Healthy Living, Simplified

The Resurgence of the Women-Only Gym

The Trend: Women-only gyms are having a comeback, but this time, it’s less about step classes and leotards and more about lifting heavy. After fading from popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, women-focused fitness spaces are re-emerging as more women embrace strength training. The new wave includes boutique studios, coached weightlifting sessions, and welcoming spaces designed to make the weight room feel less intimidating. What People Are Saying: The appeal goes beyond avoiding unwanted attention. Women-only gyms offer a chance to learn new movements, build confidence, and take up space without feeling watched or judged. And it stems from a real need: a 2025 study of nearly 300 women found that participants reported feeling scrutinized for their appearance and performance, navigating harassment, and sometimes struggling to access equipment or be taken seriously. What to Know: Unlike the ’90s-era Curves model, which often centered on calorie-burning circuits and weight loss, today’s women-only gyms are putting progressive strength training, expert coaching, and community front and center. The shift reflects a broader movement toward building muscle for longevity, bone health, and everyday strength, not just changing how your body looks. For many women, the real draw is a place where women can focus […]

a man handing a wrapped gift across a table to a smiling woman, surrounded by green leaves, representing wellness gifts

The Best Wellness Gifts of 2026

The best gifts make someone’s favorite habits even better. From massage guns and smart rings to sleep earbuds and espresso machines, here are 11 wellness gifts worth the splurge.

a woman learns how vitamin b12 can help with muscle growth in the gym

Is Vitamin B12 the Muscle Nutrient You’ve Been Missing?

Two women doing intense exercise plank holds on stability balls, the type of high-intensity training linked to gut health benefits

Can Intense Exercise Improve Your Gut Health?

Intense exercise and gut health are more connected than you'd think. New research on elite rowers reveals how mixing hard and easy training boosts beneficial gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acids, plus tips to avoid mid-workout GI distress.

Older women doing resistance training to support whey protein for aging muscles

A Dietitian Says This Is the Best Protein for Aging Muscles

Whey protein delivers all nine essential amino acids in an easy-to-digest form, making it one of the most effective supplements for preserving muscle mass and strength as you age, especially when combined with resistance training.

Fitness

Nutrition

Sleep

Woman doing a barbell back squat in a squat rack, a bone-loading move for building stronger bones

The Best Moves for Building Stronger Bones

Resistance training doesn’t just build muscle. Bone-loading exercises like squats, deadlifts, and jumping rope can improve bone mineral density and help lower your osteoporosis risk.

Will We See HYROX In the Next Olympics?

The Trend: What started in Germany in 2017 as a fitness race has grown into a global competition, and HYROX now has its sights on the Olympics. The sport combines eight 1-kilometer runs with eight workout stations, including sled pushes, rowing, burpee broad jumps, and weighted lunges. And on October 28, HYROX and World Triathlon announced a partnership officially recognizing hybrid racing as a discipline under the governing body’s umbrella. Next, they’ll develop three competition formats (Fast, Ultra, and Ultimate) and pursue spots in multisport events, a stepping stone toward Olympic and Paralympic inclusion. What People Are Saying: HYROX’s popularity has helped it earn a reputation as a legitimate competitive sport, but its Olympic ambitions aren’t winning everyone over. Some established triathletes have questioned the partnership, including British Olympic champion Alex Yee, whose social media poll showed 82% of respondents opposed the move. Others, including Polish Olympic triathlete Roksana Slupek have questioned what the two sports have in common. Another British triathlete, Max Stapley, wrote on Yee’s Instagram post: “This is crap.” What to Know: There’s no confirmed Olympic debut yet, and the partnership’s full operational framework is still to come. But the move signals that hybrid fitness is gaining […]

Quick Ways to Undo a Day of Sitting

Break Up With Your Office Chair: Your desk job shouldn’t leave you feeling like you’ve aged 30 years by 5 p.m., but many of us end a workday feeling that way. Hours of sitting can contribute to back pain, stiff hips, achy shoulders, and tired eyes. The fix isn’t necessarily a fancy ergonomic chair or an elaborate stretching routine. A few small changes throughout the day can help. How to Do It: Start by taking a five-minute walking break every hour. If your back feels stiff, try a spinal rotation: Stand with your right foot crossed behind your left, raise your right arm overhead and extend your left arm behind you. Sweep both arms down as you twist toward your right foot, then return to the starting position. Stretch your neck by performing a few neck circles in each direction. Give your eyes a break, too. Every half hour or so, take a moment to look out the window, or better yet, actually go outside to get some fresh air. The Benefits: Active breaks that incorporate movement and posture changes can reduce the discomfort that comes with prolonged sitting. Adjusting your screen height can reduce unnecessary neck strain, and looking […]

Is Yoga Becoming a Competitive Sport?

The Trend: Historically, Yoga is about reflection, self-awareness, and letting go. Now, some are turning it into a spectator sport — and others are not happy about it. In June, India hosted the inaugural World Yogasana Championship, where athletes from 79 countries performed judged routines showcasing strength, flexibility, balance, and stillness. Competitors earn points for posture, technique, and difficulty, with music and elaborate costumes adding to the spectacle. India is pushing to bring yogasana to the 2036 Olympics. What People Are Saying: The president of Yogasana Bharat, whose vision brought the World Championship to fruition, is quick to point out that asanas (physical postures) are only one part of the overarching Yoga practice. The intent isn’t to take away from the other “limbs,” like meditation and enlightenment — but to bring greater awareness to the sport aspect of asanas. Supporters say competition can motivate athletes, build community, and introduce younger generations to Yoga. Critics argue that the concept clashes with yoga’s emphasis on humility, non-attachment and self-awareness. As one yoga teacher told The Guardian, competition can undermine the idea that yoga isn’t about comparison. What to Know: Competitive Yogasana focuses on physical postures, not the full breadth of Yoga’s spiritual […]

a woman about to eat salmon and asparagus from one of the anti-inflammatory recipes

Anti-Inflammatory Recipes to Add to Your Rotation

The best anti-inflammatory recipes overlap with a Mediterranean eating pattern: fish, vegetables, nuts, and olive oil. Here are 12 easy meals and snacks to rotate in, plus how to make them stick long-term.

Still Can’t Taste Your Food After Covid? This Protein May Explain Why

You Should Know: Remember years ago, when everyone was scared of losing their sense of taste because of COVID? Fortunately, most people who lose it after falling ill get it back within months. A small group, though, has never gotten it back, which has puzzled scientists since taste cells replace themselves every few weeks. But new research offers the first direct biological clue as to why this happens. Going Deeper: Smell and taste problems hit harder early in the pandemic, affecting about one in five infected people versus roughly 4% with new variants like Omicron. In 28 people with taste troubles lasting over a year, scientists found lower levels of the genetic instructions for PLCβ2, a protein that amplifies taste signals headed to the brain. Keep in mind, though, the study was small with no control group. Takeaway: Current treatments mostly target smell, since the nose detects flavor, but this discovery of a signaling problem may lead to a more effective route for treating taste loss. Bottom Line: Lingering taste loss, while rare, affected about 17 million U.S. adults in 2024. This study offers hope to those living with it that a real treatment may be on the horizon.

Woman pointing at chicken and liver in a grocery store meat counter, shopping for choline-rich foods to get the choline benefits her body needs

Choline: The Underrated Nutrient Your Body Needs

Choline is best known for supporting fetal brain development during pregnancy, but everyone needs it. This underrated nutrient helps with memory, mood, muscle function, and healthy cell membranes, and new research suggests it may support immune health too. Here’s how much choline you need, why most people fall short, and the best foods to eat.

What’s the Best Way to Drink Tea for Heart Health?

Spill the Tea: Drinking tea has been linked to a range of health benefits, from weight management to better digestion — but one of the most widely touted perks is its potential to support heart health. Now, a recent study of nearly 500,000 participants has drilled down on which varieties may be best for vascular health — and how much we need to drink to experience the benefits. The Study: Researchers evaluated the tea-drinking habits of 485,934 people in China. Participants completed questionnaires about how much and what types of tea they drank, brewing strength, and temperature. Researchers then compared this information to cardiovascular data from the participants. The Takeaway: Regular tea drinkers had an 11% lower risk of developing vascular disease — including stroke and heart disease — than non-drinkers. Both black and green tea offered benefits. Steeping to moderate strength (stronger tea didn’t provide more benefit) and letting it cool to a moderate temperature were also linked to lower risk. The biggest benefits came from drinking 6 to 8 cups per day, but previous research found 1.5 to 2 cups daily also conveyed cardiovascular benefits. Adding a bunch of sweetener, however, could negate some of tea’s health benefits, […]

Why Permanent Daylight Saving Time Might be a Bad Idea for Your Health

You Should Know: When clocks fall back tomorrow, evenings will get darker earlier. If you wish we could keep that evening light year-round, there may be a trade-off: Our internal clocks rely on light, and experts say permanent daylight saving time could mean darker winter mornings, potentially disrupting circadian rhythms that regulate sleep, hormones and metabolism. Going Deeper: Morning light helps synchronize our internal body clocks, while evening light can delay the release of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine argues that permanent DST could worsen this mismatch by creating darker mornings and brighter evenings. Research also suggests that permanent DST could lead to declines in heart health and sleep deprivation in teens. On the other hand, dark winter evenings can feel draining, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recognized form of depression associated with seasonal changes. More evening daylight could make it easier to spend time outdoors after work. But the evidence doesn’t suggest that permanent DST would improve mental health. A 2026 systematic review of 157 studies found no clear, consistent effects on psychiatric outcomes. Takeaway: Sleep experts generally favor permanent standard time because it better aligns daylight with our body clocks. Bottom Line: The evidence […]

a woman resting peacefully in bed at night beside a bedside lamp and mug, with a crescent moon in the window, showing a calm bedtime routine for how to get more deep sleep

How to Get More Deep Sleep, According to Sleep Science

Wondering how to get more deep sleep? Here’s what sleep science says about slow-wave sleep: why it matters, what disrupts it, and the simple habits that help. These include regular exercise, smarter caffeine timing, and a cool, dark, quiet bedroom. You’ll also see why you may not need to worry about your tracker’s deep sleep numbers.

Here’s How Your Dreams Can Help You Solve Problems

Let Your Mind Wander: Stuck on a problem you can’t seem to crack? Your sleeping brain might offer a fresh perspective. Dream incubation — the practice of focusing on a question before bed in hopes it shows up in your dreams — isn’t a guaranteed route to an epiphany, but it’s a low-stakes (and arguably fun) way to explore your situation. How to Do It: For NPR, Health & Science Correspondent Allison Aubrey outlines a simple approach to giving your dreams a nudge. Before bed, choose a specific problem you’re wrestling with, and ask yourself a good question about it (avoiding yes-or-no questions). Spend a few minutes reflecting on it: picture the problem, write it down, or repeat it to yourself as you settle in. Keep a notebook nearby. When you wake up, jot down any dreams, images, feelings, or ideas you remember before they fade. Later, revisit your notes with a curious mind. A dream may not hand you an answer, but it could spark a new angle. The Benefits: Research into dreaming and problem-solving suggests sleep may help us make unexpected connections, but dream incubation is far from settled science. Any insight should be viewed as inspiration, not […]

Can’t Fall Asleep? This Nut May Help

A new study found that adults with poor sleep who ate about 50 almonds a day reported fewer sleep disturbances and had higher melatonin levels. Here’s what to know before you start snacking.

Mindfulness

Beauty

Personal Growth

Women Experience More Pain Than Men, Global Study Finds

Pain Gap: Pain is the biggest contributor to disability worldwide, but it’s very difficult to measure. There’s no objective biomarker for pain, so it’s entirely self-reported and subjective. But a new study of pain data from more than six million people worldwide found that women consistently experience pain more than men. The Study: Researchers “harmonized” self-reported pain data from 902 studies of more than six million people aged 5 to over 100 from 118 countries to determine how pain was distributed globally and across the lifespan. Women’s self-reported pain was higher than men’s at every bodily site that was studied. Women’s pain also rose steeply before age 55, during prime career and reproductive years. The Takeaway: The gender pain gap is real. Research has shown women experience more pain and that their pain is more likely to be dismissed, underdiagnosed, and undertreated — especially in Black women. Experts say being proactive about pain management can help women, but that the medical community also must address its own bias and gaps in education. Keep in Mind: Pain metrics varied across the included studies, but experts say these limitations don’t affect the overall pattern of pain that emerged.

Mindfulness

This Simple Mindfulness Trick May Soften Self-Criticism

Your Own Worst Critic: That little voice inside your head that replays every awkward interaction and keeps score of your mistakes can be exhausting. Eventually, those harsh judgments can start to feel like who you really are. However, there’s hope for those of us who are harsh self-critics. A new study tracking the mindfulness of 194 university students for six to eight months suggests a simple mindfulness trick might loosen the grip of what researchers call self-stigma (internalizing negative thoughts about yourself). How To Do It: Next time you start criticizing yourself, stop and instead turn your attention to your breath. There’s no need to change how you’re breathing; the point is just to notice it. Then try naming the harsh thought, so “I messed up” becomes “I’m having the thought that I messed up.” Once you see it as just a thought — not a fact — it’s a lot easier to question whether it’s even true. The Benefits: Students who scored higher on mindfulness had less self-stigma and fewer depressive symptoms months later. They also reported greater well-being, and lower self-stigma helped explain why. Small habits, like paying attention to your breath and naming your thoughts, may help quiet […]

Mindfulness

Want a Mood Boost? Feed the Birds

Mindfulness

The Long-Overdue SPF Upgrade Is Finally Here

The Trend: For years, sunscreen devotees have toted home formulas from Europe and Asia, chasing lightweight textures and invisible finishes that have seemed impossible to find in the U.S. Now, the American sunscreen aisle is finally catching up. In June, the FDA approved bemotrizinol (BEMT), the first new active sunscreen ingredient added to the U.S. lineup since the 1990s. The first formulas featuring it are hitting shelves now — just in time for winter. What People Are Saying: Long popular in Europe and Asia, bemotrizinol absorbs both UVA rays, which contribute to skin aging and skin cancer risk, and UVB rays, which cause sunburn. It’s also photostable, meaning it holds up well in sunlight, and can help formulators create lightweight sunscreens without the chalky white cast that turns some people off. Its relatively low skin absorption and decades of international use add to its selling points. What to Know: Why the wait? The FDA regulates sunscreen as a drug, making approval of new UV filters a lengthy process. This is in contrast to some other countries, which classify sunscreen as a cosmetic. Also, bemotrizinol expands manufacturers’ options, but it isn’t a miracle ingredient: a formula’s overall protection and feel depend […]

Beauty

The Double-Cleansing Shower Trend, Explained

The Trend: Taking a shower may seem pretty straightforward, but if you’re washing only once, proponents of “double cleansing” would like a word. The practice is blowing up on #ShowerTok, with fans claiming they smell better and feel more clean and hygienic. Retailers are also getting in on the game, offering double-cleansing product bundles. But some dermatologists think double cleansing may do more harm than good. What People Are Saying: The term “double cleansing” isn’t new, but it was previously reserved for the face and the hair. It makes some sense when it comes to those. The face, in particular, is often laden with makeup, sunscreens, and serums, which can block pores. In that regimen, you start with an oil cleanser to dissolve the products, followed by a water-based cleanser. What to Know: The rest of the skin needs its natural protective layer of oil and lipids to stay healthy. Stripping it away by overcleaning can make skin dry, irritated, and itchy — especially in the colder months when the air is more dry. Dermatologists say a single round of washing, plus once-weekly exfoliation, is sufficient, except when you’re extra-grimy or sweaty.

Beauty

a woman gently touching her cheek, showing how collagen supplements may support skin health.

What Does Collagen Do? The Science Behind the Buzzy Protein

Beauty

Meet the Exposome: How Your Environment Quietly Shapes Your Health

You Should Know: Your health isn’t shaped by your habits alone. There’s also the air you breathe, water you drink, chemicals you’re exposed to, and even the neighborhood you live in. Scientists call this collection of lifetime exposures the exposome. Researchers are increasingly interested in how it influences disease risk and long-term health, and it’s even the topic of multiple discussions at the wellness and longevity Eudēmonia Summit this week in West Palm Beach, Florida. Going Deeper: Think of the exposome as the environmental counterpart to your genome. Scientists define it as “all the environmental influences a person experiences over a lifetime, starting before birth and continuing through old age.” Researchers are studying how these exposures interact with our biology over time, potentially contributing to conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Some doctors say that for many common diseases, genes only explain one part of the risk. Takeaway: You can’t control everything you’re exposed to, but you do have control, at least in part, over your lifestyle and habits. For example, you can minimize plastic exposure by using glass and stainless steel whenever possible; improve your air quality by investing in a HEPA air purifier and indoor plants; […]

Not All Screen Time Is Created Equal

Through The Looking Glass: There aren’t many parenting rules that feel as settled as “less screen time is better” for kids (and adults too, really). But a new review from the University of Georgia suggests that time spent in front of the screen tells only part of the story. What kids watch, and who’s watching it with them, may matter just as much. The Study: Researchers pored over 30 studies on kids ages 0 to 8 from low-income U.S. families, a group that tends to log more screen time. What they watched made a huge difference. Prosocial shows like “Daniel Tiger” were tied to stronger social skills, and violent programs were linked to more aggression. Age also mattered, since heavier use in infants and toddlers was linked to weaker language skills. The researchers also flagged co-viewing as a promising strategy. That can be as simple as watching alongside a kid and chatting afterward about what they saw. The Takeaway: We can all stand to reduce our time in front of screens. But the conventional wisdom that all screen time is bad may not be entirely accurate. Keep in Mind: Most of these studies focused on TV, so they don’t fully […]

How Might Retirement Affect Your Health?