The only problem with all the active pursuits you love? You know you can鈥檛 do them forever. But what if you could do them longer and maintain a higher level of performance now and for years to come?

Enter . The company is reimagining health care for people who care about staying active, bringing the kind of obsessive, athlete-focused attention the pros get to the rest of us. It鈥檚 a radical new approach, and it鈥檚 changing the equation when it comes to aging and athletic performance. As the company鈥檚 chief medical officer, Dr. Desmond Wilson, puts it, 鈥淚 want you to be able to do what you love in some form for the rest of your life.鈥�

What Makes Eternal Unique

Extending your 鈥渁thleticspan鈥� requires a new, high-performance health care program unlike anything seen before. Here鈥檚 how it works.

Comprehensive Tests

The diagnostics go way beyond the basic blood labs and assess for whole-body, sport-specific fitness. Doctors look at more than 195 biomarkers related to health and athletic performance, including hormone levels, bone density, blood sugar, and body mass. There are tests for VO2 max and lactate threshold, a DEXA scan for body composition, and sport-specific strength, power, mobility, and stability tasks. 鈥淚 had never undergone such an extensive workup,鈥� says a runner who joined Eternal in the fall of 2024.

Expert Team

Eternal assembles an integrated team of advisers and practitioners that might include doctors and experts in performance medicine, nutrition, behavioral health, sleep, coaching, and women鈥檚 health. And these experts actually talk to each other, so the whole team is evaluating your situation. That means, for example, the trainer who is considering your joint pain is talking to the doc reviewing the endocrinology results. And the term 鈥渆xperts鈥� is not used loosely. Member advisers include high-caliber specialists like female physiologist and nutrition scientist Stacy Sims and Golden State Warriors vice president of player health and performance Dr. Rick Celebrini, PhD.

Personalized Plan

Everything is designed to address your particular needs and real-life changes. Injuries to manage? A race coming up? Hormonal shifts in perimenopause? Whatever your goals, from completing a fun run to winning a century ride, your team takes it all into account to form a complete picture. 鈥淲e take in all this data in the context of you as an athlete and a person and where you are in life, then we come up with strategic priorities,鈥� says Wilson, an internal medicine physician and dedicated trail runner himself.

The Member Experience

For the past 25 years, Kim Gaylord and her husband have built their summers around trail running. For six weeks, they drive their camper van from their Northern California home to their favorite trails across the West, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rockies. 鈥淭hose are the happiest times,鈥� says Gaylord, 54, who runs every week, year-round. 鈥淚 want to continue having an active, healthy lifestyle, to be able to still go on these van trips, running up mountains.鈥�

But as she鈥檚 entered her sixth decade, the former competitive ski racer has faced new struggles, from symptoms of menopause to waning energy. Gaylord鈥檚 primary care doctor didn鈥檛 help. 鈥淭he general health system is extremely frustrating,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou tell your doctor that you鈥檙e a runner, and they think it鈥檚 too extreme.鈥� She needed a support system that understood running isn鈥檛 just a hobby, but a key piece of her identity.

That鈥檚 when Gaylord decided to try Eternal. Like all members, Gaylord started with a thorough in-person physical assessment. Then her personalized care team convened to crunch the numbers and build a personalized blueprint encompassing training, nutrition, sleep, behavioral science, medicine, and more.

For example, Gaylord鈥檚 results showed her aerobic fitness markers were excellent, but she lacked the strength and durability she鈥檇 need to maintain her trail running for the long haul. Knowing Gaylord鈥檚 aversion to working out in a gym, her care team designed an at-home routine tailored to her weak areas. 鈥淭hey listened to me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 doing a very personalized strength workout for me.鈥�

Ongoing Support

That initial blueprint is just the start. Through regular video check-ins with doctors and coaches, members stay accountable and fine-tune their programs. Experts are available for consultation anytime. At six months, members repeat biomarker and performance tests to measure improvement and update their action plans.

This kind of personal attention might feel like it belongs only to the realm of elite or professional athletes, but Eternal caters to anyone who values an active, healthy lifestyle. Current members鈥� goals run the gamut from getting on the podium at an ultramarathon to simply extending the pleasure of hiking. One member hopes to beat his 5K personal record from a decade ago; another was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease and wants to continue running while managing her condition. Eternal also helps people going through physiological changes, like women who want to ease perimenopausal symptoms.

鈥淵ou can come to us in any form,鈥� Wilson says. 鈥淵ou do not need to be a professional or ex-college athlete. You just have to be somebody who鈥檚 passionate about staying active and we will support you.鈥�

Founded by Alex Mather, co-founder of The Athletic and a founding member of Strava鈥檚 product and design team, Eternal is dedicated to extending the 鈥渁thleticspan鈥� and performance of passionate athletes, from lifestyle to elite. By combining cutting-edge diagnostics, expert coaching, and personalized concierge care, Eternal empowers people to stay healthy and active for life. Eternal is now accepting members and has locations in San Francisco and New York. To learn more and join the waitlist, visit.

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We should all be spending more time outside and offline鈥攐r, in contemporary terms, . The slang phrase emerged (somewhat ironically) on social media in recent years as a means of letting someone know they need to unplug and reconnect with the real world. Now, there鈥檚 an app for that.

Studies that time spent in nature can boost your mood and overall sense of well-being while lowering stress levels, , and attention span. In short, the best way to counter the effects of your screens is to step away from them and into the world.

is a fairly straightforward way to ditch your phone, laptop, or Netflix queue for a bit of fresh air. The app encourages users to physically step outside, find a patch of grass to touch, and maybe even enjoy a walk, the elements, or some blend of the above. And, so far, we’re a fan; Emma Veidt, editor of our sister publication听Backpacker, has used the app for months. “It has genuinely improved my doomscrolling,” she says. (She also ranked it among her she’s used this spring.)听 So, I decided to give it a try for myself.

How Does the ‘Touch Grass’ App Work?

Touch Grass is sort of like a digital lock box for your phone, or at least your most distracting apps. The impetus to trade a few moments scrolling for a quick jaunt outside comes as soon as you open the app (currently available for download via the Apple App Store exclusively)听or visit its eponymous website. As a welcome, prompts calculate your daily screen time, which, if you’re anything like me, is a chilling stat to have thrown in your face.

According to , excessive screen time is linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety, not to mention eye, neck, and shoulder strain鈥攁ptly called “tech neck”. Studies have also to substance use disorders and early-onset dementia.

Per the app’s calculator, at my current rate, I am likely to spend 2,007 hours, or 83 days, online this year. That鈥檚 nine years over a lifetime.听

Clearly, I need to go touch grass.

After a few introductory lines about the perils of spending your day staring at screens, the app links up to Apple Screen Time for stats (your daily screen time is listed on your profile). It then requests that you grant both camera (for the grass touching part) and location access (allowing you to set your app limits to align with sunrise and sunset). Finally, the app听asks you to set a goal; options include things like 鈥淐onnect with People鈥� and 鈥淏e More Present.鈥�

Next, you can select up to two apps鈥攎ore, even entire categories like 鈥済ames,鈥� if you upgrade for $5.99/month or $49.99 annually鈥攖o block until you physically go outside and听touch grass.

Blocking Addictive Apps

Block options include 鈥渜uick break,鈥� which can be adjusted from 15 to 60 minutes, and 鈥渕edium break,鈥� from 30 to 120 minutes, along with 鈥渟mart break,鈥� which uses sunrise and sunset times to block based on time of day. 鈥淩est of day鈥� blocks your chosen apps until midnight. You can toggle between block options and disable the more intimidating ones鈥攊t鈥檚 all very choose-your-own-adventure.

Once an app is blocked, you鈥檒l notice that the icon looks faded out鈥�the way an icon looks when it’s not finished downloading to your phone. A tiny hourglass symbol听on said icon also indicates its blocked status.

Get 国产吃瓜黑料

When you attempt to open the app, Touch Grass prompts you to head outside and put your hand in the green stuff. Once the in-app camera verifies that you have, in fact, touched grass, you will have access to your app for your designated amount of time and are free to re-block when you鈥檙e done.

What Happens If You Can鈥檛 Touch Grass?

This was one of my biggest questions, and since the app dedicates a slide to it during the app’s set-up process, I am obviously听not alone.

You Have to Pay to *Not* Touch Grass

A 鈥渟kip鈥� option allows you to bypass the grass mandate, but there鈥檚 a catch鈥攜ou only get one skip for free. After that, skips cost whatever price you鈥檙e willing to pay between $0.99 and $9.99.

If you鈥檙e wondering why you would choose to fork over money, it may help to know that 50 percent听of Touch Grass鈥� revenue goes to planting trees and various rewilding charities in the UK.

My Experience Using 鈥楾ouch Grass鈥�

While I would love to block all social media for hours at a time, my profession dictates that I stay relatively plugged in. While I鈥檇 like to blame my screen addiction听on my day job, time spent using Touch Grass reveals that my social media habit is a personal problem.

Getting started with Touch Grass gave me instant anxiety. The unease that comes with blocking a well-used app (in my case, Instagram) for any amount of time, even while in full control of the choice, is definitely a sign of a greater problem. As I select Instagram as my to-be-blocked app, I am struck by an irrational fear that I will never be able to access it again.

What if something glitches and I鈥檓 locked out forever?

This does not happen. Instead, the small hourglass that appears on the now-faded Insta icon serves as a visual reminder that that mindless scroll is currently off limits. Though subtle, these visual cues are effective, deterring me from several unnecessary scrolls throughout the day.

Once my late afternoon slump hits, I convince myself that I’ve earned some Instagram brain rot. I tap the app, acknowledge Touch Grass’ pop-up, and head into my backyard to find some grass. I touch it, the app scans the photo, and Insta is unlocked. But then I notice the lilac tree blooming overhead, and I smell those blossoms instead of scrolling. I tilt my head up to feel the sun on my face. I stand outside for 20 minutes, listening and breathing and noticing.

I don’t scroll through Instagram; when prompted, I ditch my “short break” settings to “smart break.” I don’t make it until sunset, but the intention was there. Baby steps.

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

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All dog lovers know that those furry friends improve your quality of life. They cheer you up when you鈥檙e feeling down, keep you active, and help foster connections with your communities. But did you know that having a pup might also be good for your gut?

It鈥檚 hard to imagine, but research is showing that owning a pet could be beneficial for your gut microbiome, and thus your gastrointestinal health.

Clostridium difficile, or C. difficile, is usually a hospital-acquired and that disrupts healthy bacteria in the colon. The infection, known as C. diff colitis, tends to occur when patients take antibiotics, which can kill good bacteria in the gut.

As many as of patients initially treated for infections experience a recurrence, and the risk of subsequent recurrence only increases with each case, leading to an unpleasant cycle.

, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, wondered if these recurrent cases might come from the animals we share our environment with.

鈥淭he idea going in was, if you get C. difficile from the hospital, you come home, you shed it, your pet would pick it up, your pet would become colonized, then your pet would give it back to you, and you would become infected again,鈥� Redding says.

But her team found quite the opposite. Their explained that close interactions with pets actually appeared to have a protective effect against the recurrence of C. difficile infections.

Living with Pets May Strengthen Your Immune System

Other researchers have observed similar phenomena. A found that children between the ages of 5 and 15 who lived with a dog had a reduced risk of developing Crohn鈥檚 disease, a bowel disease that causes inflammation of the intestinal lining.

A found that exposure to dogs led to a decrease in childhood asthma cases in farming communities. Research also found that听 (people over 65), there was an increase in beneficial microorganisms and a decrease in harmful bacteria in the guts of dog owners. Findings in another suggested that exposure to pet dogs (and not cats, interestingly enough) decreased the prevalence of atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, in children, especially when the dogs remained indoors.

鈥淧eople who grew up around animals, or had furred pets, or grew up on farms tend to have lower incidences of autoimmune diseases like asthma or (which describes someone who is highly susceptible to allergen-related diseases), and even obesity,鈥� says Redding. She explains that a lot of these diseases are tied to the health of the microbiota, the community of organisms that live on and in our bodies, primarily in the gut, which is home to roughly 鈥攈ence the focus on gut health.

Pets and Owners Share Microbes

Beginning as early as the 1980s, researchers have found that pets and their owners share microorganisms.听A听听specifically looked at intestinal听E. coli听and found that humans and their pets shared similar strains of the bacteria.听More recent studies, however,听analyze whole communities of microorganisms. One found that people and dogs who cohabitated shared similar microbial communities.

According to Redding, 鈥淯p until recently, the majority of the research looking into microbes from pets has been more on the pathogen side where we question: What are the bad things that animals transmit to us?” But researchers are starting to understand that microbial sharing might have benefits.

How Dogs Benefit Your Gut Health

The reason why there are fewer instances of allergies or autoimmune diseases in farming communities or households with animals remains unclear. But many researchers believe it is linked to the hygiene hypothesis: the idea that young children in clean, modern environments are not exposed to an adequate amount of microbes, resulting in understimulated immune systems (and making them more likely to develop allergies and auto-immune diseases). Dogs may help with that.

Increased Diversity of the Gut Microbiome

鈥淐hildren who live in households with pets have higher gut diversity than those who don鈥檛 reside with pets, and the thought is that a more diverse microbiome is a healthier microbiome,鈥� says , a pediatric gastroenterologist at St. Louis Children鈥檚 Hospital and member of the American Gastrointestinal Association. 鈥淭he thought is that dogs go outside and bring those microbes in.鈥�

You May Be Better Protected from Disease

During Redding鈥檚 2020 study, researchers found that more contact came with greater benefits. 鈥淭he more contact you have with your pet, the more you share sleeping quarters with it or let the dog lick your hand or face, the greater the protective effects against C. difficile infection recurrence,鈥� she says.

Don鈥檛 worry: you don鈥檛 necessarily need to change your behavior around your pets to reap the benefits. 鈥淕enerally, I think with people who own pets, there鈥檚 a lot of close contact, so that kind of exchange is just happening already,鈥� says Holtz.

More Studies Are Needed

Most听studies on the beneficial impacts of pet ownership on the microbiome have been conducted with young children and babies, a time when the听 is听most malleable. But Redding is currently studying adults to see whether older pet owners have less severely disrupted microbiomes after taking antibiotics and if their microbiomes recover more quickly.

鈥淓veryone has a baseline microbiome that鈥檚 healthy enough, but when something like an antibiotic comes along and disrupts it, then it will be interesting to see what effects our pets might have, if any,鈥� says Redding.

We Don’t Know How Many “Bad” Germs Our Pets Share with Us

While studies around microbial sharing are promising, experts note that more research is necessary.

鈥淲e still do have to weigh the possibility that they are sharing unhealthy microbes with us, like (a bacterium that causes diarrhea) or Salmonella or E. coli,鈥� says Redding. 鈥淪o where that trade-off happens, good bacteria versus bad bacteria, I don鈥檛 think we know at this point.鈥�

Between eating fermented foods, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and following all of the other gut health tips out there, keeping your microbiome strong can seem like a daunting task. But luckily, the gut-healthy practice of snuggling up with your pup is easy to incorporate.

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

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I first heard about the over dinner with my girlfriends. We were talking about the link between our high stress levels, sleepless nights鈥攚aking up at 2 a.m. randomly, then struggling to fall back asleep鈥攁nd, of course, our social media algorithms, bombarding us hourly with self-care content about nervous system regulation, high cortisol, and stress management.

One friend, a physician鈥檚 associate specializing in psychiatry with an integrative approach, mentioned that she had started sleeping better and meditating more after she began wearing an Oura Ring. I looked down at the sleek gold ring on her middle finger, seamlessly stacked with her other gold rings. As we all leaned in, intrigued by this little device, a soft green glow radiated against her tan skin. No more 2 a.m. wake-ups or end-of-day fatigue? Say less, goddess.

That night, lying in bed, I ordered mine.

How Does the Oura Ring Work?

The Oura Ring uses infrared and LED light to track biometrics, including heart rate, and provides daily scores for sleep, activity, and readiness. Its stress-tracking feature relies on several of these data points to measure four key states鈥攚hich it refers to as Restored, Relaxed, Engaged, and Stressed鈥攖o show how your body responds to life.

Within a few weeks, the ring builds a baseline to reveal long-term stress patterns. It includes data from sleep, exercise, and stress responses, giving you scores (on a 0-100 scale) in three key categories: Readiness, Sleep, and Activity. These scores help you see how well your body is coping and recovering. On average, for example, Oura users experience about 90 minutes in a 鈥淪tressed鈥� state each day. Not all stress is bad鈥攈ormetic stress, or , like cold plunging or exercise, counts toward this number as well. The algorithm then combines all your scores to rate your body鈥檚 resilience to stress. Resilience is measured as: Exceptional, Strong, Solid, Adequate, or Limited.

Like other smart devices, the Oura Ring tracks my steps, heart rate, and exertion. It also measures heart rate variability (HRV), which directly reflects how well my nervous system is functioning. Essentially, a higher HRV often indicates that your body is in a more relaxed and balanced state, while a lower HRV could suggest stress or a need for recovery.

The ring is linked to an app, allowing you to view all associated metrics at a glance on your phone. Remembering to charge another device can be a burden, but I appreciate that the battery replenishes quickly (20-80 minutes on a little ring holder), and it lasts me anywhere from 3 to 5 days before I need to recharge.

Though the price point鈥�$349, plus a year-long subscription of $70鈥攊s admittedly steep, the information and the options for leveraging it have proved priceless for me.

The Good and Bad of Tracking My Stress

Wellness became something of a game for me. How could I use this data to carve out more time for rest, even when my schedule was packed and stress levels were high? I worried the Oura Ring might disconnect me from listening to my body鈥檚 natural cues, but instead, it helped me tune in more deeply.

At first, I did feel a bit neurotic. I was constantly checking the app, as if someone had revealed an analysis that wasn鈥檛 meant for my eyes, like when you see the doctor taking notes during your appointment and wonder what she might be typing. Was this too much information? Constantly having access to a portrait of my health is something I still struggle with.

Another first response: seeing that I was physiologically stressed鈥攚hen I already felt stressed鈥攐nly stressed me out more.

Within a month, my ring collected enough data to accurately depict my stress鈥攁nd, wildly, I was spending three to four hours a day in a Stressed state. I was shocked. But when I started to dig a little deeper, it was validating鈥攁nd liberating. If you鈥檙e like me and my girlfriends, we always try to do it all. And I think I鈥檓 finding that while it鈥檚 possible to do everything I want to do, sometimes I need to slow down before pushing forward. This timeless pursuit is made infinitely easier with the help of my shiny new accessory.

As I began to integrate the tool into my life, I began to check the app less frequently, and began to view the ring as an ally in understanding my wellbeing. The data empowered me to better understand how I handle stress and guided me to incorporate more mindfulness into my life.

5 Ways the Oura Ring Helps Me Live More Mindfully

Here are some ways the Oura Ring has helped me slow down, increase my Restorative time, and improve my meditation, all while managing a full, vibrant, and creative life.

1. I Spend More Time 国产吃瓜黑料

I鈥檝e always known how much being out in nature, and especially sitting quietly near the sea, calms my nerves. This goes double for outdoor movement鈥攊t鈥檚 no wonder surfers get their fix or runners chase that high.

I began to notice that even small breaks throughout the day to breathe or move in nature caused my HRV levels to rise over time. Instead of rushing off to Pilates first thing on Monday morning, I started taking walks by the sea or through a park on my lunch break, leaving my phone behind to avoid distractions. The peaceful surroundings became my moving meditation.

Having hard data from the Oura Ring to confirm how beneficial this sacred time was validated my decision; being in a Relaxed or Restored state at the end of a walk helped my brain see the clear connection between my well-being and time spent in nature.

2. I Furthered My Unguided Meditation Practice

Finding stillness in solitude without a guide or a group can be difficult. The Oura Ring helped me stay accountable as I started to meditate daily with its 鈥淯nguided Session鈥� feature.

I began with just a few minutes of sitting quietly, finding a peaceful corner wherever I was, sometimes in the front seat of my car with the windows down, or even on the rooftop at work. The more I practiced, the easier it became to meditate for longer periods at a time.

Oura tracks your heart rate, HRV, and skin temperature during meditation, letting you see how your body has responded once the session is over. I love the little details it gives you: as you enter a more relaxed state, your skin temperature begins to increase. Tuning into the body鈥檚 signals during meditation helps prove its benefits in real time, which is highly motivating. It also helps boost my Resilience, as spending more time in a Restored state strengthens my body鈥檚 ability to handle stressors.

3. Data Helps Me Reflect and Tune In

My biggest fear about wearing a device all day was that I would begin to disconnect from my body鈥檚 natural cues. Initially, it was a very cerebral experience. But over time, I started to adjust to knowing so much about my physiological state. After the initial process of integration, real-time data actually enhanced both my intuitive and physical cues. After all, knowledge is power.

For example, I noticed that late-night meals and any caffeine after noon were consistently spiking my stress. Armed with this info, I made small changes, such as switching to green tea or avoiding big meals before bed, and saw an immediate difference in how I felt.

4. I Prioritize Rest

I used to feel guilty about taking time to do nothing. My friends and I always talk about how there鈥檚 a fine line between truly restorative rest days, where you engage in healthy yet relaxing activities, and the alternative: bed-rotting, where you just scroll through social media and snack all day. I鈥檓 a firm believer that each has its time and place, but the Oura Ring鈥檚 focus on restorative sleep and relaxation helped me rethink how I define my downtime.

I started creating small rituals to ensure I carved out time for rest, whether that meant taking a nap, journaling, or simply enjoying a quiet cup of tea. The ring tracked my recovery time, showing me that rest was just as valuable as work in maintaining a healthy balance. These 鈥渘othing鈥� days became essential for recharging, and I stopped seeing rest as a luxury and started treating it as a necessity.

5. I鈥檓 Getting Better Sleep

The most significant change I noticed was in my sleep. The Oura Ring helped me understand how important it is to shift from a Stressed or Engaged state to a Relaxed one before bedtime. Each morning, you can check the app on your phone and see a score out of 100 that rates your sleep quality based on multiple biometrics tracked during the night.

I love a late night and definitely still stay out late when it feels right, but I started getting home earlier to wind my sweet body down. The ring鈥檚 sleep-tracking feature revealed that the more I allowed my body to enter a Relaxed or Restored state before bed, the deeper my sleep became and the higher my Resilience was to whatever stress came my way.

Simple changes such as eating smaller meals (with little to no meat) earlier in the evening, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine, and lying in bed reading made the biggest difference for my body when trying to enter a Restorative state and raise my Resilience.

Now, when my friends and I get together, we nerd out on our Sleep Scores.

The Oura Ring has shown me how to better balance my life. I still experience stress and set a high bar for my productivity, but I鈥檓 starting to understand my stress more intimately and have more compassion for what I do to my body to accomplish what I want in life.

I still don鈥檛 feel great when I see that I have a low Resilience score, but I鈥檓 getting better at meditating regularly and resting efficiently, which are two ways I can have my own back. Collecting both the data and the tools to be more intentional around this feels pretty revolutionary.

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Depending on the conditions you encounter on a multi-day hike, medication storage can require quite a bit of forethought. A medication鈥檚 potency can be affected by temperature, sunlight, moisture, and humidity. So, what exactly is the best way to pack your meds to protect them from the elements for days, or even weeks, on end?

We鈥檝e chatted with three pharmacists鈥攚ho are outdoor enthusiasts鈥攖o give you their most helpful tips. They also offer advice on ensuring you can properly store the medications so that you can traverse the wilderness with peace of mind. Here鈥檚 what they had to say.

Schedule a 鈥淰acation Override鈥� with Your Doctor to Get More Doses in Advance

If your current batch of medication refills is going to run out while you are in the middle of your trip, and you anticipate that it will be difficult to get a pharmacy refill in the area you鈥檒l be in, organize a “vacation override” beforehand.

A vacation override allows you to get earlier fills of your prescription, so you have what you need on your trip. Speak with your doctor and pharmacist about your plans to fill your prescription early, says Adam James, a pharmacist and manager of immunization and clinical programs at Rite Aid. They will work with you to request the vacation override from your insurance provider. Your insurance coverage for the refill differs depending on the plan you are on.

Of course, if you鈥檙e only going to be away for a couple of days and you happen to have a surplus of medications handy, go ahead and pack those extra doses. Stashing away some extra medication will also save you if you have to extend your trip, says James. Plus, if you happen to drop a pill in a river or between rocks, you鈥檒l be covered.

Ask Your Pharmacist to Fill Your Prescription at a Pharmacy Near Your Destination

An alternative to a vacation override is 鈥渉aving your pharmacy transfer your prescription and history information to a local pharmacy in the area close to where you plan to be, says , a clinical pharmacy manager at the University of Utah Health. It can be an independent pharmacy or pharmacy chain.鈥� If you know that you鈥檙e headed to a relative鈥檚 or friend鈥檚 house, you can also mail the medication there, provided you use a tracked mail service, and the person receiving it knows how to store the medication properly, says James.

Just keep in mind, you cannot ship medication internationally, says , a clinical pharmacist at Gourlay鈥檚 Pharmacy in Alberta, Canada.

It鈥檚 a good idea to have a copy of your recent prescriptions from your physician, up-to-date lab results, and medical history with you when you鈥檙e on a multi-day hike, says Eshenko. It can be printed or stored on an electronic device like a phone. Not only does it aid the process of getting a refill at a pharmacy that is unknown to you, but it also helps in the event that 鈥渁n emergency responder would need to give you some kind of medical attention or rescue you in an emergency situation,鈥� says James. 鈥淓mergency responders are trained to look for that type of information, whether it be in your backpack or on your electronic device,鈥� he says.

4 Ways to Store Medications Safely in Your Backpack

Here are four pharmacist-approved ways to pack your medications safely before your next hike.

1. Protect Pills and Tablets From Moisture and Sunlight

Exposing your medication to moisture (like humid conditions) can cause a decrease in your medication potency or, in some cases, make it toxic, says James.听The same goes for ultraviolet light rays听from the sun.

To protect your medication, if it comes in its manufacturer鈥檚 bottle, simply keep it stored in there, James shares.听But if听it’s been dispensed into plastic prescription vials, transfer the medication to a pill box that is specially designed for outdoor activities, he says.

Look for pill boxes that are waterproof, airtight, made of metal or anodized aluminum, and do not simply snap shut but have the added security of a locking clip鈥攍ike . Unlike plastic prescription vials or generic plastic pillboxes, these specialty pillboxes are unlikely to crack or pop open and spill their contents out.

If you鈥檙e going to be in a humid environment, Eshenko suggests asking the pharmacist if the medication is originally packed with , packets of silica gel that absorb moisture, in its stock bottle. If it is, request for desiccants to be included in your repackaged medication.

Terry also suggests placing your medication bottles or pill boxes inside a . 鈥淚f you drop it accidentally in a lake, it floats so you can easily retrieve it,鈥� she says. Neoprene fabric is also , so you won鈥檛 need to worry about your meds getting soaked. As a bonus tip: it鈥檚 still probably a good idea to toss your pills in a plastic storage bag to be extra safe.

2. Account for Temperature

Temperature is another thing that can . When a medication label directs you to store it at room temperature, James says the ideal storage temperature range is 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, though it can generally be stored between 59 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

To shield your medication from heat, always store it deep in the center of your pack, says Terry. In very cold climates, where temperatures plummet below freezing at nightfall, Terry advises keeping your medication in the inside pocket of your jacket. This helps prevent the medication from freezing while also keeping it from being exposed to direct body heat.

If you have a medication that must be refrigerated at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit, the first thing to do is to ask your pharmacist if there鈥檚 any leeway to this rule. 鈥淪ome medications that are normally kept cold can be kept out at room temperature, whether it be for a few hours, a few days, or even up to a month. It鈥檚 important for people to ask their pharmacist so that they’re able to get that information and plan accordingly for their hikes,鈥� says James.

Should the pharmacist advise keeping your medication or injections cold while hiking, you could try this trick that Terry has seen work. Create an “ice well”听in an insulated water bottle to store the medication by freezing water around a cylinder-shaped object and removing it to leave a hole. Alternatively, use an insulated cooler bag with ice blocks or packs.

3. Protect Brittle Medications

Something else to keep in mind when hiking is that your tablets are likely to be bouncing around in their containers. They could break into pieces or disintegrate into powder, especially if they鈥檙e the fragile kind, Terry says.

When the time comes for you to take a dose, there鈥檚 a chance that you won鈥檛 be consuming the full, accurate dosage if you鈥檙e ingesting pill fragments or pills with broken surfaces. Because of this, she suggests packing your medications within gauze pads in the bottles or pill boxes. She prefers gauze pads over cotton balls because you can always repurpose them to treat a cut or graze.

4. Use a Pill Box to Prevent Medication Mix-Ups

According to Terry, it鈥檚 important to 鈥渉ave the description of the tablet or the capsule, of what it looks like, what the medication is, and how you’re supposed to take it, and have that affixed to either the top or the inside cover of the pillbox.鈥�

This way, you can differentiate between your pills and easily remember what your听dosing schedule is.

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

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Free up at least two hours of my afternoon, abstain from eating for an hour prior, wear clothes that allow my full range of motion, and be prepared for a physical and psychological experience. These are instructions I was given before my first Thai massage.

The pursuit of this service was admittedly inspired by on HBO. The third season (which wraps up this week with its long season finale on April 6) takes place at the eponymous hotel鈥檚 Thailand location, a wellness resort where guests receive no such guidelines upon scheduling their massages. The 鈥渟ports massage鈥� that Saxon Ratliff (played by actor Patrick Schwarzenegger) signs up for seems much different from the traditional Thai version鈥攐r at least the one that I experienced.

Ironically, my authentic wellness moment occurred in the West鈥攖he Midwest, to be exact鈥攁t a Cincinnati-based yoga school and studio serendipitously named the . And while my Thai yoga massage may be more aligned with the show’s larger setting, it admittedly wouldn鈥檛 fit within the walls of the titular hotel, and it would definitely be a bit too real for the swanky Ratliff family.

All About My Three-Hour-Long White Lotus-Inspired Thai Massage

When I arrived at the church-turned-Masonic-center-turned-yoga space, the smell of incense penetrated the building鈥檚 exterior cement block walls. I waited outside to be let in by Will Brashear, the school鈥檚 owner,听and an Ayurvedic yoga therapist who has practiced and trained others in yoga and Thai massage for more than 20 years.

Brashear greeted me and led me up a set of stairs to a small balcony that looked over the school鈥檚 main yoga sanctuary. It was dimly lit by table lamps and candles, and the limited floor space was covered in blankets and pillows鈥攏o massage table in sight.

Rather than a fluffy bathrobe or counters covered in oils and lotions, the room was adorned with educational posters and tchotchkes. I kept my yoga pants and athletic tank on and placed my head on a pillow on the floor in the center of the room. My body did its best to melt into the warmth of a heated pad beneath me as I mentally prepared for an all-encompassing, nearly three-hour journey.

But First, What Is Thai Massage?

At its core, traditional is the palming and thumbing of the body鈥檚 energy lines or meridians while it’s moved through assisted yoga postures and stretches鈥攕ome call it 鈥渓azy man鈥檚 yoga,鈥� Brashear told me. Along these meridians are acupressure points that, when massaged in combination with stretching, may release muscular tension, improve circulation, and boost the immune system. The 鈥渁ncient healing way,鈥� as Brashear called it, has been found to , , , and and draws inspiration from traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and Japanese shiatsu.

Both in and outside of Thailand, every masseuse does Thai massage a bit differently. In Brashear鈥檚 opinion, many focus too much on forcing clients into pretzel-like positions and neglect the acupressure component, which not only increases injury risk but limits the opportunity for acupressure to do its magic. He calls his own form of Thai massage “Acu Thai,” an approach that aims to strike a balance between both components听 (stretching and acupressure) and adds a third in the form of spiritual guidance.

Between stretches, as he meticulously massaged one point at a time, Brashear assessed and shared the greater meaning of my soreness using wisdom from of earth, water, fire, air, and space.

I Quickly Realized That Thai Massage Is a Little Painful鈥攂ut in a Good Way

Brashear began the massage by squeezing my socked feet from top to bottom and popping as many toes as he could. Interesting, I thought. After those acupressure points were tended to, he stretched each foot and ankle by telling me to press into his hand like a gas pedal. Moving up one leg, he applied deep, pointed, fingertip-focused pressure in vertical bursts on the center, inside, and outside of the appendage, ultimately reaching my outer thigh鈥攁 point he called 鈥渏umping circle鈥濃�攁nd I involuntarily sucked air through my teeth. It was at that moment that I realized that this type of massage isn鈥檛 exactly relaxing.

In Brashear鈥檚 words, it should 鈥渉urt so good鈥� but should not exceed one鈥檚 pain tolerance or cause persistent discomfort. He told me to communicate any pain that felt like too much so that he could adjust accordingly. (I did, and so did he.)

(Will Brashear, an Ayurvedic yoga therapist, gives the author a Thai massage. Video by Kayla Blanton)

We Had a Pretty Deep Conversation

Brashear and I talked pretty much the whole time, which he said was standard, as conversation is integral to his assessment. I told him about the stresses of work and family, about my childhood as the eldest daughter, and about my desire to find more time for creative passions. All the while, he continued moving up and down each limb: squeeze, press, pop, stretch, knead, stretch again.

I rolled to each side so he could access the meridians there, then to my stomach so he could massage my back. At some points, he held onto rope handles suspended from the ceiling and used his feet and the weight of his body to apply pressure. Occasionally, he checked in to inquire about the soreness of particular points.

I Found Out That I Had Blocked Energy

According to Brashear, tender, knotted spots are a sign of blocked energy, which could be the cause of physical and mental challenges. Mine were located on meridians related to the elements of earth and space, which I was told signal a general imbalance between those elements in my life. After the massage, Brashear gave me specific yoga postures and self-care practices selected to restore equilibrium.

鈥淭o decrease the earth element, make sure you鈥檙e not taking on responsibilities that are not your own or could be delegated to others,鈥� he advised. To increase the space element, he told me to initiate a new project, take small risks, and do .

The massage’s conclusion came with more intense stretching. While laying on my stomach, Brashear pulled my arms up behind me into an assisted . I hung like a ragdoll. I returned to my back, and he palpated the points along my skull, finishing with my ears and jawline.

To seal the treatment, he placed his hands over my eyes and said: 鈥淪ee nothing but black, like a blank slate.鈥�

Grounded, Dreamy, Real Results

Brashear invited me to lay in silence for as long as I wanted (which was only a few minutes) before we began our wrap-up chat. He told me he鈥檚 seen clients cancel surgeries, sob, and experience liberation from chronic pain both during and after his sessions. And that鈥檚 his end goal: to make people feel better. 鈥淭he emotional stuff is the most rewarding,鈥� he told me.

Prior to my massage, I was a bit nervous. But I kept an open mind. I left feeling physically grounded, though my legs were a bit trembly. Mentally, I achieved a sleepy, dream-like state and wanted nothing but to sink into my bed indefinitely, which is saying a lot for a high-energy, restless person like me.

In the days following, I felt soreness in the areas where Brashear applied pressure, especially in those outer thigh spots, which ended up bruising. I haven鈥檛 yet tried the balancing practices he suggested, but I feel limber and less tense in my upper body, where I tend to carry stress.

It may not have taken place in a pergola in the jungle cushioned by plush towels like the massages in The White Lotus, but my Thai massage was effective and insightful. Plus, you don’t have to be at a luxury resort to appreciate an extra-long spa service.

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

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I don鈥檛 know who鈥檚 more perplexed: me or the deer? It鈥檚 dawn on the Fourth of July and I鈥檓 lugging my 14-foot inflatable SUP and three dry bags across River Street in Troy, New York, burping bacon from the breakfast buffet. Downtown is drizzly and deserted, just me and the ungulate locking eyes across a hotel parking lot, two fish out of water.

Within minutes, I鈥檓 launching onto the Hudson River, an early start to catch the ebb that鈥檒l ease my passage along this 153-mile estuary to the Atlantic. Also, with the temperature and humidity rising, to beat the heat. My usual hack for cooling off鈥攖wo swims an hour, repeat鈥攊sn鈥檛 recommended today on this stretch of river. Too much rain for the sewage system. 鈥淲atch out for floaters,鈥� a local had advised.

I鈥檓 celebrating America鈥檚 birthday nearly three weeks into a clockwise 1,200-mile circumnavigation from Ottawa, where I live, back home via Montreal, New York City, Buffalo, and Toronto. Distraught about apocalyptic climate change and toxic tech bros, on the cusp of 50 and uninspired by office work, I sought deliverance by dipping a blade. As an obsessive paddleboarder, I knew how good I felt while on the water. I鈥檇 also poked around the curative properties of 鈥渂lue space鈥� as a journalist, talking to researchers who study the psychological and physiological spinoffs from spending time in aquatic environments. Why not test these theories on myself?

Which sounded like a good excuse to spend a couple months paddling, camping, and hanging out with other folks drawn to the water. Except it鈥檚 shaping up to be one of the hottest summers ever. And now, past Albany, the clouds and wildfire smoke have parted, the sun is blazing and the E. coli-flecked tidal current has turned against me.

Feeling dizzy, I guzzle lukewarm electrolytes and conveyor-belt energy bars, trying to make it 41 miles to a marina whose owner has given me permission to tent. Jet-skiers wave, families picnic on the shore, eagles glide above green hillsides. At dusk, fireworks burst overhead鈥攆ollowed by streaks of lightning, sphincter-clenching cracks of thunder and a swirling wind, a sudden thunderstorm bearing down from the north. I swing starboard onto Catskill Creek and sprint toward a cluster of boats.

Cinching my leash to a dock, I dash into a building. Turns out it鈥檚 the bar.

鈥淲e鈥檙e closed,鈥� a woman counting cash says without looking up.

I eye three men sitting on stools, half-full drinks in front of them.

鈥淐an I just get a beer and wait out the storm?鈥�

鈥淲hadya want?鈥�

Pint in hand, I answer a barrage of questions from the regulars. Then: backslaps and high fives. One of the bonuses of blue space, I鈥檓 discovering, is camaraderie. Which may be my most corporeal craving.

The science is clear that being in nature rejuvenates our bodies and brains. Boiled down: we鈥檙e more active, less anxious. And though it鈥檚 difficult to differentiate between green and blue spaces, water seems to uncork a multiplier effect.

People are , a pair of British environmental economists determined, gathering more than a million pings on their 鈥淢appiness鈥� app. Blue neighborhoods are 鈥渁ssociated with lower psychological distress,鈥� . Taking the sea air鈥攂reathing in 鈥渂ioactive compounds that may originate from marine algae,鈥� in the parlance of Belgian biologist Jana Asselman鈥�. Oceans, rivers, and even urban fountains also offer opportunities for social interaction, suggests a Scottish literature review, kindling 鈥�.鈥� The kicker to all this is that time on the water, especially among children, promotes 鈥�.鈥� In other words, taking better care of the planet.

Blue space triggers our parasympathetic nervous system, University of Virginia environmental psychologist Jenny Roe said to me before I left home, which basically tells the brain what our bodies are doing and then acts like a brake, dampening the stress response. Water can instill a sense of being away and boundless possibilities, yet also a feeling of compatibility with our location, of comfort and belonging.

Evolutionarily, this makes sense. Even looking at a creek or pool is enough to lower blood pressure and heart rates, a pair of University of California, Davis, psychology researchers .They attribute the link, in part, to our forebears successfully detecting drinking water in arid environments. The caveat, of course, is that amid all this restoration, water can be perilous (floods, storms, drowning, disease). And that exposure鈥攖o both the pros and cons鈥攊s far from equitable. We can鈥檛 all afford to spend the summer on a SUP.

Catskill Creek is socked in by fog when I shove off from the dock in the morning, but within minutes, the rising sun starts to burn through, and I can make out the spindly legs of herons peering into the water for their breakfast. Songbirds coo and chirp from the marshy fringe; tall grasses rustle in the breeze. Nature鈥檚 daily ablutions, biomass breathing.

My own breathing falls into flow and distance comes easily and in two hours I stop for a swim beside a historic lighthouse where a signpost with arrows pointing toward various landmarks informs me that the Statue of Liberty is 103 miles away. The rest of my day follows a familiar, primordial pattern: paddle, swim, birdsong, eat, drink, sunscreen, paddle, swim, sunscreen, birds, drink, eat, paddle, swim, paddle. I鈥檓 focused on basic, immediate tasks, and none of the stresses that sent me down this river seem to matter. Blue space may not have eradicated my existential angst, but it鈥檚 teaching me a few things about balance and perspective. About focusing on the people and places where I am right now.

By early evening, I鈥檓 tying up outside the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, New York. Established to preserve the region鈥檚 history, the museum now strives to connect visitors to this revitalized watershed and nurture sustainable communities. 鈥淎 sense of place is easy to ignore, unless you鈥檙e on the water,鈥� executive director Lisa Cline says while showing me to the boat building school, where I鈥檒l be bunking. 鈥淲ater slows us down.鈥�

Her words resonate. The stream of cold drinks and homemade snacks and hugs and encouragement and teasing and safeguarding and open-hearted curiosity and care I鈥檓 receiving on this trip, from a kaleidoscopic cross-section of strangers, would not seem possible on land. Perhaps it鈥檚 the decelerated pace, or ancestral memories of its hazards, but we tend to watch out for one another around water. And to me, that鈥檚 reason enough to keep paddling.

Dan Rubinstein is the author of , forthcoming in June 2025.

The post The Benefits of Being Close to Water, According to Science appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As a听health writer, I鈥檝e watched wellness trends come and go, each one claiming to be as life-changing as the last.

鈥淚 read that [insert detox drink or mushroom coffee here] is really good for you,鈥� people have said to me with promising smiles, time and time again. But they didn鈥檛 actually read the information anywhere. Most likely, they watched a conventionally attractive woman in a matching athleisure set sing the elixir鈥檚 praises on Instagram while plugging a brand-affiliated discount code. Or, they watched someone hop on camera to share their personal reasons for disavowing once universally accepted, scientifically-backed health advice like wearing sunscreen or getting vaccinated from infectious diseases like COVID-19听and took the opinion as fact.

Netflix鈥檚 new original series Apple Cider Vinegar, marketed as a “true-ish story, based on a lie,”听explores just how detrimental those embellishments can be. The show is a fictional retelling of wellness influencer . As an ambitious entrepreneur, she establishes an online following, mobile app, and cookbook rooted in the lie that she healed her terminal brain cancer with food, all while omitting the fact that she was never actually ill. Meanwhile, in a secondary plot, a peer-turned-rival influencer scrambles to hide her very real, active sarcomas from an equally robust following while selling the organic juices and coffee enemas that she claims put her in remission.

The moral of the story: neither schtick is sustainable, and both lead to more harm than good.

The Allure of Social Media Wellness Trends

鈥淭he wellness space is flooded with misinformation, fear-based narratives, personal anecdotes, and quick fixes,鈥� says registered dietitian . 鈥淭his type of information spreads faster than nuanced, science-backed advice.鈥�

Such misinformation, defined by the (USDHHS) as 鈥渇alse, inaccurate, or misleading according to the best available evidence at the time,鈥� is a growing problem. There are a few reasons why.

鈥淚n an age of instant gratification, it can be incredibly tempting to try to find quick solutions to all of our problems with a swipe of an app,鈥� says , a board-certified internal medicine physician and researcher specializing in brain health. That鈥檚 especially because there is a 鈥渇undamental issue with access to healthcare in the United States,鈥� adds , a triple-board-certified endocrinologist and professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, and finding a doctor can be overwhelming, expensive, and frustrating. There is also a general, wide-reaching , Perlmutter adds, for many reasons鈥攖he main one being that with the health care system are so common. 鈥淢any people with legitimate concerns are turned away for 鈥榥ot being sick enough鈥� or 鈥榥ot motivated enough,鈥� which can scare them from seeking future care,鈥� Kumar explains.

All of this makes it tempting for people to take health matters into their own hands鈥攅specially when information is so easily accessible. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense of community that comes along with chatting online and being a part of the wellness movement,鈥� adds , a registered dietitian, researcher, and member of Bragg鈥檚 scientific advisory board, which can be very alluring, she says.

As for influencers鈥� part in it all, they鈥檙e paid to 鈥減ackage advice in a way that feels relatable compared to the approach that doctors may provide,鈥� explains Larson, which lands nicely with people in vulnerable states in search of validation or answers. If users听engage with that type of content鈥攎eaning they like it or comment on it鈥攖hey鈥檙e very likely to be algorithmically delivered more of the same, reinforcing the echo chamber of falsehoods, add Kumar and Perlmutter.

How to Spot Bad Wellness Advice Online

The USDHHS says that one of the most impactful ways we can throttle the spread of misinformation is by learning how to identify it and question it when we do. Here’s how to do just that.

1. Check the Source鈥檚 Credentials

If you鈥檙e learning from a person who is talking to their phone鈥檚 front camera, click on their profile and read听more about their background.

If they鈥檙e giving medical advice, do they have the certifications to do so? Look for specific letter credentials like MD, medical doctor, RD or RDN, a registered dietitian or registered-dietician nutritionist, respectively, or CPT, certified physical trainer, that go beyond vague placeholder titles. 鈥淎nyone can call themselves a nutritionist,鈥� says Cresci. Similar words that should raise red flags are 鈥渉ealth coach鈥� or an undefined, non-credentialed 鈥渆xpert.鈥�

Also, check the profile鈥檚 username and activity history to ensure you aren鈥檛 interacting with a fake or spam account. 鈥淟ast year, I came across a TikTok that impersonated me by posting my videos and asking people to Venmo or Zelle them for access to GLP-1 medications,鈥� recalls Kumar. 鈥淧eople easily fell prey to this scam because the account was using my real content.鈥�

2. Cross-Check Information Before Believing It, and Especially Before Sharing It

Getting information from a single source simply isn鈥檛 enough. Before you store something in your memory or discuss it with others, do a quick search of your own to corroborate the facts.

Look to reputable sources 鈥渓ike medical journals or government health websites,鈥� says , a registered dietitian, such as the or the . And even then, don鈥檛 be swayed by a single study鈥檚 conclusions. 鈥淥ne study doesn鈥檛 prove a trend,鈥� says Larson. Established research backed by multiple studies and credentialed professional input is the most reliable.

3. Be Wary of Quick Fixes or 鈥淢iracle鈥� Cures

Posting a dramatic before-and-after transformation, be it genuine or not, is one of the easiest ways to go viral online.

Anything that promises instant results鈥攆ad diets, workout programs, supplements鈥攊s something to be wary of right away. 鈥淎s an endocrinologist, I know about all the fad diets and quick fixes that promise to help you lose ten pounds in a week. To set the record straight once and for all: those trends never work,鈥� says Kumar. They鈥檙e 鈥渦nsustainable or misleading at best, and could put your health at risk at worst,鈥� she adds. Anything that truly sticks, health-wise, takes time and consistency.

Put differently: 鈥淚f it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,鈥� says Larson. 鈥淛ust because it worked for one influencer doesn鈥檛 mean it’s science-backed and safe for you to do.鈥�

4. Ask Yourself: “Am I Being Sold Something?”

If there鈥檚 a shopping link to click or a promo code to punch in, think twice before proceeding or taking intel to heart. 鈥淟ikely, the influencer is pushing a product or service that suits their agenda, not your well-being,鈥� says Cresci.

This is especially the case for self-help books or supplements, adds Kumar. 鈥淚t鈥檚 trendy for influencers to have supplement brands, and while most won鈥檛 harm you, you are likely falling prey to marketing tactics,鈥� she explains.

The bottom line is: question everything, and remember that no piece of guidance is one-size-fits-all. 鈥淓ven if you鈥檝e confirmed the source as legitimate, you should always speak to your doctor before taking medical advice,鈥� says Kumar. 鈥淲hat works for the majority of people might not work for you.鈥�

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The first time I ever went on a silent meditation retreat, 11 years ago, I thought I had entered the zombie apocalypse. After arriving and having dinner with my fellow retreatants, we went into silence. I had considered what it would be like to remain quiet myself for five days (hard, I figured) but not what it would be like to be surrounded by silent people.

The teachers encouraged us not to even look at each other (to focus on our own experience and avoid distractions), so people walked around with their eyes on the ground. We ate meals staring blankly at walls or soup bowls. Even sitting elbow to elbow in the dining room of the Southwest Colorado inn where the retreat was held, no one interacted in any way.

The next day, staring out over the pinon-juniper woodlands, I saw a sea of people plodding slowly in disparate directions as they practiced walking meditation. Step, step, step. It all seemed very weird.

Thus began my passion for silent retreats鈥攈altingly.

I was inspired to sign up for the five-night retreat, organized by the after taking a few beginning meditation classes. Pretty quickly I had seen benefits to daily practice. I wasn’t sure I knew what mindfulness was exactly, but just taking some time to calm my mind helped me manage stress, focus better, and feel more grounded. I figured more meditation, more rewards.

I’m sure there are many people who find retreat practice illuminating and nourishing right off the bat, but I was not one of those people. At first, it felt like a disaster. I didn’t realize that silent meditation really meant silent meditation all day. No extracurricular activities, except one daily 45-minute session of qigong, a Chinese breath, movement and meditation practice, and two short check-ins with a teacher over the course of the retreat. When I arrived at the inn, I looked at the posted schedule and paled:

6 A.M., wake up. Sitting meditation. Breakfast. Sitting meditation. Walking meditation. Sitting meditation. Walking meditation or qigong. Sitting meditation. Lunch. Sitting meditation. Walking meditation. Sitting meditation. Walking meditation. Sitting meditation. Dinner. Sitting meditation. Dharma talk. Sitting meditation. Walking meditation. Chanting. Sitting meditation until you’re ready to fall asleep.

I thought to myself, no arts and crafts? No journaling? The teachers advised us not to read or write, which could stir up unhelpful thinking, and to stay as continuously mindful as possible, even between the formal meditation sessions. Walking to the bathroom? Be mindful. Eating broccoli? Be mindful. Washing dishes? Be mindful.

At first, my mind bucked like a predator in captivity. In the deep quiet, there was nothing to stop my thoughts from racing at top speed, looping, roving, circling, meandering, searching, careening between past regrets and future hopes, pinballing between wanting and not wanting things but mostly hating everything, including myself.

Sometimes I’d see with clarity the same exact thought thinking itself three times in a row. Whose mind was this? Who was doing the thinking? Who was doing the watching? I dutifully ate my vegetarian meals in silence. I trudged along, joining the zombies, practicing walking meditation. I showed up to all of the meditation periods. But I wondered why I was there if all I was doing was suffering.

Around day three, after many tears and regrets and wishing I had never come, something broke. I was sitting in the barn-turned-meditation hall, my body aching, the afternoon sun dimming, the silence deafening, and something just released. The tight fist of my mind loosened its grip. The tornado of thoughts stilled. What was left was profound peace. Everything was clear, still, and calm, like an alpine lake mirroring a cloudless sky. Thoughts wafted by but they were clearly seen like the arc of a bird in flight. I didn’t have a vocabulary for a peace like this. I never knew it existed.

States of mind naturally come and go, but that time of stillness opened me to a powerful truth: there was so much I did not know about the mind and heart鈥攏ot just my own but everyone’s鈥攁nd taking a leap into the unknown could be beneficial beyond my imagination. I was humbled.

I was also intensely curious about what lay beyond my current understanding. I started attending retreats regularly in the Insight tradition of Buddhism. I traveled to centers like in northern New Mexico, in California, and the in Massachusetts for retreats, sometimes as small as 24 people and sometimes as big as 90. I started with retreats spanning between four and nine nights and gradually moved into longer retreats of a month or six weeks.

Accommodations were generally simple: a twin bed, unadorned walls, a place to put my clothes, maybe a sink. There was no entertainment but always good access to nature, whether alpine meadows, aspen groves, mist-shrouded hills, or woodlands aflame with fall colors.

Over time, I came to perceive the silence differently. It began to feel like a relief. I didn’t have to pull myself together for other people, not even in the subtle ways we subconsciously shape ourselves for another’s gaze. In a silence held in community, I actually felt less alone. There was a certain access to my own unedited realness, which allowed me to begin to make friends with my own mind.

People sometimes ask me why I keep going back, particularly on the long retreats, and what I learn or gain. They often seem genuinely perplexed. Sometimes I sense judgment or derision. “At a certain point, Kate, aren’t there diminishing returns?” a family member once asked me. (I shared that with two of my teachers and they laughed so hard they nearly rolled on the ground.)

I could certainly point to the measurable rewards Western science has turned up. Between 1966 and 2021, involving mindfulness appeared in scientific journals, documenting benefits like reduced stress and anxiety, improved focus and clarity, better immune system function, lower blood pressure, and even decreased cellular aging and cognitive decline. One, specifically on multi-day meditation retreats, found significant positive effects on anxiety, stress, and depression, as well as moderate effects on emotional regulation and people’s perceived quality of life. Teachers and longtime meditators joke about the “vipassana facelift,” the visible change in people’s faces after retreat.

Still, all of these factoids feel inadequate in capturing the deeper benefit of sustained meditation practice. Even the question itself鈥�what do I gain?鈥攆eels bound by a paradigm rooted in acquisitiveness, efficiency, and self-orientation. Perhaps a more interesting question is: What am I losing? And what am I offering?

One thing I have learned through meditation practice, on and off retreat, is just how fluid we are as human beings. In the constantly changing flow of my own mind, over time, I have noticed fewer moments of reactivity, judgment, aversion, impatience, frustration, greed, and self-preoccupation. In their wake, more moments of kindness, love, patience, perspective, calm, clarity, and care for others arise. It’s not a linear process, but the way I understand who I am is changing鈥攊n a very freeing way.

These are moments that I can’t graph on a life-optimization app or put on a resum茅 or meaningfully document on Instagram. Probably most of the time, no one notices except me. People tend not to see what is absent: the time I didn’t snap at my husband, the time I didn’t send a nasty email to my colleague, the snide remark I left unsaid. I have plenty of challenging moments, but compared to when I started meditation practice 13 years ago, I suffer a lot less.

If these retreats were only about my own mental health or wellness, however, I can’t imagine I would keep doing so many of them. But I know without a doubt that my practice benefits those around me. Western science bears this out. that mindfulness,, and even happiness are contagious. So is anxiety. We are affected by each other’s presence, whether we’re aware of it or not. Maybe peace within isn鈥檛 actually so separate from peace in the world.

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