing: The colder months can usher in feelings of stress, sadness, and loneliness. Some of those feelings may be a mere consequence of shorter days, colder temps, fewer fun activities on the horizon, and a constant parade of cold-weather viruses. But if your symptoms of sadness feel extreme, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (also known by its very appropriate acronym, SAD).  Contrary to popular belief, SAD can actually present during other times of the...

Zara Hanawalt • Nov 29, 2023

As women, many of us may have historically viewed our cycles, especially our periods, as “curses.” But it turns out, they can be our superpower if we’re willing to fully lean into each stage and give our body what it needs in those moments.  Part of what sets women apart is that we operate off of two biological rhythms instead of one.  Woman’s second biological rhythm: The menstrual cycle  Everyone has a circadian rhythm, aka your 24-hour “biological clock” that controls your sleep-wake cycle, hormone production, energy, metabolism, body temperature, and more. However, women have a...

Caroline McMorrow • Oct 24, 2023

If you’ve been on the health and wellness side of social media anytime in the past 5 years, you've likely heard of the term “adrenal fatigue." For those of us who have experienced the physical effects of burnout, it feels like a very real phenomenon, but for those who haven’t, it usually results in an eye roll.   The unpopular truth? Adrenal fatigue isn’t a real diagnosis, nor is it a legitimate medical term. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a valid warning sign from the body and a gentle nudge to look within.  Where did the...

Caroline McMorrow • Sep 25, 2023

Women and men are not biologically the same.  At this point, it’s probably clear to many of us that women are not small men. We are biologically different, meaning we have different needs and focal points when it comes to our health.  This is not to say one sex is better than the other, just different.  Why?  Women operate off of two biological rhythms: their circadian rhythm (24-hour cycle) and infradian rhythm (~28-day menstrual cycle). Meanwhile, men operate off their circadian rhythm only.  This means women’s hormones fluctuate week after week as they enter different stages...

Caroline McMorrow • Sep 7, 2023

Today Show contributor Jill Martin announced her breast cancer diagnosis. Martin’s announcement was heartbreaking…and for many women around the world, a terrifying wake-up call.  Martin revealed that she had a normal mammogram in January and that her own mother (who has a personal history of breast cancer) had tested negative for the BRCA gene mutation (which substantially increases a person’s risk of cancer). Despite these reassurances, Martin was advised to get tested for the genetic mutation herself. Surprisingly, Martin tested positive and chose to have preventative surgery to reduce her risk of getting cancer.  But while...

Zara Hanawalt • Aug 30, 2023