Up until now, I鈥檝e resisted using ChatGPT, mainly because I鈥檓 terrified I’ll love it too much and be even more addicted to my phone. Everyone around me swears by it, like my best friend who relies on it for healthy recipe ideas. She is among many using听听to plan weekly meals. You merely ask the bot to whip up a meal plan that caters to your dietary needs and budget, and within seconds, it delivers听a handful of recipe ideas along with a detailed grocery list.

Considering the right now (the cost of a dozen eggs is up 303 percent since 2019, and frozen orange juice has more than doubled), it makes sense that people are doing whatever they can to save. AI technology has its downsides, though. ChatGPT is known to , and we recently learned that it can have serious environmental consequences because of the unconscionable amounts of water it uses to keep its servers running efficiently. According to , sending the bot a 100-word message, roughly the length of this paragraph, uses approximately 17 ounces of water. For reference, that’s slightly more than the liquid volume in your favorite grande-sized Starbucks drink.

(Can you guess how many grandes it would take to input this entire article into ChatGPT? Look for the answer at the end.)

Aside from holding on to some money, people seem to really like ChatGPT鈥檚 meal recommendations. I eventually caved and decided to put the trend to the test to see how good of a nutritionist-slash-chef ChatGPT would really be.听I also interviewed a sports nutritionist and a biomedical data scientist with expertise in artificial intelligence to get their two cents.

Join me as I walk you through my week of following ChatGPT鈥檚 meal advice.

My Grocery Budget Is $125 Per Week. 贬别谤别鈥檚 What the Bot Suggested I Make.

I have a grocery budget of $125 per week. I鈥檒l be feeding myself, my husband, and our very cute rescue dog Ollie, whom we already spoil with fresh, human-grade dog food. My husband eats pretty much anything, while I consume a strict gluten-free (GF) diet.

My ChatGPT Prompt and Answer

I typed the following prompt into ChatGPT to get my personalized grocery list:

I want a meal plan for a week filled with delicious and nutrient-dense, gluten-free recipes. Please provide meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Beverages like smoothies are also okay to include. I have a budget of $125 and can only purchase my ingredients from Trader Joe’s. Please show me the meal plan, separating it by day from Monday to Sunday, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one snack listed for each day. Add in treats for my dog Ollie. Then, please show me a list of all the specific grocery items I need to buy from Trader Joe’s, including the specific item name of each individual product, so I know exactly which items to look for. Please include the prices next to each item on the grocery list. Please include the actual item names from the Trader Joe’s store in my grocery list, but not in the meal plan itself.

Here’s the one-week meal plan ChatGPT recommended:

Monday

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt with sliced banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon
• Lunch: Quinoa salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a lemon-tahini dressing
• Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli
• Snack: Apple slices with almond butter

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with mixed berries and a drizzle of honey
• Lunch: Leftover grilled chicken breast sliced over a bed of mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette
• Dinner: Stir-fried shrimp with frozen stir-fry vegetables and cauliflower rice
• Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Smoothie with spinach, frozen mango, chia seeds, and unsweetened almond milk
• Lunch: Tuna salad (canned tuna, mayo, celery) served in lettuce wraps
• Dinner: Beef and vegetable kebabs with a side of quinoa
• Snack: Rice cakes with peanut butter

Thursday

• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with saut茅ed spinach and gluten-free toast
• Lunch: Leftover beef and vegetable kebabs with a side salad
• Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and quinoa
• Snack: Cucumber slices with guacamole

Friday

• Breakfast: Chia pudding made with unsweetened almond milk, topped with sliced strawberries
• Lunch: Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with cauliflower rice
• Dinner: Grilled turkey burgers (no bun) with a side of roasted sweet potato fries
• Snack: Mixed nuts

Saturday

• Breakfast: Gluten-free pancakes topped with fresh blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup
• Lunch: Leftover turkey burger patty with a side salad
• Dinner: Vegetable and chickpea curry served over quinoa
• Snack: Greek yogurt with a handful of granola

Sunday

• Breakfast: Smoothie bowl with blended a莽ai, banana, and almond milk, topped with granola and coconut flakes
• Lunch: Leftover vegetable and chickpea curry
• Dinner: Roast chicken with a side of steamed green beans and mashed sweet potatoes
• Snack: Sliced pear with a handful of walnuts

At first glance, my resounding thought was:听I am going to be very hungry. The recipes seemed healthy, but left something to be desired (like carbs). I got over my initial skepticism and screenshotted the itemized grocery list the bot gave me. I drove to my local Trader Joe鈥檚 with a couple of reusable shopping bags in tow.

ChatGPT Left Out Many Items I Needed. I Went Over Budget.

A few of the recipes ChatGPT shared look similar to the meals and snacks my husband and I already eat鈥攍ike salmon and Brussels sprouts, smoothies, eggs, and toast鈥攁nd I was amped to add rice cakes and gluten-free pancakes to my diet. Plus, Ollie was wagging like crazy when I returned home with chicken jerky treats. But most ingredients鈥攍ike the cucumbers, a veggie I detest, and chia pudding, which I鈥檝e somehow never had鈥攄iffered from what鈥檚 typically on our weekly menu.

My trip to TJ’s, from start to finish, lasted an hour, mainly because I had never bought many of these items before and therefore had no idea where in the store they were located. The larger dilemma was that a handful of ingredients needed to make the meals ChatGPT suggested were not budgeted for or included in the grocery list the bot sent me.

For example, it suggested I eat toast with eggs for breakfast on Thursday morning, but didn鈥檛 tell me to buy bread. The same happened with sauce for the stir-fry, quinoa for the salad, and salmon dishes, almond milk for the chia pudding, guacamole, honey, and Greek yogurt for my snacks. It also lacked all the basic ingredients you need to cook (like olive oil or butter). And Brussels sprouts were listed twice on my shopping list.

What I鈥檓 trying to say is: ChatGPT鈥檚 meal plan and ingredient list were far from perfect. It was missing items needed to prep various recipes, prices were inaccurate, and two items (the pears and frozen a莽ai bowl) weren鈥檛 in stock. My receipt totaled $160鈥揳bout $35 over my desired budget. However, it would have been far higher had I bought all of the ingredients I needed, but weren鈥檛 included on the shopping list. Fortunately, I already had most of them at home.

I Made ChatGPT’s Honey-Berry Oatmeal

Believe it or not, the recipe I was most excited to make was Tuesday鈥檚 breakfast: oatmeal topped with mixed berries and a drizzle of honey (that I subbed with maple syrup). I love a bowl of hot oats and fruit to start the day. It鈥檚 delicious and keeps me satiated until lunchtime.

(Watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes look at me whipping this up in my kitchen.)

This Meal Plan Is Very Restrictive and Will Negatively Affect Athletic Performance, According to a Nutritionist

I was dying to know what a professional dietitian thought of ChatGPT鈥檚 food recs, so I hopped on a Zoom call with , a sports nutritionist. Her take? 鈥淚f you eat like this, you鈥檙e going to feel like shit.鈥�

I am a 36-year-old 5鈥�6鈥� female who weighs about 130 pounds. I鈥檓 physically active: I take Ollie on two hour-long strolls every day (like I said, spoiled) and I vigorously exercise (a jog, spin class, or hot yoga session) for about 30 to 45 minutes five days a week. I hike most weekends. According to Kleiner, I should be consuming roughly 1,950 calories every day to maintain my weight, with an average macronutrient distribution of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 30% protein. But ChatGPT had me eating about 1,200 calories a day.

鈥淲hat ChatGPT gave you is the classic female restrictive dietary pattern,鈥� Kleiner says. I feel like this was especially true because the bot听saw the words 鈥済luten-free” in my prompt. ChatGPT crawls what鈥檚 promoted online, Kleiner says. “And so that鈥檚 what it draws from.鈥�

ChatGPT already听knew I was a woman, as I briefly used it earlier this year to craft a professional bio. Besides, the bulk of GF content out there is likely from women (women are more inclined to follow a GF diet than men, shows). It can be a pretty if you’re not careful. That’s what ChatGPT saw,听so that’s what I got.

That鈥檚 not the only way the meal plan fell short. It didn鈥檛 provide enough veggies, dairy, and grains, Kleiner says, and if I adhered to it, I wouldn鈥檛 come close to meeting my daily vitamin and mineral needs.

The lack of protein, which plays a crucial role in repairing muscle and building strong bones, especially for women, alarmed her. And I鈥檇 probably wind up constipated since I鈥檇 be ingesting too little fiber. That might also wreck my microbiome and set off a cascade of inflammation in my body, says Kleiner. She says I probably wouldn鈥檛 sleep well because I鈥檇 be so underfed. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e setting yourself up for failure on a diet like this.鈥�

As such, she noted that I could also expect my athletic performance to suffer. I likely won鈥檛 have enough energy to get out the door. Even if I do, she explains that I won鈥檛 have enough fuel in my body to reach a high enough intensity to reap the benefits of my workouts. I asked what my recovery would look like on this diet. Her response?

鈥淵ou won鈥檛 recover.鈥�

Which Is Better: a Nutritionist or ChatGPT?

According to Kleiner, while tempting, this trend highlights why working with a (human) professional is so important. They can assess your overall health and activity levels to craft tailored meal plans that will help you hit your athletic goals, prevent chronic diseases, and be a happier, healthier person overall.

The bot doesn鈥檛 think critically about what I, Julia, need to eat. As , the faculty director for medical education in artificial intelligence at Stanford Medicine, says, ChatGPT basically reads the Internet and then copies and pastes whatever it finds (hence the 1,200-calorie diet). Chen says AI is pretty good at answering simple, straightforward questions, but also makes things up and pulls false information from the Internet.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a human, it鈥檚 a robot spitting out words,鈥� he shares. When I asked if he鈥檇 ever recommend it for meal planning, he said he wouldn鈥檛 use it for medical advice, in general. 鈥淒on鈥檛 plan your health around it,鈥� he says.

Will I Use ChatGPT to Meal Plan Again?

The truth: probably not. I want my food to energize me so I can work, exercise, care for Ollie, read, and hang out with my family and friends. ChatGPT鈥檚 plan just won鈥檛 fuel me properly. Besides, spending an hour at the grocery store shopping for ingredients I wasn鈥檛 entirely jazzed about wasn鈥檛 exactly my most efficient trip to Trader Joe’s.

That said, the bot did provide a good jumping-off point. For example, I鈥檓 a big fan of turkey burgers and sweet potato fries (my suggested Friday dinner), but I also want recipes that are more nutritious (and creative) than breadless patties with fries. So, I might use the bot to shop for base ingredients, but then I鈥檒l add my own touches to create a meal I鈥檓 excited about. This is where AI and tools like ChatGPT shine, Chen tells me. For example, these are the tweaks I’d make to the turkey burger meal: turkey burgers (with gluten-free buns, cheese, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes), sweet potato fries (with ketchup), and a side salad with veggies and green goddess dressing.

Kleiner says the oatmeal breakfast is a fine start, but it would be excellent if I added nuts or seeds plus a dab of Greek yogurt鈥攁s you can see, I followed this advice.

AI models can generate ideas you may not have thought of (like pears paired with walnuts), but it鈥檚 always smart to flesh them out or validate their advice with reliable, trusted sources such as nutritionists or dietitians.

鈥淯se it to brainstorm,鈥� Chen said. But that’s it.

(As for the answer to that trivia above: 22 grande-sized drinks. That’s how much water it would take to input this article into ChatGPT. Yikes.)

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Last year, a friend of mine, who is a nutritionist,听recommended that I try drinking bone broth to help optimize my performance. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, as guzzling the stock made from animal bones didn’t sound all that appetizing to me, especially before or after a big workout.

I tabled the advice and didn鈥檛 think about it until I suddenly noticed bone broth everywhere. Various pouches and cartons line the shelves at my local grocery store, and I can鈥檛 escape the stampede of TikTok influencers claiming bone broth leveled up their workout and recovery routines.

I wanted to know if bone broth is as magical as people (my nutritionist friend included) claim it is. So I reached out to three sports dietitians and asked them: What do you make of all this bone broth buzz? 贬别谤别鈥檚 what they said.

Why Is Everyone Drinking Bone Broth Right Now?

Bone broth is a type of nutrient-rich stock that鈥檚 like calcium and magnesium, along with proteins like collagen and gelatin. Whereas your standard stock (think: what you use as a base in soup) might only cook for a couple of hours, true bone broth has to soak and simmer between 12 and 48 hours for the nutrients to fully leach out of the animal bones鈥攗sually chicken or beef. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 cook it that long, you鈥檙e not getting all the nutrients out,鈥� says , a sports dietitian and associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University.

According to , a sports dietitian for endurance athletes in Brenham, Texas, scientific research on the of bone broth is limited, but some scientists believe all those nutrients make bone broth an incredibly healthy snack鈥攅specially if you’re physically active. 鈥淏one broth is a nutrient-dense, versatile, and functional food and beverage for athletes,鈥� Brown told me.

1. Bone Broth Is an Electrolyte Powerhouse

One reason bone broth is recommended by sports dietitians is that it鈥檚 jam-packed with like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. In fact, this is why , a registered dietician and director of the Center for Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University, refers to bone broth as nature鈥檚 Gatorade. 鈥淚t has all the electrolytes needed to replace sweat,鈥� she said.

2. Bone Broth Is Protein-Rich

Bone broth is also an excellent source of protein, and it鈥檚 well-established that consuming protein鈥攕pecifically, amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein鈥攁fter working out helps . 鈥淲hen you exercise, you break down muscles and you have to consume protein in order to give your body back the amino acids to rebuild those muscles,鈥� explains Brown.

3. Collagen in Bone Broth Can Improve Bone and Ligament Health

The main type of protein found in bone broth is collagen鈥攁 substance that keeps your , like , strong and healthy. While it鈥檚 unclear exactly how much collagen you鈥檙e getting through bone broth, 鈥渃ollagen supplementation has been found to help reduce joint pain and may help with muscle recovery,鈥� Brown says.

According to Childress, it makes sense, then, why so many athletes say bone broth has improved their gait, form, stability, and performance. 鈥淵ou might feel like you can move a little quicker, or you鈥檙e a little bit more flexible in your movements,鈥� she says.

Is Bone Broth Good for Recovery?

Though everyone鈥檚 needs vary (depending on the intensity of your workouts and how much you sweat), a cup of bone broth鈥攚hich generally contains 8 grams of protein and 350 milligrams of sodium鈥攊s generally a good place to start, says Brown. The key is to be consistent, says Childress, and drink it every day, as it can take a couple of months for the health effects to kick in.

As for what鈥檚 better: Having it before or after your workout? The answer really depends on your personal preferences and eating habits. If you, like me, can鈥檛 handle a big meal before you run but need something in your stomach, chug a cup before you head out the door. If you鈥檙e more so looking for a snack that鈥檒l help your muscles recover and bulk up, throw back some broth after your training session, Brown says.

According to Brown, bone broth can even be an excellent mid-exercise snack for those who do ultra-distances or Ironman competitions in which it鈥檚 crucial to consume protein as you go. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like anything else鈥攊t鈥檚 really about what works best for the individual athlete and what the athlete prefers,鈥� says Childress.

You Shouldn鈥檛 Solely Rely on Bone Broth to Get Your Protein

There are a couple of considerations to be aware of. Collagen is technically an protein, which means it doesn鈥檛 have all the amino acids your body needs to function properly, according to Brown. As such, 鈥測ou should not rely on collagen as your main or number-one protein source because you could end up deficient and you won鈥檛 get all those other essential amino acids,鈥� says Childress.

Collagen is most impactful if you鈥檝e already met your overall nutritional needs, says Childress. If you鈥檙e not eating enough protein, the amino acids will just go to the other bodily systems that need them more. But if you鈥檙e hitting your body鈥檚 nutritional needs, the collagen has a way better chance of being used to boost your joint and muscle health, she added. The takeaway: bone broth is best used as a bonus to your diet鈥攏ot a cornerstone of it.

How to Buy鈥攐r Make鈥擝one Broth

罢丑别谤别鈥檚 a lot of variability in the quality of the products being sold online and at grocery stores, so you want to take a good look at the packaging label when you鈥檙e shopping for a broth.

Make sure it鈥檚 been slow-cooked for at least 12 hours (and, ideally, longer) and contains vinegar (specifically, apple cider vinegar), as this doubly helps the bones release nutrients, Brown says. Look for brands that use bones sourced from USDA organic free-range animals like this one by , Brown suggests, and if you see added sugars or artificial additives, steer clear.

You can make your own batch at home using an , slow cooker, pressure cooker, or pot on a stove. Toss in the bones鈥攐r even a full chicken carcass鈥攁nd add chopped vegetables (like carrots, celery, and onion) along with herbs for taste (think: garlic or bay leaves) and salt. Then, cover everything with water and let the mixture simmer for 12听to听24 hours, says Childress, until you end up with a thick, gelatinous substance. If you’re looking for some inspiration, TikTok user @ shared an easy homemade bone broth recipe.

Bone broth is SO good for your health and it鈥檚 so easy to make at home!

You can swallow as is or heed Dardarian鈥檚 advice, which I plan to do, and mix the broth into a bowl of rice, quinoa, or a hearty stew. It only took a year and multiple sports nutritionists touting the potential benefits for me to pay attention鈥攂ut I鈥檓 excited to see if bone broth helps me increase my running pace and improve my overall performance.

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In 2018, I convinced myself my hormones were out of whack. Acne and unusual tiredness are supposedly tell-tale signs that your 鈥擨 had both. So, I scheduled an appointment with my physician and asked him to test my hormone levels.

A quick blood draw revealed that my androgens, a group of hormones produced by the adrenal gland and the ovaries in women and testicles in men (testosterone is the primary androgen), were elevated (and likely causing my skin to flare up).

My doctor听said my hormones were imbalanced and prescribed me spironolactone, an anti-androgen medication that鈥檚 commonly prescribed to treat acne. He sent me on my way. But I hated the drug鈥攊t made me feel light-headed and dizzy. I later learned that if you have naturally low blood pressure, the drug could lead to faintness and dizziness.

So, after a follow-up convo with my doctor, I stopped taking it and started investigating natural ways to balance my hormones.

According to internet strangers, I could cure my hormonal imbalance by drinking spearmint tea and snacking on ginger. When I asked my doctor for his two cents, he told me this advice was bogus. And even though I was desperate for some type of natural cure that could level out my hormones, I knew鈥攄eep down鈥攖hese solutions were probably (read: definitely) too good to be true.

The experts I interviewed for this story summed up hormone balancing in a few words: a trend that claims you can perfect the amount of hormones in your body through holistic lifestyle changes like tweaking your diet or taking a supplement. 鈥淚t鈥檚 mostly pseudoscience,鈥� says , a gynecologist at Stanford Medicine. 贬别谤别鈥檚 why attempting to balance your hormones with food is, frankly, complete nonsense.

What Does It Even Mean to 鈥淏alance Your Hormones鈥�?

It鈥檚 well-established that hormones play an important role in many , including sleep, energy levels, digestion, and mood. As such, if you have an imbalance鈥攚hich is officially diagnosed with a blood test鈥攎any aspects of your health can feel off.

People with thyroid abnormalities, for example, may feel too hot or too cold, constipated, or anxious and jittery. And those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may feel lethargic or sluggish.

Treatments for Hormonal Imbalances Have Long Been Scrutinized

Historically, doctors have hesitated to treat hormonal imbalances, says , a registered dietitian and associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University. Years ago, certain hormone therapy (HT) treatments were linked to , causing many doctors to stop prescribing HT.

Over the years, has shown that HT can be incredibly , but many physicians, particularly those who are wary about potential side effects, are about prescribing it.

Furthermore, many hormone-related symptoms are poorly understood, tough to treat, or brushed off as psychosomatic by some physicians. So many people have felt gaslighted by their doctors when they complain of symptoms or, like me, don鈥檛 want to take a pharmaceutical drug with nasty side effects. 鈥淲hen doctors aren鈥檛 able to address an issue or when people feel dismissed, they go to other places for information or validation and treatment because they just want to feel better,鈥� says Voedisch.

Cue in: hormone balancing鈥攖he belief that by drinking, say, matcha or swallowing supplements like ashwagandha, you can naturally increase or decrease hormones such as cortisol and, consequently, get rid of whatever annoying symptoms you鈥檙e dealing with. The trend exploded because so many people have symptoms鈥攍ike fatigue, weight gain, sleep problems鈥攖hat they want to get rid of, regardless of whether or not they鈥檙e related to hormones.

It鈥檚 now marketed as a one-size-fits-all solution for anyone who鈥檚 ever felt a little off. 鈥淧eople are saying that everything that is wrong with a person comes down to the endocrine system,鈥� says , an associate professor in the sociology department at Rutgers University who studies hormone imbalances. (Spoiler: That鈥檚 not the case.)

The Hormone Balancing Trend Is Problematic for These Reasons

One of the main issues with hormone balancing is that many of the symptoms people are trying to correct鈥攚hether it be mood swings or cravings鈥攁re often due to factors that are totally unrelated to hormones. You may be stressed out, sleep-deprived, or eating poorly. Or you could have an underlying health issue, such as anxiety, arthritis, or insomnia, that you don鈥檛 want to overlook, as there are proven treatments that can help. 鈥淵ou need to make sure you鈥檙e also evaluating for other conditions鈥� before assuming your hormones are to blame, says Voedisch.

Even if it turns out your hormones are messed up, changing your diet probably won鈥檛 cure them.

You Can鈥檛 Balance Hormones with Food

As Childress told me, the endocrine system鈥攖he network of glands that regulate hormones鈥攈as a lot of physiological processes in place that automatically keep your hormones balanced. You鈥檇 have to eat extremely poorly (think: tons of processed foods, refined grains, and red meat) to override that sturdy system and cause your hormones to go haywire.

On the flip side, adding certain foods to your diet won鈥檛 magically fix a dysregulated endocrine system. Snacking on apples won鈥檛 improve your estrogen levels, says Voedisch, and eating more yams won鈥檛 fix your body鈥檚 progesterone production. The belief you can eat your way to A+ hormones? 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a myth,鈥� she says.

However, some hormonal imbalances can improve with a specialized diet鈥攂ut not in the way you鈥檇 think. Take PCOS, for example, which causes high testosterone, leading to too much insulin in your blood. When you consume fewer foods that cause insulin to spike, such as carbs and added sugars, you can counteract the health effects of excess testosterone, which include excess body hair and, over time, a higher risk of diabetes. 鈥淭hat鈥檒l bring down the insulin, which will help relieve some of the side effects of that disorder,鈥� says Childress. But even then鈥攜our diet can鈥檛 fix the testosterone problem, she adds.

The Majority of Hormone Balancing Content Is Targeted to Women

One of the biggest themes you鈥檒l find is that the bulk of hormone-balancing content is geared toward helping women look and feel better. Such regimens often promise clear skin, youth, endless energy, or slenderness. And they鈥檙e often promoted by thin, white women鈥攕trengthening this idea that you should be or look a certain way, says MacKendrick. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not representing a range of different types of bodies or races,鈥� she says.

Most hormone-balancing content conveys a damaging and inaccurate message that when your hormones are in balance, you have the energy to be both a career woman and a mother and have a sex drive, according to MacKendrick.听

This premise discounts the fact that female sex hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, are naturally erratic throughout a woman鈥檚 cycle鈥攖hey鈥檙e supposed to be. 鈥湴粘蟊鸢疴�檚 no balancing that needs to happen there,鈥� says Voedisch. But hormone balancing capitalizes off a huge vulnerability鈥攖hat something about you is subpar, and you should try stabilizing your hormones to obtain this ideal physique. The messaging is much like the diet and anti-aging industries, says MacKendrick.

It鈥檚 Pseudoscience

Self-help books and influencers often claim that hormone balancing will relieve your fatigue or build muscle鈥攈ealth claims that are . 鈥淭he things these influencers are claiming are largely bogus,鈥� says Childress.

But if they鈥檙e B.S., why do so many people swear by hormone balancing? Well, they may just be eating healthier鈥攁nd when you add more nutrient-dense foods to your diet, workout regularly, and sleep better, your overall health improves. 鈥淚 think sometimes people may think they鈥檙e balancing their hormones, but they really just feel better because they鈥檙e eating better,鈥� says Childress.

Furthermore, there may be a potent placebo effect, which is a phenomenon that occurs when people鈥檚 health improves after taking a fake or ineffective treatment. You may notice that, after sipping on some hormone-balancing herbal tea for a few weeks, you feel stronger or more energetic for a bit鈥攂ut, eventually, that placebo effect will wear off, adds Voedisch.

Are the Claims That Hormone Balancing Improves Gut Health True? Maybe.

A 2021 review published in the journal suggests the gut microbiome, the community of live organisms that reside in the intestines, is influenced by sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone鈥攁nd vice versa.

For example, some researchers theorize that a poor diet听may cause bacteria to leak out of your gut, circulate throughout your body, and activate your immune system, thereby causing a spike in insulin, which could cause the ovaries to release androgens. But that鈥檚 just a theory; there鈥檚 still a lot scientists don鈥檛 understand about the gut-hormone relationship. For now, it鈥檚 currently a stretch to say your eating habits can alter your sex hormones via your gut. 鈥淵our diet likely has very little to do with your sex hormones,鈥� says Childress.

Do This Instead of “Hormone Balancing”

Rather than experimenting with a new-age eating plan that promises to enhance your hormones, make an in-person appointment with a physician鈥攍ike an endocrinologist or gynecologist鈥攐r a registered dietitian who can look at your medical history, run diagnostic tests, and based on those results, develop a personalized care plan. They can discuss evidence-based treatments that can help you feel better.

If you do, in fact, have a thyroid disease, they can prescribe medications, such as thyroid replacement therapy, says Voedisch, and if you鈥檙e menopausal and have low estrogen, you can look into hormone replacement therapy.

And, hey鈥攊t鈥檚 always worth taking a look at what and how you eat. If you鈥檙e worried about your hormones, says Childress, it鈥檚 generally a good idea to load up on fruits and vegetables and cut out refined sugars (a la the Mediterranean diet). Prioritize your sleep, manage your stress, and get exercise. 鈥淭hese things matter just as much if not more than diet alone,鈥� she says. If you feel better, that鈥檚 great鈥攋ust know 鈥渋t may or may not have anything to do with your hormones,鈥� says Childress.

When I see a doctor or certified dietitian slinging a hormone-balancing regimen on TikTok, I want to believe they鈥檙e sharing sound medical advice. But you can鈥檛 snack your way to balanced hormones. As Voedisch told me, 鈥淚f someone is trying to sell you something your insurance won鈥檛 cover, and you have to pay out of pocket for it, I would be very suspicious.鈥�

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As someone who鈥檚 dealt with digestive issues for years, I鈥檇 be lying if I said I wasn鈥檛 intrigued by probiotics. Wherever I look, there are probiotic products鈥攆rom and powders to gummies and fizzy sodas鈥攖hat claim to boost your immune system, fix your gut, and even improve your mood.

There are many different , but common ones include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces. They can be found in fermented foods鈥攍ike yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha鈥攐r grown in laboratories and packed into supplements.

A wealth of is coming out about how the microbiome鈥攖he mixture of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live on the skin and inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract鈥攂oosts immunity, aids digestion, and energizes us. As a result, probiotic supplements, which are designed to optimize the overall health of the microbiome, have exploded in popularity. The probiotic supplement market is projected to reach a value of nearly by 2034,听especially among competitive athletes听looking to up their game.

But can probiotic supplements actually improve athletic performance? The truth: while some studies seem promising, the three experts I interviewed have no intention of recommending them to athletes anytime soon.

The Appeal of Probiotics for Athletes听

We are surrounded by microorganisms. There are pathogenic bugs that cause infections and diseases and harmless ones that don鈥檛 really affect us. Then, there are the good guys, known as probiotics, which are living microorganisms that confer health benefits when ingested.

According to , a microbiome researcher at Case Western Reserve University, probiotics diversify your microbiome, which provides protection against pathogens that can make you sick and improves your intestinal lining鈥檚 ability to absorb nutrients better. And some suggests they play an important role in the prevention of chronic and infectious diseases, too.

Athletes are already very attuned to their bodies and want to do everything possible to optimize their health, says , a sports medicine physician at Stanford Medicine. It鈥檚 no wonder so many are experimenting with probiotics in hopes of achieving a faster race time or, like me, a nice long jog sans bloating.

Besides, even if you鈥檙e in tip-top shape, vigorously working out can mess with your gut health. A 2023 systematic review published in the found that super intense workouts like HIIT may decrease the thickness of the protective mucus that lines and the intestines, potentially allowing gut bacteria to seep into the bloodstream. HIIT may suppress the immune system, making athletes more susceptible to illnesses such as upper respiratory infections; it can also trigger diarrhea and heartburn. Naturally, you鈥檙e not going to compete well if you鈥檙e feeling sick.

Ghannoum says we鈥檙e starting to see evidence that probiotics could mitigate these negative effects and improve athletic performance. 贬别谤别鈥檚 what we know so far.

Probiotics May Reduce GI Discomfort

About the mid-run鈥uns. Gastrointestinal problems (like bloating or loose stools) can impair an athlete鈥檚 physical performance and mental wellbeing. It鈥檚 a common problem athletes face鈥攁nd one that may (one day) be solved with probiotics.

A small study published in the examined how taking probiotic supplements every day for 28 days before a marathon (and two hours before the race start time) impacted runners鈥� performance. Out of the 24 participants, 20 men and 4 women, one group was given a probiotic capsule, and the other received a placebo.

Per the study鈥檚 findings,听 probiotic supplementation significantly reduced the incidence and severity of GI symptoms, like diarrhea and stomach aches, in marathon runners. While it鈥檚 unclear why probiotics have this effect, the researchers suspect probiotics may help runners maintain their pace, giving them a competitive advantage.

Supplements Might Improve VO2 Max, Mood, and Help Athletes Recover From Exhaustion

Another perk: probiotics may help your muscles extract oxygen from your blood, enabling them to lengthen and contract more efficiently.

A 2019 study published in concluded that Lactobacillus supplementation boosted aerobic capacity,听which refers to how much oxygen your muscles use while exercising (otherwise known as VO2 max). Out of 30 university badminton players between the ages of 19 and 22, half consumed a probiotic drink daily for six weeks, and the rest were given orange juice as a placebo. To assess VO2 max, participants were asked to perform a 20-meter shuttle run test. Results showed that probiotics increased VO2 max by 5.9 percent. The greater your VO2 max, the more power you鈥檒l be able to generate and the longer you鈥檒l be able to do high-intensity activities.

Furthermore, subjects in the probiotic group reported lower anxiety and stress levels. As , a registered dietician and director of the Center for Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University, says, 鈥淢ood is a big part of athletics.鈥滱thletes who report lower levels of tension, depression, and anger tend to have more competitive success, shows.

And one person鈥檚 mood can directly affect how their teammates feel, too. 鈥淟ow energy and low mood in a team is contagious,鈥� says Dardarian. Probiotics could also help athletes bounce back after an intense workout or competition.

Another 2019 study published in the discovered that long-distance runners who took probiotics felt less mental and physical exhaustion after completing their usual training regimens. According to the researchers, probiotics could potentially help competitors recover faster and, better yet, avoid injuries. 鈥淧roper recovery allows for restoring energy stores, repairing muscle tissues, and normalizing physiological functions, which are critical for sustaining high-performance levels and preventing burnout,鈥� says Fredericson.

Reduce Inflammation and Increase Muscle Mass

Finally, probiotics may clear inflammation from the body. For context, athletes tend to have in their bodies compared to non-athletes. Left unchecked, chronic inflammation can dampen performance, recovery, and competitiveness. Sore muscles aren鈥檛 exactly a key to endurance.

Probiotics may have a potent anti-inflammatory effect. One found higher levels of anti-inflammatory proteins in the blood and urine samples of athletes taking probiotics after a triathlon. According to Fredericson, some researchers suspect probiotics may strengthen the intestinal lining, thereby preventing harmful substances from leaking out and triggering inflammatory immune responses and prompting the body to produce short-chain fatty acids that fight inflammation. 鈥淩educing inflammation has been shown to influence athlete’s performance by allowing for quicker recovery between workouts, reducing pain and discomfort, preserving muscle mass, and allowing athletes to train at higher intensities for longer periods,鈥� Ghannoum says.

Even more, a proposed that probiotics could increase the amount of amino acids absorbed into the bloodstream, potentially building muscle mass. Muscle mass helps athletes generate force quickly and efficiently, says Fredericson, which lets them perform powerful movements. 鈥淓ssentially, stronger muscles mean better ability to jump, sprint, change direction, and execute sport-specific skills with greater power and control,鈥� he says.

Despite Promising Studies, Doctors Say It鈥檚 Too Early to Cosign Athletes Taking Probiotics听听听

Though the body of literature surrounding probiotics and athleticism is growing, it鈥檚 still in its , and there’s a lot scientists don鈥檛 know yet.

We Don鈥檛 Know Exactly How Different Probiotic Strains Affect People

Most studies have been conducted in tiny groups of people, making it tough to apply the findings to the general population or mice (which doesn鈥檛 translate to human health), says Fredericson.

The biggest issue is that scientists don鈥檛 fully understand what an ideal microbiome looks like or how probiotics affect people differently. The probiotics that benefit one person can differ from the type that helps another.

It鈥檚 also unclear if the probiotics inserted into capsules and gummies even survive the journey from the manufacturing plant to the truck onto the shelf at the store and through your intestines. 鈥淭he supplements might have about 10 million colony-forming units (CFUs) of probiotics, but the number of them that live to make it through the various acidic stomach environments is few,鈥� says Dardarian. And if the probiotics die off, there won鈥檛 be enough of them to have the intended health effects.

As a result, the medical community widely agrees鈥攁lthough there are a couple of 鈥攖hat it鈥檚 too soon to recommend athletes add probiotic supplements to their diet. 鈥淲e need larger studies to prove the benefits are real,鈥� says Ghannoum. But that could change in the future as we learn more about probiotics. 鈥淭he research is changing, and in a couple years from now, we鈥檒l know a lot more,鈥� says Fredericson.

The Best Way to Get Probiotics? Food.

The experts I interviewed are in agreement that the best way to get probiotics鈥攁nd improve your microbiome鈥攊s through food. Why? Foods contain a more diverse mix of microorganisms (unlike supplements, which are usually rich in one or two very specific probiotics that may not even be beneficial for your specific microbiome). tells us, after all, that what we eat significantly shapes and changes our microbiome.

To get the most out of your probiotics, you also need to load up on prebiotics or non-digestible foods that come from beans and whole grains, which feed microorganisms and help them grow and thrive in your gut. The best way to load up on prebiotics? Fiber. Dardarian recommends eating 35 grams of fiber daily (which, she adds, many people don鈥檛 do).

Probiotic Foods to Try

Here are some probiotic foods听you can start adding to your diet:

• Aged cheese
• Pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi
• Kefir juices
• Kombucha
• Yogurt
• Miso and tamari sauce

If You Decide to Try Supplements

If you still want to give supplements a shot, go ahead. For most people, there鈥檚 little risk in taking them (the exception being people who are immune-compromised because they can, in rare cases, cause infections).

Verify the Supplement Is Safe, and Start with a Low Dose

Try to find a product that鈥檚 been evaluated in clinical trials and has the NSF stamp of approval, which confirms via third-party testing that the supplement is contaminant-free and contains the ingredients it says it does.

Dardarian, who works with professional athletes, says that if you choose to go the supplement route, gradually increase your dosage to let your body adjust to the probiotics and fiber. To do so,听Ghannoum suggests taking the probiotic every other day for the first week. If you feel good, increase that to every day鈥攕pecifically, at the same time every day and, ideally, 30 minutes after a meal, as this will help with absorption.

Finally, test the supplements out in your pre-season or well before a big competition, says Dardarian. Probiotics and fiber can cause , like diarrhea and bloating, that can wreck performance. As such, it鈥檚 wise to experiment when the stakes are low to see how you react.

Other than that, taper your expectations. Sure, they may improve your health鈥攂ut will they help you suddenly set a new personal record? As Dardarian says, 鈥淭he jury is out.鈥�

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When this assignment hit my inbox, my first thought was: I am 100 percent going to find out that I need to buy new running shoes. I jog a few times a week and haven鈥檛 replaced my since 2023. The chunky, cushioned sole that Hokas are known for has been flattened by months of trail running, and the bright neon yellow exterior has dimmed to a dull mustard.

But they do the job, and I鈥檓 a bit frugal, so I鈥檝e stuck with them. But after听speaking with a few sneaker experts, I learned I鈥檓 not doing myself any favors by holding onto beat-up gear. The more I use them, the greater my risk of an injury.

贬别谤别鈥檚 why it鈥檚 worth replacing your go-to kicks鈥攁nd how to figure out when to do it.

What Is the Average Lifespan of Running Shoes?

The average running shoe is thought to last about or five to eight months of regular use, but determining your shoe鈥檚 true lifespan is more complicated, says Daniel Shull, Run Research Manager at Brooks Running.

Many factors shorten or extend the longevity of your sneakers, including how often you wear them, the kind of terrain and weather you run in, and your stride and strike habits, says Shull.

鈥淓very runner is different, and every shoe is different,鈥� says , a Yale Medicine orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports-related foot and ankle injuries.

Trekking through mud, gravel, and puddles can erode your footwear, as can working out in hot or frigid temperatures, says , a professor of sports product design at the University of Oregon. She explains if you鈥檙e a heavy runner, meaning you land on your foot hard, the foam in the middle of your shoe will break down faster. And if your foot rolls inward or outward, you can wear out a part of your shoe that isn鈥檛 built for regular impact, such as the edges or outsole, speeding up your need for a new pair, she adds.

Different Materials Can Affect How Long Sneakers Last

It’s less clear how sneakers’ textiles impact their lifespan. Thin rubber and soft foams that used to deteriorate faster in the past now hold up much longer due to fancy features like and , which refers to the ability to prevent the shoe from slipping and how well the outsole wards off wear and tear, respectively, says Shull. 鈥淎s technology improves, it鈥檚 getting more difficult to decipher between what types of shoes have more longevity,鈥� he says.

We do know that the more you wear a shoe, whatever the brand, the faster it鈥檒l degrade, Sokolowski says.

For example, I don鈥檛 merely wear my Hokas when I jog. I also wear them when I recreationally hike, bike, and walk my dog all over town. So, while I鈥檇 love to think my running shoes last a year, they probably give out much sooner.

Why It鈥檚 Important to Replace Running Shoes

When your foot slams onto the ground, your shoe acts as a buffer and absorbs some of the force hitting your foot and ankle, Gianakos says. According to a 2023 review published in , shoes influence how your foot interacts with the ground, impacting your performance, speed, comfort levels, and risk of sustaining an injury.

If your sneaker no longer provides the support and cushioning your feet need, you can hurt the joints, tendons, and ligaments in your feet, ankles, and even upper leg, says Gianakos. You can run (pun intended) into a whole host of injuries like plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, stress fractures, and shin splints, she adds.

You may get pain in the ball of your foot (or ), , which causes pain around the kneecap, or , a condition that causes pain near the outside of your knee. or are another side effect of ill-fitting shoes.

The takeaway is simple: 鈥淐omfortable, supportive running sneakers are critical for overall foot and ankle health and injury prevention,鈥� says Gianakos.

Perhaps the most convincing reason to retire a beat-up pair? Having comfortable, supportive shoes on your feet will make your miles less grueling and more enjoyable, says Shull.

Signs It鈥檚 Time to Replace Your Running Shoes

The most obvious clue you鈥檙e due for a trip to the shoe store is if the tread on the bottom of your shoe is smooth and flat, says Gianakos. Another sign is if there鈥檚 noticeable fraying at the toe or heel of your shoe. You can also try twisting your sneaker to see how flexible it is; if it twists easily鈥攑articularly if the shoe was sturdy when you bought it鈥攊t may be worn out, she says.

Many runners can tell that their shoes are done for when they feel less responsive or cushioned, says Sokolowski. 鈥淵ou may feel like you have less 鈥榩ep in your step,鈥� or your legs feel more tired or sore after a run because the cushioning is not as fresh,鈥� she says. If the midsole begins to feel firmer when you trot, the foam may have kicked the bucket, says Shull.

So, do a body scan next time you鈥檙e out on the trail. Do you notice any foot or ankle aches and knee pains? What about burning sensations on the sole of your foot? How about blisters or calluses? Any of these symptoms may indicate your shoes are shot, says Gianakos.

How to Extend the Life of Your Favorite Pair of Sneaks

First, be mindful of how you store your shoes. You want to keep them in a clean, dry location to prevent mold from growing, says Sokolowski. And don鈥檛 store them in a hot, sunny car鈥擴V exposure and 听can cause them to dry out and crack, she adds.

Gianakos recommends having (at least) two pairs of sneakers. That way, you can occasionally switch them out to slow the wear and tear. Another tip: have different sneakers for running in different environments鈥攍ike 鈥渁 trail shoe, a road shoe, and even a race day shoe,鈥� says Sokolowski.

And save your running shoes for running only. 鈥淭he time and amount of steps put on your shoes by walking, standing, and running errands all count towards how long they鈥檒l last,鈥� says Shull.

For all your other day-to-day activities and workouts, it鈥檚 best to throw on another pair of sneakers so your go-to pair can breathe and decompress between workouts. 鈥淛ust as runners need recovery, so do our shoes,鈥� says Shull.

With that said, I鈥檓 lacing up my Hokas and taking them on their final excursion: to the shoe store, where they will meet their successor, another pair that will also be worn to death.

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Electrolytes are . If you head to your local grocery store or vitamin shop, you鈥檒l find rows of electrolyte-infused powders, tablets, and beverages that claim to rehydrate you quickly and effectively.

There is one product, in particular, that many : salt pills. The tiny white tablets, which contain a concentrated amount of sodium chloride, have exploded in , with many people swearing the pills have taken their athletic performance to the next level.

I called up two sports dietitians who work with endurance athletes and asked them what they really think about salt pills. They were in agreement: the average athlete shouldn鈥檛 bother messing with them.

鈥淢ost people who exercise do not need salt pills; however, for endurance athletes and people who exercise in hot environments or at very high-intensity levels, salt tablets could be useful,鈥� says , a registered dietitian and associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University.

What鈥檚 the Hype with Salt Pills?

Perspiring during vigorous exercise causes you to lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and calcium. If you don鈥檛 replace those lost electrolytes, you can become dehydrated.

Without enough fluids in your body, you can expect your muscle function, athletic performance, and cognition to take a hit. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e eventually going to have to slow down or stop exercising,鈥� says , a sports dietitian for endurance athletes and owner of the nutrition coaching service听Victorem Performance Nutrition.

If you drink too much water or only drink water, says Childress, during prolonged exercise鈥攆our hours or more (for example,听marathons or Ironman distance triathlons), you can wind up with a serious condition called exercise-induced . This electrolyte imbalance occurs when you have too-low sodium levels in your blood as the excess water dilutes salt concentration. This can trigger cramping, fatigue, confusion, and low blood pressure, according to the .

鈥淎 lot of athletes perceive salt tablets as a safety net that鈥檒l protect them from hyponatremia,鈥� says Childress. The allure is obvious: salt pills, in theory, offer athletes a quick solution when they鈥檙e on the go. But can a tiny pill actually keep you quenched during and after lengthy workouts?

How Many Salt Pills Should You Take in a Day?

Knowing how many salt pills to take鈥攁nd when to have them鈥攊s a delicate dance. Even if, say, you and your buddy are backpacking along the same exact route, the amount of electrolytes you should ingest may vary, potentially significantly, from the amount your friend requires, Brown says. Your rehydration needs largely depend on how much you sweat (and how much sodium is in your sweat) because some people expel more salt than others.

The only way to know, for sure, how much sodium chloride you need after a tough day on the trail is to conduct a sweat test to measure your sweat rate and composition. 鈥淚f an athlete knows how much sodium they lose, they can replace it to the T,鈥� Childress says.

Sodium concentration, or the amount of sodium in your sweat, varies widely from person to person, says Childress, but, on average, people lose about 1 gram or 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium per liter of sweat. So, if you sweat out a liter of fluids鈥攁nd therefore about 1,000 mg of sodium鈥攜ou鈥檇 want to take a salt pill that has 1,000 mg of sodium during (or right after) your workout to replenish the lost salt, Childress explains.

If you鈥檙e looking for a sweat test to determine salt loss, get in touch with a sports dietitian. They can measure how much fluid you lose during exercise and calculate your sweat electrolyte concentration. That way, you won鈥檛 have to guess what you need to ingest to stay hydrated. If you want to figure out how much sweat you lose, a sweat rate test is helpful; this entails weighing yourself on a bathroom scale before and after an intense workout. (Read about how to do one at home.)

Yes. It Is Possible to Take Too Many Salt Pills.

贬别谤别鈥檚 the issue: most people wing it. Because they鈥檙e unlikely to know how much sodium they lose in their sweat, they鈥檒l pop a few salt pills, hoping to rehydrate. But taking too many (salt pills often come in a 200- to 400-milligram dose) can wreak听havoc on your body. 鈥淭he downside is you can overdose听on them pretty easily if you don鈥檛 know what you鈥檙e doing,鈥� Childress says. When that happens, you can develop hypernatremia,听a condition where there’s too much sodium in the blood, which excessive thirst, nausea, confusion, muscle weakness, and dizziness.

Hypernatremia and hyponatremia can feel and look similar鈥攕o some people may develop weakness and assume they鈥檙e dehydrated when, in actuality, their sodium levels are way too high. Then, they’ll take even more salt pills and exacerbate the issue. In very extreme cases, this can cause people to .

You Don鈥檛 Need Salt Pills鈥擧ydrate This Way Instead

Athletes have to be careful about how many salt tablets they take, Childress says. Not only are salt pills unnecessary for athletes, but they’re also听.

However, if you鈥檙e still set on taking salt pills, start with a low dose, says Childress, and make sure you drink enough water with them. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to have any hydration benefit if you鈥檙e taking salt pills and not drinking fluid. They go together,鈥� Brown says.

If you don’t think salt pills are worth the hype, you can skip them altogether. Brown recommends drinking 16 ounces of fluid per hour that you鈥檙e working out. If you鈥檙e a super sweater, you may want to up that to (at most) 1 liter per hour, she adds.

An easy way to check your hydration levels is by evaluating your urine. If your pee is dark or you鈥檙e going to the bathroom less frequently than usual, you should increase your fluid intake. Clear pee suggests you鈥檙e over-hydrated and could use some electrolytes, Brown says. The goal is for your pee to look like light lemonade, she says.

Opt for a Salty Snack or a Piece of Fruit

For those exercising at least three hours or in hot conditions, alternate between drinking water and sports drinks to keep your electrolytes in balance, Childress says. You can also munch on water-rich fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cantaloupe, celery, or broccoli.

To restore your sodium levels, instead of a salt pill, throw in something more satisfying, like a bag of pretzels or salted nuts, spread cheese on a few crackers, or grab some chips, she听says.

If you, like me, don鈥檛 keep track of your sweat or water consumption, then simply drink to thirst, suggests Childress. Finally, if you want to nail your hydration game, your best bet is to talk to a sports dietitian. She explains, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really worth the money and time to meet with a professional who can run the sweat tests and design an individualized hydration strategy.”

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I run year-round, but winter is by far my favorite time to go jogging. When it鈥檚 cold and crisp out, I can go much longer and harder, often doubling the length of my summertime routes. Afterward, I want nothing more than to eat like a bear preparing to hibernate for the winter.

I always figured my increased appetite was merely due to the fact that I exercise more in the cooler months. While that鈥檚 undoubtedly a factor, research published by in 2023 suggests that the state of being chilly can make your stomach growl, too.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e cold, your body has to work harder to keep itself warm, and that burns more calories and can make you feel hungrier,鈥� says Dana Ellis Hunnes, a senior clinical dietitian at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center (UCLA) and assistant professor at UCLA鈥檚 Fielding School of Public Health.

Your nutrition needs fluctuate with the seasons, and paying attention to those changes is crucial to getting the most out of your wintertime activities. 贬别谤别鈥檚 why.

Why You Feel Hungrier When It鈥檚 Cold Out

Your internal organs function best when your core temperature hovers around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit; anything below that automatically triggers your body to warm听itself. And if you鈥檙e revving too hot, your body will . This process, called thermoregulation, keeps your heart, brain, and lungs performing optimally.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a well-established phenomenon that your body needs more energy to maintain its core temperature when it鈥檚 cold out,鈥� says Li Ye,听a professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the Scripps Research Institute and lead researcher of the Nature study.

One way your body maintains its warmth is by shivering, Ye says. Trembling鈥攚hich occurs when your muscles involuntarily contract and relax super quickly鈥攔equires energy that, in turn, ups your body temperature to a toastier level.听

In my conversation with Hunnes, I learned a second reason we humans tend to scarf down everything in sight after spending time in bone-chilling weather.听It takes a lot of work for your body to digest and break down food, and all of that effort warms you up; this is called the thermic effect of food, she says.

Other but slightly less impactful factors can further exacerbate your cold-weather hunger. For example, people who struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that can be triggered by the reduction of daylight in the fall and winter months, tend to crave carb-dense foods.

Moreover, the added stress that goes hand in hand with the holiday season may also cause your adrenal glands to produce more cortisol, the stress hormone. This can give you an , or what we know colloquially as 鈥渟tress eating.鈥� A boost in cortisol production might make you more inclined听to seek out food.

An Increase in Appetite Can Affect Your Workouts

During cold-weather activities, you likely need to eat more to compensate for all the extra calories your body鈥檚 burning, Hunnes says. 鈥淵ou may need to eat more frequent, smaller meals or complex carbs to carry out the same level of activity,鈥� she says.

But what, exactly, makes complex carbs so useful? According to the , they contain more nutrients and fiber than refined or simple carbs. In other words, , like sweet potatoes and legumes, fill you up and energize you for longer than, say, a fistful of Tootsie Rolls. So, if you don鈥檛 fuel yourself properly, your body will settle into a lethargic state to conserve whatever remaining energy you have, says Ye.

Ye鈥檚 study investigated the effects of cold temperatures on mice to understand what is happening in the body that makes animals hungrier when cold. Per his preliminary findings, specific neurons activated in cold conditions prompted the rodents to scavenge for food.

Furthermore, when the mice couldn鈥檛 find food, they became sluggish and chose to hunker down in the corner of their cage. 鈥淭he default response is to perform less vigorously to conserve energy,鈥� says Ye. I asked if those findings might apply to humans. He said they certainly might鈥攖hough more research is needed to verify this.

According to Nyree Dardarian, an assistant clinical professor and director of the Center for Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University, our physical and cognitive performance suffers when we don鈥檛 consume enough nutrients. Fatigue often follows, or you grow tired more quickly and even think more slowly; this may prevent you from finishing your hike or swerving in time to avoid cycling right over a pothole. As such, operating at a slower pace, even if it鈥檚 just a two-second lag, can significantly increase your risk of an injury, Dardarian says.

How to Tailor Meals for Your Winter 国产吃瓜黑料s听

Let鈥檚 say you鈥檙e in the mood to go on a long, wintry hike. Per听experts鈥� advice, it鈥檚 in your best interest to do some meal prep.

Eat a Protein-Rich Meal Beforehand

Dardarian suggests scheduling a meal roughly two hours before you plan to start. Make sure it’s protein-dense; opt for lean meats, beans, Greek yogurt, and unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, fatty fish, and complex carbohydrates, Dardarian says.

Embrace the Urge to Snack

Enjoy a nourishing snack 30 minutes before your start time. Because you鈥檝e already burned through some of the food you ate a couple of hours prior, you want to boost your energy levels one more time before hitting the trail, Dardarian听says.

Pack some snacks if you plan to go skiing for a few hours. Being in the cold for an extended period will inevitably deplete your energy stores and make you ravenous. Having a treat or two handy will be a lifesaver听when hunger strikes.

Don’t Forget the Carbs Mid-Workout

Regarding snacking during an activity, carbohydrates are king. 鈥淵our brain is looking for an immediate source of generating heat, and carbs are effective at doing that,鈥� Ye says. The reason, he says, is that carbs contain glucose, and your body tends to warm up when it breaks down glucose.

Dardarian recommends eating fruit, like a banana or grapes, fruit snacks such as (no need to get organic ones, she says), energy gels, or a bag of pretzels about 1.5 hours into your activity.

It鈥檚 Totally Normal鈥攁nd OK鈥攖o Lean into Your Natural Hunger Cues

When hunger pangs intensify, your body is trying to tell you something. Ye鈥檚 advice: don鈥檛 ignore those cues. 鈥淵our body knows what it wants鈥攆ollow its calls,鈥� he says.

Don’t feel guilty about eating more when it鈥檚 cold out. Remember, there鈥檚 a legitimate physiological reason you feel hungrier. Your body needs the extra fuel to perform in the cold.

Shift your focus away from self-shaming thoughts and embrace all the joy food offers, says Dardarian. Sharing meals with friends and family fosters connection and well-being, too. Food is nourishment, after all鈥斺�渘ot just for the body, but for relationships.鈥�

Maybe a pre-jog apple will cut it in July, but a Granny Smith won’t be enough fuel for a two-hour-long winter run. As the year comes to a close, I鈥檓 challenging myself (and you) to eat more and self-punish less. If I鈥檓 being honest, eating something savory like a chicken avocado sandwich before a run鈥攁 recommendation I got from Dardarian鈥攎ight be the best and tastiest health advice I鈥檝e ever received.

Want more of 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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If you wear earbuds when you hike, bike, climb, or jog, you might give them a wipe down every now and then. Big brands, like and , recommend cleaning earbuds after each use, but I鈥檒l be the first to admit: it鈥檚 easy advice to ignore.

I鈥檝e worn the same pair of for two years while jogging and have never rinsed them off once. My husband鈥檚 the same. His 听have logged hundreds of miles of road cycling sans cleaning. Gross? Very. Risky? Yes.

So, if you鈥檙e looking at your earbuds and thinking, yep, these are pretty nasty, here’s how to keep them and, in turn, your ears in tip-top shape.

Why You Should Clean Your Earbuds

When you place earbuds into your ear, you subject them to all kinds of gunk, says , an otolaryngologist with Yale Medicine. When ear wax and sweat mix in the ear canal, they create a sticky goo. That gook can latch onto dead skin cells, bacteria, and environmental debris like dirt and air pollution particles. 鈥淭hat mixture is going to get stuck on your earbuds and tends to find the nooks and crannies in the wire mesh,鈥� says Hildrew.

What Happens When You Don鈥檛 Clean Them?

, an otolaryngologist at Providence Saint John鈥檚 Health Center in Santa Monica, California, says earbuds and headphones can get quite dirty and harbor a ton of grime if you use them often鈥攅specially during exercise. 鈥淭his includes oils and sweat from the ear, but also dirt and bacteria transfers from your hands and fingers [to your ears], especially with ear inserts,鈥� he says.

If they camp out inside your ear, you may wind up with an ear infection that could have been easily prevented by cleaning your earbuds, he says.

Bacteria Can Build Up in the Ear Canal

Bacteria love warm, dark, humid environments like your inner ear. When you鈥檙e exercising outdoors and perspiring with a dirty plug in your ear, your ear can get wetter and warmer, explains Hildrew. That can create an ideal environment for pathogenic bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in which they can multiply rapidly and lead to 鈥嬧�媜titis externa (aka swimmer鈥檚 ear), an ear canal infection. (FYI: You don鈥檛 actually need to go swimming to get this kind of infection.)

Swimmer鈥檚 ear can be pretty uncomfortable: your ear canal fills up with a sticky discharge and may become smelly and painful, explains听Hildrew. Your hearing could become muffled鈥攐r you could develop dermatitis, a common condition that causes the skin within your ear to become itchy, scaly, and inflamed,听Yong adds.

Ear infections can be treated with antibiotic ear drops, so if you hold off on seeing a doctor, you could develop swelling in your ear canal that can take a few weeks to settle down, says Hildrew.

How to Clean Your Earbuds

When cleaning your earbuds, your technique and how often you clean them matter. If you use the wrong cleaning product or rub too aggressively, you can ruin your earphones.

As for the frequency, cleaning them after each workout is ideal鈥攅specially if your earbuds come in contact with sweat, sunscreen, or dirt. But even once a week is better than nothing, says Hildrew.

Keep in mind that each brand has a slightly different set of instructions, so it鈥檚 worth checking out the specific steps for your product. But in general, here are the items you鈥檒l need to clean your earbuds thoroughly:

• A dry cloth (you want to use a lint-free cloth such as a microfiber towel or an old T-shirt)
• Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol
• A clean toothbrush
• Distilled water
• Hand soap
• Micellar water
• Putty, tape, a tooth flosser, or hydrogen peroxide if your earbuds are extra grimy
• Paper towels

1. Clean the Case

First, take your earbuds out of the case听and unplug the charger from the wall. Because the case can get gunky, too, you鈥檒l want to clean it well.

Run a dry cloth along the outside of the case. If it鈥檚 visibly dirty, splash a tiny amount of isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol onto the fabric to rinse off any bacteria.

You don鈥檛 want any liquid to touch the tiny metal prongs your earbuds attach and magnetize to because they can become water-damaged and stop working. Instead, glide a dry, soft-bristled toothbrush along the prongs to eliminate lingering earwax or dust.

2. Wash the Silicone Tips and Mesh

If your buds have silicone tips, twist them off and wash them with rubbing alcohol or soapy water.

To clean the mesh grilles鈥攖he soft, wiry panels in the earbud鈥攄ip your toothbrush into a cup of micellar water, and while holding the earbud upright so the mesh is facing you, gently rub the bristles, in a circular motion, across each mesh panel for 15 seconds.

Place the buds mesh-side down on a paper towel so that the paper towel will absorb the remaining moisture. To remove any residue left behind on the mesh from the micellar water, rinse the toothbrush and, this time, saturate the bristles with distilled water. Repeat the same steps as you did to cleanse the mesh at the start.

Set them aside to dry for at least two hours before returning them to your case. You want to avoid introducing any extra moisture to your ear (remember, germs love warm, wet environments, says Hildrew).

If earwax is stubbornly caked on, adding a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide (three-percent concentration only) to the toothbrush can help break it up. Resist the urge to use something sharp or abrasive, as that could damage the mesh. Pat the mesh dry with a paper towel.

3. Wipe Down the Body of Your Earbuds or Headphones

As for the body of the earphones, run a dry cloth or cotton swab over the metal charging points (the little magnetic dots on them that click into the tiny metal prongs in the charging case). Doing this will help remove any residue left behind on your earbuds from hair products, sunscreen, or insect repellant.

Splash a bit of distilled or soapy water or rubbing alcohol onto the cloth (don鈥檛 douse it!) and glide the dampened cloth over the rest of the earpiece.

If you see any remaining grime, use the end of a tooth flosser to carefully scrape it out. Tape or putty can suck up any remaining debris as well.

Cleaning Over-the-Ear Headphones Is Even Easier

Cleaning over-the-ear headphones involves a different鈥攁nd much simpler鈥攕trategy. All you need to do is wipe the headband cushions, front and back, and sliders off with a damp cloth.

Rub the cloth over the front and back of the cushions in small circular motions. Wipe down the inner parts of the headphones with a dry cloth; a wet cloth could ruin the delicate electronics inside.

Some brands, like Bose, recommend using rubbing alcohol on the plastic exterior; others, like Sony, say solvents can wear down headphone materials. So, read any instructions that come with your buds.

While it might seem like a nuisance to clean your earbuds after every workout, it only takes a minute or two, and doing so could save you an earache and a trip to the doctor鈥檚 office.

Want more of 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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I have to confess: I have not replaced my sports bras in a very, very long time. I don鈥檛 mean a year or two鈥擨鈥檓 talking six to seven years and, to be honest, probably more.

It鈥檚 not like my sports bras go unused and remain in a like-new state. I work out almost daily. I do hot yoga and regularly go hiking, biking, and jogging. I also like to take my dog on long walks. Sometimes, I even use the Peloton in my living room.

These sports bras support me through it all (pun intended).

Some of my bras, like the ones I use for yoga, are in fairly good shape, but the pieces I wear during intense activities like running? Those are pretty shot, yet they remain in my underwear drawer.

It turns out there are a handful of factors that can affect the lifespan of your sports bras鈥攍ike how you clean them and the materials they鈥檙e made of.

While it can be tempting to wear the same one for years if it seems to be working well enough, replacing your sports bra is still a good idea. 贬别谤别鈥檚 why.

A Supportive Sports Bra Is More Important than You Might Think

When you work out, your breasts bounce. 鈥淎 good sports bra stabilizes the chest to minimize movement, reduce strain on ligaments, and prevent discomfort, sagging, or even injury like micro tears in breast tissue,鈥� says Casey Schumacher, Senior Director of Design & Performance at Athleta.

The more your breast tissue moves or 鈥渏iggles,鈥澨齛s this 2019 study puts it, the more pain you might experience. Up to 72 percent of women experience breast pain during exercise, evidence suggests.

Breast pain isn鈥檛 just annoying; it can affect your athletic performance, too. Research has found, for example, that excessive breast motion has been linked to gait issues in runners.

At the very least, discomfort from a flimsy sports bra may distract you from your athletic pursuits. Instead of focusing on your pace, you might not be able to take your mind off your breast pain or the itchy fabric rubbing against your skin.

about how much your breasts move during a workout might zap your focus, too.

Why It鈥檚 a Good Idea to Replace Your Sports Bra Every so Often

If you鈥檙e active, your sports bras will inevitably wear down. Spandex and rubber elastic, two of the most common materials sports bras are made out of, lose their compression powers over time, and with it, their ability to keep your breasts in place, says , a professor of sports product design at the University of Oregon.

This loss of elasticity can, over time, cause your sports bras to be less supportive. This may cause your breasts to excessively move around or sag, which can be particularly painful during high-impact activities, says Schumacher. She adds that when the fabric and seams of an older sports bra deteriorate, you can experience chafing or skin irritation under your arms or along the bust line. This is especially true during intense or prolonged workouts.

How Often Should You Replace Your Sports Bra?

The right time to replace your sports bra depends on a few factors, the biggest ones being the materials it鈥檚 made of and the quality of its construction.

However, the way it fits, along with how often you wear it and wash it, plays a role, too. 鈥淎 bra that fits more tightly will experience more stretch. Therefore, the materials can be strained and break down faster,鈥� says Sokolowski. Washing and drying it in hot temperatures can cause the fabric to crack and tear.

According to Schumacher, high-intensity sports bras, like the ones designed for HIIT and running, may break down faster since they absorb so much motion. Low-intensity sports bras (like the very-old ones I wear for yoga) usually last longer as they experience less stress, she says.

Knowing when to go out and restock your sports bras varies from person to person and product to product.

If you wear and wash your sports bras every week, you should aim to get new ones twice a year, says Amy Charlton, the Senior Director of Product at Adidas.

Signs Your Sports Bra Is Worn Out

When your sports bra no longer has the same level of compression and support as when you first bought it, Sokolowski says, it’s time to buy a new one.

If your bra feels loose, the material splits or frays, or the pads get super crinkled, the end is near. If you can鈥檛 get rid of the post-workout mustiness no matter how often you wash it, treat yourself to a bra that hasn鈥檛 been completely drenched in sweat and body oils. The same goes for underwire that鈥檚 bent or poking you in the side.

You Can Extend the Life of Your Sports Bra

If you don鈥檛 feel like splurging on a new bra right away, there are a few tricks that can help prolong the life of your sports bra.

Sokolowski says washing them in cold water with mild detergent and then hanging them up to dry is the way to go (as opposed to running them through the dryer); many of the materials sports bras are made out of, like spandex, do not withstand heat well.

What to Do with Old Sports Bras That Are Still in Good Shape

Since many sports bras are made from synthetic fibers, if they wind up in a landfill, they鈥檙e going to be there for quite some time. 鈥淪pandex takes about 200 years to decompose, polyester between 20 to 200 years to decompose, and nylon takes about 30 to 40 years to decompose,鈥� says Sokolowski. Bras made from cotton or wool are more sustainable and degrade much faster. But even those types typically contain a bit of spandex.

Consider Donating or Upcycling Old Sports Bras

If your old sports bras are still in relatively decent condition, it鈥檚 worth donating them. You can drop off gently used bras at local charities or mail them to听an organization like , which donates used bras to girls and women in need.

Or, you can join me in perusing for upcycling ideas such as repurposing them into cleaning rags, using them as weed barriers in your garden, or cutting and sewing them together to make dog toys. You might not be able to stand the lingering stench of sweat, but your dog? They鈥檒l probably love it.

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Kimi Werner grew up in a remote part of Maui and was introduced to spearfishing at a young age. She often accompanied her father, who went freediving in search of wild fish to feed their family. But Werner didn’t spearfish on her own until the age of 24. She quickly became obsessed with the sport and started reaching new depths, catching and cooking new types of fish, and eventually competing. After winning trophies, her relationship with the ocean changed. Werner left the competition world and, eventually, found a way to reconnect with the sea and the sport that had transformed her life.

贬别谤别鈥檚 听story, as told to writer Julia Ries.

I was introduced to spearfishing when I was five years old. I grew up in a rural part of Maui, and at the time, my family had little money. My dad would go freediving and spearfishing just to put food on the table. He said if I could keep up, I could tag along. So, he鈥檇 put me on his back, and we鈥檇 hike down cliffs and jump into water that was 30 to 40 feet deep.

I didn鈥檛 have a spear, just a snorkel, mask, and rubber fins, but I absolutely loved following him into the deep, blue ocean鈥攊t felt as if I was flying.

We鈥檇 come home with fish commonly found in Hawaii鈥檚 coastal waters鈥攍ike the shimmery silver 膩holehole and the vibrant red or bluish-green menpachi鈥攁nd my mom would put so much care into cleaning and caring for them. We buried all the parts we didn鈥檛 eat, like the gut and scales, into the plants鈥攍ike Liliko’i (passion fruit), oranges, guavas, and strawberries鈥攖hat fed us. It was very harmonious. We lived in this tiny shack made of seriously rotting wood covered in moss. I had no idea we were poor. I loved my life.

When I was seven, my parents started making more money. My mom became an emergency room nurse, and my dad鈥檚 construction business took off. We moved from the boonies in Haiku, a tiny, rural, unincorporated area on the North Shore of Maui (where we had no neighbors), to a subdivision with paved roads and grocery stores. My dad got a boat, and every once in a while, we鈥檇 still go diving and fishing鈥攏ow for recreation rather than necessity.

I was such a little foodie, always helping my mom and experimenting with cooking in the kitchen. But this was a drastic change, moving from the middle of nature into civilization, and I was heartbroken. All I wanted was to go back to my old life in Haiku. Life there was simple and beautiful鈥攅very part of my heart enjoyed it.

Eventually, I adjusted and rolled with this new life. When it came time to graduate from Maui High School, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Cooking seemed like the path to take, so I went to culinary school on the island of Oahu.

I鈥檇 been getting ocean time as a canoe paddler (FYI: Canoe paddling is a popular team sport in the Hawaiian islands, recognized as the state鈥檚 official sport. The sport is deeply woven into Hawaiian culture because the early settlers arrived on these islands by canoe). But when I graduated at 21, I realized I鈥檇 been happy enough, but something was missing. Before I knew it, I was working a restaurant job in Honolulu where I was serving the same food every day鈥攊t was imported and frozen, and I felt no connection to it. My mind often went back to those early childhood days of diving and my mom cooking these little fish we caught. It was like I was still mourning my life in Haiku, even as a grown-ass woman.

One day, I went to a canoe paddling regatta, and after the race, some of the boys in my club set up a barbecue where they put a bunch of tiny fish on the grill. My heart jumped out, and I recognized the fish instantly, feeling overwhelmed with love and admiration for them. These weren鈥檛 the fish you see at grocery stores. They were fishermen鈥檚 fish, the type I grew up eating, the 膩holehole, and the menpachi. I asked where they got them, and they said from spearfishing. A light bulb went off in my head, and my heart skipped a beat鈥攎aybe it was possible to get my old lifestyle back.

After that, I kept asking people to take me diving with them, but that didn鈥檛 happen. One day, when I was 24, I went to a fishing shop and bought a three-prong spear. I packed my mask and my boogie-boarding fins and drove to a random beach. When I got out of my car, I felt so embarrassed and self-conscious鈥擨 thought, I鈥檓 just a girl with a spear, and everyone鈥檚 going to look at me and know I have no idea what I鈥檓 doing. I thought the anxiety would go away when I got into the water, but it worsened because I realized that, indeed, I had no idea what I was doing.

It was windy, so the water was choppy and murky. I grew paranoid about sharks and felt frantic. In my head, I was like, this was a stupid idea; I should have never done this.

Right when I was about to turn around and go back to the shore, a wave broke, and I was surrounded by bubbles. I felt like I was out in the ocean with my dad again and suddenly felt at peace. I kept swimming until I came across a reef that was 20 to 25 feet below surface level.

Trying to remember what my dad did, I held my breath, kicked down, and looked in holes in the reef where I found tiny fish. I tried to spear them, and after a bunch of trial and error, I snatched up five fish. It was a humble catch, but it felt like I had found gold.

I went home, cleaned the fish, and cooked them for my roommates.听I thought to myself, I made the best meal of my entire culinary career with just salt and pepper. I realized I would never let go of an experience like this again. That day changed everything.

I became obsessed with spearfishing. It鈥檚 all I wanted to do, and I was going into the ocean as frequently as I could. Spearfishing transformed my health by giving my body an extreme cleansing exercise. It was helping me eat clean by providing an excellent source of nutrients and wild protein.

I brought the fish I caught to the paddling regattas, and those boys finally invited me to dive with them. I got so many dive partners and learned a ton about what to do and what not to do.

One day, I watched this special on TV featuring these national spearfishing championship competitors who swam to great depths and caught huge fish. I tracked those guys down and showed up at the bar they hung out at. I introduced myself and, week after week, went back, and they鈥檇 give me tips. Deep down, I wanted to be able to compete like they had. One night they invited me to dive with them鈥攁nd that鈥檚 when they became my mentors. They took my diving to a whole new level.

I learned that in order to freedive well, you need to be relaxed; panicking is fatal. You might see a fish that鈥檚 your dream fish, but if you get too excited, you won鈥檛 be able to hold your breath and catch it. You need to swim slowly enough to lower your heart rate and conserve your oxygen.

You鈥檙e positively buoyant at the surface of the ocean, which means you have to kick really hard so you don鈥檛 just float on top of the water, but you lose buoyancy the deeper you go and don鈥檛 have to kick as hard. At 30 feet, you become neutrally buoyant, so if you stop kicking, you鈥檒l stay in the same place鈥攜ou won鈥檛 float or sink. At around 60 feet, the ocean pulls you down. In turn, you become negatively buoyant and start sinking, so you no longer have to kick. The pressure increases, and the ocean squeezes you. At first, that sensation caused me so much discomfort and anxiety, but I eventually got used to it. It kind of felt like a hug from the ocean.

Within a year, I was diving to 60 feet. I saw fish I didn鈥檛 know existed鈥攈uge snappers and goatfish. I鈥檇 take them home and make sashimi and crudo. I was consistently feeding myself.

Over the next few years, I doubled that depth and thought I was ready to compete. In 2008, I went to the National Spearfishing Championship in Newport, Rhode Island. I entered as a two-person team with my dive partner Andy Tamasese and won every category I was able to place in鈥�1st place in the mixed team, 1st place in the individual women鈥檚 division, and I snagged the largest fish听in the women鈥檚 division with a 33-pound striped bass (which was also the second largest fish caught during the entire contest). I caught striped bass, tautogs, and scup. I was named Rookie of the Year. I finally felt validated.

But, afterward, I wanted to keep riding the high that comes with nabbing more wins. I would听look at fish as points鈥攁nd that feeling of unfulfillment crept back. I got into spearfishing to reconnect to my roots and upbringing and to feed myself simply.

Spearfishing was supposed to be about my connection to the ocean鈥攏ot winning trophies. I didn鈥檛 like how my relationship with the sea was changing, so I decided to listen to my heart and quit competing.

After choosing this, I became an artist and started painting the fish I saw underwater onto trucker hats. I sold them for $20.听I could barely pay my rent, but I didn鈥檛 have set hours, which meant I had the freedom to dive whenever the weather was nice. I created a garden to grow my own food, and it brought me back to my childhood and how we fed ourselves. I felt like my parents when they were poor鈥攚hich, weirdly, was my own version of success.

But viewing this as a true achievement didn鈥檛 happen overnight. At first, I felt like a failure, like I walked away from my only chance at making a career out of diving. When I went into the water again, I questioned whether I made the right choice. My brain was so noisy, which affected my diving; I couldn鈥檛 hold my breath or aim well, and I ended up having to take a break from it. I鈥檇 still swim, but I鈥檇 leave the spear at home.

One day, my friends and I went kayaking, and I tried to dive, but suspending my breathing felt impossible. It was excruciating. I got back on my kayak. Then I decided to try once more鈥擨 dove to the bottom of the ocean, laid on my belly face-down in the sand, and let every inner voice call me whatever mean name it wanted to. Then the last voice came and went. That was the moment things got better. I felt like the ocean still loved me.

I started diving again just to be with the fish. Then I brought my three-prong spear and resumed catching the easy little fish first, eventually working up the nerve to go after some gnarlier fish. I dove deep and felt calm again.

Spearfishing has hugely supported my mental health. It鈥檚 given me passion, purpose, and presence. It鈥檚 given me a community of like-minded people who share their healthy harvests of mangoes, greens, avocados, fresh eggs, and venison. It’s given me a lifestyle of eating closer to nature and getting the most out of it.

I began working with a nature conservancy and, with it, received new opportunities to travel, dive, and see the world. I got my first sponsors (like Patagonia and later Protekt) and collaborated with production companies that wanted to film my diving.

I met my husband, Justin Turkowski, a snowboarding cinematographer, on a TV production I worked on in 2012. He moved to Hawaii for our relationship. I taught him how to freedive, and he鈥檚 now one of the best underwater cinematographers. We鈥檝e done a lot of productions and documentaries together and started a . This was a path I created based on my true values.

My son is four, just about the age I was when I started diving. I鈥檝e taken him out on my back once, and I hope to do that more. He wakes my husband and me up early to go to the harbor to fish with a little pole before preschool, then begs me to cook the fish and put it in his lunchbox. He鈥檚 a total water baby. It reminds me of diving with my dad.

I still spearfish a couple of times a week鈥攖o about 100 feet, sometimes more鈥攚eather permitting. But the most important role spearfishing plays now is that it enables me to听go out and get fish to feed my family.

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