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Gen Z Providers Are Rewriting the Rules of Medicine

Alexis Jones — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:02 -0700

Tiffany Nguyen isn't a regular healthcare provider, she's a cool one. With a tooth gem on her top left incisor and vibrant acrylic nails, she's approaching the world of healthcare from a wildly authentic perspective - in true Gen Z fashion. Nguyen has 24.8K followers on TikTok, where she's built a community as "your pre-med older sister" and shares real-talk tips about becoming a physician assistant.

She's also part of the latest Gen Z healthcare providers entering the workforce and reshaping what it means to hold a career in this field. They're not chasing the "Grey's Anatomy" fantasy of a provider who lives at the hospital and has no personality outside of their white coat. Like most generations, this one has its stereotypes, but these young healthcare workers are breaking them daily, embracing this role with authenticity, balance, and a life beyond the hospital. Lucky for us, we get to watch them document it all as they show us what it means to build a career in medicine without leaving themselves or their patients behind.

The Stories They Carry

Nguyen's online persona is bold and bubbly, infused with Gen Z humor. But it only tells part of her story. At 24 years old, the PA-in-training documents her daily life on social media while carrying the weight of her family's experiences with her.

Nguyen was raised in a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant household with her mom and grandma, neither of whom finished formal education. "I have seen what it's like to not be represented in healthcare," Nguyen says.

"I want to be the PA who represents the Asian American, low-income, non-English speaking identities."

"My grandma doesn't even know how to read. My mom didn't even finish high school. . . . I haven't seen any medical provider that looks like me in Ohio since I've grown up and to be taken care of [by] medical providers who don't represent or look like you and who don't understand the language that your whole family speaks . . . it's isolating."

Nguyen has been the de facto medical advocate of the family since age 10, often translating complex diagnoses, treatments, and care plans. It's what led her to volunteer at the Asian Free Health Clinic during her time at Ohio State University and ultimately to pursue a career in medicine at the University of Southern California.

@firstgenpa
#paschool #medstudent #premed #medtok #nursingstudent
♬ original sound - TIFFANY NGUYEN, PA-S :D

"I want to be the PA who represents the Asian American, low-income, non-English speaking identities," Nguyen says. "And I know that when I speak, I carry my family and my patients' voices with me."

When asked if the weight of that responsibility ever feels overwhelming, she responds immediately: "I'm constantly driven by the quiet power of representation." But that sense of responsibility was even more resonant when Nguyen became a patient herself after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke (brain rupture) in April. The incident left her temporarily immobile and unable to speak. Her biggest concern during recovery? Money. "My mind was not fully conscious in the ICU right after the brain surgeries that I had, but it was conscious enough to be worried about how much is this going to cost?" she says. "As a first-generation, low-income student, I'm constantly calculating . . . even healing felt like a luxury that I could not afford, and so I carry that with me wherever I go."

Nguyen's story challenges some of Gen Z's most common stereotypes of being lazy, self-absorbed, or fragile. Aishwarya Addepalli, a 27-year-old second-year resident, views her generation as the complete opposite.

"They think that you're young and not necessarily as disciplined or mature," she says. "But I think it's actually the other way around." She considers her generation to be deeply self-aware, shaped by the context around them, and driven by a strong sense of purpose.

A Generation That Refuses to Choose

Gen Z is one of the most resilient generations, Addepalli says. "We've gone through a lot" - from the era of 24/7 social media access to the educational and social disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We've gone through so much change in the world during our lifespans," Addepalli adds.

"We still deeply care about people, patients, but we're also more intentional about surviving and taking care of ourselves."

It was just six years ago that Addepalli was in her junior year of college, quarantined at home and doing Zoom interviews for medical school. That's when she started making dance content like the rest of us, lonely and confined. Only hers was good - and it went viral. One of her most popular videos - a Bharatanatyam-style combination to Doja Cat's "Woman" - garnered more than 18 million views, 2.7 million likes on TikTok, and a Spotify cover image. But Addepalli didn't start dancing on social media for recognition. She's been dancing Bharatanatyam since she was a kid, and it has always served as a mental health resource, especially now as she's in residency as an anesthesiologist.

"Dance was always an outlet for stress, for physical health, and it was honestly very meditative as well. I talked about this even when interviewing for medical school," she tells Popsugar.

@aishuadd
the duality of being a dancer girlie in medicine #chalant #telugu #doctor #medicine
♬ original sound - Playboi Teluguabbayi

That's the thing about being a Gen Z doctor-slash-creator: unlike generations past, they're unafraid to bring their whole selves to work and prioritize who they are outside of the job. "I try not to think of it as better or worse, we're just different as a generation," Addepalli says.

"We still deeply care about people, patients, but we're also more intentional about surviving and taking care of ourselves," she adds. In other words, "instead of making our career our entire life and personality, we use other aspects of our lives to help us become better at our careers."

Take Erica Ogwumike, a 28-year-old resident physician, as an example. Although she pursued medicine, athletics has always been central to her life - she comes from a family of elite athletes, including WNBA standouts Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike - and she didn't give that up to be a dermatologist. In fact, Ogwumike majored in health sciences, policy studies, and Spanish while pre-med and playing Division I college basketball; competed in the Tokyo Olympics while in medical school; and has been a content creator documenting it all since 2018 with 93.5K followers on TikTok today.

"In my generation, it was definitely emphasized to be very multidimensional and to not limit your interest just because you want to be a doctor," Ogwumike says.

And while Ogwumike may be on the extreme side of multidimensionality, her colleagues aren't too far behind. "You'll have doctors who were ballet majors, dance majors, art history," she says. "And yes, that did exist before, but I think now it's becoming way more the norm."

@ericathemd
def due for our quarterly FaceTime chats, yall I’m about to be half way done w residency!!! nuts #dermresidency #updates #sephorahaul #doctor #skincare
♬ original sound - Erica The MD

Happy Provider, Healthier System

This work-life-passion balance Ogwumike alludes to is one of Gen Z's biggest strengths. It's a side effect of growing up in a time "where wellness was prioritized," she says. "I can't think of a time in college or high school where wellness wasn't a part of our curriculum and emphasized."

In generations past, Ogwumike says healthcare providers went above and beyond to live up to the term "resident," working round-the-clock to meet the 19th-century expectations of the always-on provider. For Ogwumike's generation, things are much different.

Not only are there work-hour rules to prevent overworking, but she and her colleagues just don't subscribe to the old mentality. And that doesn't make them any less qualified to do the job. In fact, conversations with these three providers suggests the opposite: drawing clear boundaries between work and the rest of your life doesn't signal a lack of commitment - it's what allows them to show up fully for their patients. For anyone who has felt dismissed by a healthcare provider, that couldn't be more important.

"I want to help my patients to the best of my ability, but at the same time, I know I can't help them if I don't take care of myself," Ogwumike says.

In other words, this generation of healthcare providers is all-in on well-being - not just for their patients, but for themselves. They refuse to sacrifice identity, passion, or health for this job. Instead, they use those three pillars to make themselves even more empathetic, capable, and well-rounded providers. Welcome to the Gen Z era of healthcare. Any one else excited to be here?

Alexis Jones is the section lead of the health and fitness verticals at Popsugar, overseeing coverage across the website, social media, and newsletters. In her seven-plus years of editorial experience, Alexis has developed passions for and expertise in mental health, women's health and fitness, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and chronic conditions. Prior to joining PS, she was the senior editor at Health magazine. Her other bylines can be found at Women's Health, Prevention, Marie Claire, and more.

Are We All Sweating on Antidepressants?

Ayana Herndon — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:15:01 -0700

This summer, I expected to spend my time lounging at the beach, enjoying rooftop parties, and taking long walks in nature. But just a month into the season, the only thing I'm doing a lot of is sweating. According to TikTok, my antidepressant is to blame: creators have been speaking up for weeks about their sweaty summer on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), validating and normalizing others who find themselves suddenly overwhelmingly hot.

"Being mentally ill for the summer is not for the weak. I'm legitimately in hell, dying. How are you people on SSRIs not passing out or keeping cold?" one TikTok user said in a June post. The post has over 90,000 likes and 3,000 comments, including "My underwear gets drenched from how much I sweat" and "On Zoloft, the night sweats are the worst thing to ever happen to me."

Another post on the app from the same month with the headline, "pov: it's 95°F out, and you're on lexapro" featured the caption, "I take 3 showers a day in the summer." Comments under the post were similarly detailing the same hot experience, from "Yes dude, I feel like I'm boiling inside," to "The overheating is literally insane !!!"

To be honest, I've never felt more validated. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported an estimated 11.4 percent of people over the age of 18 in the U.S. took some form of antidepressants. But what's the science behind all of the sweating? According to psychiatrists, just because you're hot and taking SSRIs doesn't mean the antidepressants are to blame: heat intolerance isn't a direct side effect of taking SSRIs. But a certain hormone may be at fault. Here's what the experts had to say.

Experts Featured in This Article

Agnes K. Simone, DO, is a California-based psychiatrist, the founder of Olea Women's Health, a boutique women's health practice, and the founder of Psych Practice Co., a consulting company for psychiatrists.

Brook Choulet, is an Arizona-based psychiatrist who specializes in sports psychiatry and the founder of Choulet Performance Psychiatry.

Can Antidepressants Make You Sweat More?

I've been taking the SSRI Zoloft since 2023. When initially asked what the biggest side effect of the medication was, my answer used to be, "You stay alive." In the early stages of taking the antidepressant, I was just thankful the medication made me feel like myself again, effectively treating my depression. But this summer, I'm experiencing intense sweating and feeling way hotter than usual.

"[SSRIs] can interfere with your hypothalamic thermoregulation (the body's thermostat). But it's not typical to have significant heat intolerance with SSRIs," says Brook Choulet, MD, a psychiatrist specializing in sports.

While antidepressants may not directly cause heat intolerance, they can increase serotonin in the body - and serotonin can affect the body's ability to regulate temperature, says Agnes K. Simone, DO, is a California-based psychiatrist, the founder of Olea Women's Health. "Theoretically, if you're increasing serotonin with the SSRIs, that's going to affect the ability to regulate internal temperature. People can end up feeling hotter than average, which can lead to sweating."

This heat sensitivity or intolerance can cause excessive sweating, dizziness, and fatigue. To add another layer, heat intolerance often occurs in temperatures others may find normal. "My patients experience this: the increased sweating, especially night sweats, and, overall, feeling more hot," says Dr. Simone.

How to Deal with Sweating on SSRIs

From my daily scrolls on TikTok, I've picked up many tips on dealing with heat intolerance - from eating electrolyte ice pops to cool yourself down in a pinch, to using anti-friction body powder to reduce sweating through your clothes. If you're looking to develop your own SSRI summer routine, TikTok user alliyahpau made a post in June showcasing the products she relies on, including carrying a mini fan with a cooling plate and a neck fan.

Here are my personal recommendations for curbing summer sweating on SSRIs:

Change your bedsheets twice a week.
Only drink ice-cold water.
Keep paper towels in your bag to pat your forehead for random internal heatwaves.
If you can, keep the air conditioner on high for a little longer.
Use dry shampoo on your roots before stepping outside.
Setting your makeup with a matte fixing spray to soak up the excess sweat.

On the expert side, these psychiatrists have a few recommendations too when it comes to surviving an SSRI summer:

Limit your time outside on hot days and avoid being in direct sunlight for extended periods.
Stay properly hydrated. The daily recommendation is still six to eight glasses a day (or 64 ounces).
Consult your psychiatrist if the heat sensitivity worsens. There could be another medical issue at hand.

"Depending on the severity or how intolerable the sweating is, I will lower the dose of the medication or switch to a different SSRI/antidepressant. If they're really bothered by it, we should do something about it," Dr. Simone says.

With any changes you may experience while taking SSRIs, you should always let a doctor know to explore all the possible causes. If you're experiencing an increased intolerance to heat specifically, Dr. Choulet recommends examining your thyroid. "Look for a medical cause of why you feel hot. Maybe get your thyroid checked, as thyroid issues can impact core temperature," she says.

Ayana Herndon is a New York City-based freelance writer and graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She has a passion for amplifying voices of color through her writing, which spans fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Her work has appeared in PS and Women's Wear Daily.

Celiac and Crohn's Made Every Meal Feel Like a Risk. Here's How She Healed.

Alexis Jones — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:00:03 -0700

Lauren Murawski was a freshman in college in 2017 when she began to experience digestive problems. "After I would eat, I would start to 'baby barf,'" she tells Popsugar, explaining that she'd essentially burp up her food. It happened so often that her friends started calling her "the burpologist."

At first, the GI issues weren't a red flag to Lauren; she just thought they were a sign of the stress she was under at the time. "I was having a bit of a difficult time with the adjustment with school and was going through my first breakup," she says.

But then, her GI symptoms worsened. She began experiencing severe stomach aches, and the baby barfing turned into projectile vomiting. She also started to lose weight inexplicably.

Knowing she needed to get help with her health, Lauren decided to leave her Massachusetts college and enroll in school back home in upstate New York to be closer to her support system. Once she was back home, her dad, a nurse, scheduled a gastroenterologist appointment for her, and she underwent a series of blood tests.

In January 2018, Lauren was diagnosed with celiac disease.

At first, Lauren says she felt relieved by the diagnosis of celiac, which is an immune reaction to eating gluten and can cause diarrhea, bloating, nausea, and vomiting, among other symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. "I was like, 'Yay, I finally have my answer.' Now, all I have to do is eat gluten-free and I'm going to feel better," she says.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be only the beginning of what Lauren calls the "worst journey" of her life.

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Despite changing her diet and doing everything to avoid gluten and cross contamination, "my symptoms kept getting worse and worse and worse," Lauren says. Her bloating was so bad that she appeared pregnant, and "one day, I vomited 17 times in a row," she tells PS. She was also having eight to 12 bowel movements a day, which she knew was abnormal.

She went back to to her gastroenterologist, and the office ran several tests to see what the problem might be. "I went through weeks of just going to the hospital, going to the doctor's - and at the time, I'm in college, so I'm not really having the college experience that I was looking to have," Lauren says. But even more disappointing was that after all of the testing, Lauren was told that the results showed nothing new.

But Lauren refused to accept that everything was fine. "I was like, 'What the heck is happening here?'" Fortunately, her doctor decided to do one more test: a colonoscopy. That found inflammation in her small bowel, a potential sign of Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease.

he results were borderline - there was some inflammation; not enough to give a definitive diagnosis of Crohn's, but too much to definitely be a result of celiac alone. "They told me that I was a very difficult case," Lauren remembers.

Her healthcare practitioner suggested putting Lauren on steroids to see if her symptoms would subside, and her quality of life was suffering so much that that she was willing to give them a try. When they didn't work, Lauren underwent another colonoscopy. This time, she got an official Crohn's diagnosis, and her doctors suggested a stronger course of treatment.

Lauren started getting infusion treatments for Crohn's disease in March 2019.

"They put me on Remicade, which is an infusion drug . . . I would go to the hospital, they would put an IV in my arm, and I would sit there for three hours every three months," Lauren says. But even with the new medication, she struggled to find relief.

"I kept telling my doctor, 'I swear, I feel like I'm going crazy - nothing is working, and I feel more sick,'" Lauren says. But Lauren says her concerns were dismissed. Her care team kept telling her, "This should be working." "I just felt like nobody cared," Lauren says.

At that point, she decided it was time to get a different opinion. Lauren spent the next three years seeking the help of several different experts, from doctors to dietitians, and collecting new diagnoses along the way: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO); E.coli; irritable bowel syndrome. She was also undiagnosed, then re-diagnosed, with Crohn's, and eventually taken off Remicade.

The healthcare practitioners she saw often tried various new treatments to address her symptoms. Some were helpful - an antidepressant she was put on helped ease her bloating to a degree, she says - while others were not.

A restrictive eating plan her dietitian put her on, for instance, led to Lauren developing an eating disorder. While elimination diets can be helpful for some people with GI diagnoses to identify the foods that trigger their symptoms, the method didn't work for Lauren, who says it harmed her relationship with eating in general. The dietitian placed "toxicity on certain food groups," like fruit, she says. Lauren recalls standing at her blender for 15 minutes just crying over the fruit she'd put in it and how it might interact with her body.

"I was so scared to eat. When I didn't eat, I felt really good. So I was like, 'Well, if I don't eat, then I'm not gonna have symptoms, and then there's nothing to worry about,'" Lauren says. "No one should have to think about eating food like that and be so scared of what's going to happen."

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Finally, Lauren decided to take her health into her own hands.

After all of the different healthcare practitioners and treatments, Lauren was still dealing with gut inflammation, throwing up, and frequent bowel movements. So in April 2022, over four years after she was first diagnosed with celiac, she went back to her gastroenterologist and was met with disappointing news: one, that he had run out of options and two, that he believed these symptoms would probably be something she'd have to deal with for the rest of her life.

Lauren couldn't accept that there were no other options for her. After leaving the appointment, she started doing her own research and looking into holistic remedies that might help.

The first thing she changed was her exercise routine. Lauren used to do HIIT workouts and cardio several times a week, hoping to offset the bloating she often experienced. "I used to sabotage my body because I was like, 'I'm feeling bloated, that means I need run more and do more cardio,'" she says. "But in reality, my body just need to rest and be able to heal."

She began prioritizing exercise associated with stress reduction - namely, yoga. "I started going to hot yoga like four to five times a week," she says. Research has shown that yoga can improve IBD symptoms, including psychological side effects like stress and anxiety.Lauren also got honest with herself about her eating disorder, researching ways to restore her love of food: "If I didn't acknowledge that I was scared of food to myself, then I wouldn't have been able to take the first step to even try to heal from it."

Little by little, Lauren started reintroducing her favorite foods back into her life. "For me, it was choosing a food every week, and challenging myself to eat it," she explains. She started with small portions, just enough to help her assess whether the food was going to trigger her symptoms, and she journaled what she ate so she could better spot patterns (something her doctors had never suggested she do, surprisingly). While she eventually overcame the fear that every food was going to upset her stomach, it wasn't easy - and looking back, Lauren says she wishes she'd sought professional support to help her manage the process.

After about four months, Lauren was able to figure out some of her top trigger foods, including carbs, garlic, onion, and natural sugars. "So I couldn't have large amounts of fruit," Lauren says - but she didn't have to cut it out entirely either. She also prioritized more gut-friendly foods and ingredients (peppermint tea became a go-to reliever), as well as an overall whole-food diet.

Six months after that, she noticed a significant reduction in her symptoms, and within a year, Lauren felt like she finally had her GI issues under control. She was still getting regular blood tests for her celiac disease, but had stopped taking other medications. And in learning to listen to her own body for cues rather than relying strictly on medicine, she says that she has been able to put her Crohn's disease (a form of IBD) and IBS in remission.

Ultimately, Lauren and her doctors agreed that she had Crohn's disease, celiac, and IBS - but so far, restorative exercise and avoiding her trigger foods by sticking to a non-inflammatory, whole-food diet has helped her stay in remission. Using functional medicine techniques to address inflammatory bowel diseases, like Crohn's disease is not all that uncommon, either. In fact, research has shown that functional medicine (e.g. making adjustments to lifestyle, environment, relationships, sleep, stress, and nutrition) can positively contribute to high-quality, personalized IBD care that results in improved health and optimized function for some people. The same can be said for using a more integrated approach to managing IBS, as research has also shown that removing irritating foods, improving overall nutrition, and prioritizing stress reduction can help reduce IBS flare-ups and reduce symptom severity.

While Lauren's diagnosis journey has come to end, she never forgot how alone and abandoned she felt throughout the process, sparking her decision to create online and in-person resources for others. Now, Lauren is focusing on fostering a community for those searching for answers and trying to manage the same conditions, posting her experiences on social media and hosting in-person meet-ups. Advocacy and raising awareness has become her full-time job. "I was able to quit my 9-to-5 and do this full time and I just love it so much," Lauren says. "It's a very rewarding position to be in."

Alexis Jones is the senior health and fitness editor at PS. Her passions and areas of expertise include women's health and fitness, mental health, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and chronic conditions. Prior to joining PS, she was the senior editor at Health magazine. Her other bylines can be found at Women's Health, Prevention, Marie Claire, and more.

Selma Blair Talks "Bed Days," Medical Gaslighting, and Living With MS

Alexis Jones — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:02 -0700

Selma Blair has always been an iconic actress - from her breakout role as Cecile Caldwell in "Cruel Intentions" to the iconic Vivian Kensington in "Legally Blonde." But never did she anticipate having to use her skillset to cover up a chronic condition.

Then, Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and surprisingly, a doctor encouraged her to keep it hidden. Blair recalls the doctor saying, "You don't want to tell people about this . . . you know people have judgments or you'll have trouble finding a job."

At the time, Blair was filming "Another Life" for Netflix, working hard to ensure her condition stayed under wraps, hiding her fatigue and tics. "It was the wardrobe stylist who actually dressed me and actually implemented a cane into part of my wardrobe and did all these things so I could keep my secret," Blair tells Popsugar in a recent conversation about her partnership with Sollis Health. Once she started showing more noticeable symptoms, Blair says her MS became too difficult to hide and she decided to go public.

"I didn't have any idea how big the response would be and how many people that had chronic illness or MS were afraid to talk about it or share because they didn't feel empowered or sexy or pretty or young anymore," Blair says. "It really just kind of changed my whole personality of wanting to talk about it and find out more from other people, because frankly, doctors didn't have all the time."

"I'll still have days where my balance is off, or my vision's just not gonna come together that well, and I have to kind of stay put in my house."

Finding a supportive and affirming medical team has been the toughest, yet most impactful part of her journey. "I'm finally, after this many years, feeling at peace with my medical team around me, including Sollis, and my new MS doctor that I've had for a few years," Blair says. She's now partnering with Sollis Health, a concierge immediate care provider to raise awareness about alternative healthcare systems, medical gaslighting, and managing high-stress moments as someone with a chronic illness.

"I'm a single mom and I have a chronic condition, and I kind of developed a little bit of small traumas over spending a long time with doctors or waiting [for results]," Blair says. In joining Sollis, Blair has gained access to 24/7 emergency physicians and a new peace of mind. "I have someone that I can talk to that can take the time to say, 'No, let's test you right away.'" This is kind of care should be the standard, Blair argues - but in opening up about her MS, she knows it's far from the norm. And even with her level of care, Blair says she still has to take to take the good days with the "bed days." Even relapse-free, she deals with symptom challenges: "I'll still have days where my balance is off, or my vision's just not gonna come together that well, and I have to kind of stay put in my house."

"I still wish that I had the ability to spend a whole day out until bedtime and could feel amazing and get all these things done . . . I'm someone that does have to take breaks when I get overwhelmed, instead of throwing the towel," she says, especially when she's on a project. "I know I have to take 40 minutes and just shut down."

Her honest advice to anyone navigating a major health diagnosis right now: don't go it alone. "I'm sorry, I do have to say, life is going to be hard. If you can, have an advocate to come with you to make going to the doctors easier until you find the one that really will listen to you." And even then, still consider bringing a loved one along because the odds are often stacked against women.

In a November 2023 study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, researchers spotlight the "gender-pain exaggeration bias wherein perceivers believe women, relative to men, to be emotionally dramatizing and therefore more likely to exaggerate versus downplay their pain." In reality, this fear of being labeled hysterical can actually cause women to downplay their own pain. Blair says she's experienced both: the gender-pain bias and minimizing her own symptoms.

"Even after [being] diagnosed and even after there was real flares and real evidence, there's still doctors that I felt dismissed [by] or my symptoms aren't important enough, or, 'Oh, that comes and goes so I shouldn't bother talking about it,'" Blair says

But you should never feel like you're settling when it comes to your health, Blair says. There's more often than not always something more than can be done: whether that's testing and getting and MRI, trying a different treatment method, or addressing alternative financial options. Keep pushing, she says because, "things can be done." She adds, "Being able to communicate with your doctor is the only way you're going to find bigger help."

I Have PCOS, and Here's How I Feel About Its New Name

Elsa Cavazos — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:35:02 -0700

As someone who was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 18, it's easy to say I follow sufficient content about the disease to have learned about its recent name change right away. My social media feed was inundated with the news. What for years was a big question mark - and then had a proper name - is now being changed to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, or PMOS.

I'll be honest, my first thought was, well, when do we get a cure? When do we get meds to get rid of this for good? But after my frustration and my immediate need to vent on Instagram Stories, I realized the upside: it opens up the conversation, one which was previously shut down often if cysts didn't appear in an ultrasound.

The name change also now includes the words "metabolic" and "endocrine," encompassing two different areas of the chronic disease which are the most affected. In fact, anyone who's had to deal with PMOS symptoms likely knows that having "cysts" is the least of the problems sometimes. For example, I don't know if I still have cysts; they were never a significant issue for me either. My period was always regular, cramps are painful but not unbearable. But because the cysts appeared on a screen, my diagnosis was confirmed. And years later when they weren't "seen," I was told I didn't necessarily have PCOS - even though I struggle with hirsutism, struggle to lose weight, and sleep apnea, among other symptoms often ignored.

The fact remains that the medical community has struggled to properly manage and handle this disease for years. I have seen so many gynecologists and endocrinologists who, to this day, do not appear to know the right treatment plan for me.

But this name change is indeed a step forward - one towards earlier diagnosis, hopefully more research, and a continuous plan to better understand this complex, frustrating disease. Every body is different, and PMOS does not look the same to everyone, which is why taking the step to remove "cystic" from the name helps better capture the ways this disease can manifest itself.

Life with PMOS can feel like an incessant to-do list: We are told to work out - but not too hard because of cortisol levels. We are told to sleep eight hours a night, yet have insomnia and racing thoughts that keep us awake at night. You can have fruit, but not too much because you might be insulin resistant. You can have carbs but not too many.

The last time I saw a gyno, we explored the possibility of me having Cushing's syndrome, a rare hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to excess cortisol or triggered by pituitary or adrenal tumors. I ultimately ended up testing negative, and though part of me was fearful of a new diagnosis, another part of me welcomed the freedom of not having PMOS.

In speaking to other women with PMOS, I've found others feel similarly about the name change, which feels like a small win in a tiring battle. One woman, Yisel Reyna, said she never had cysts, and so because that symptom was missing, getting the proper diagnosis took much longer. Andrea Cortazar struggled with the birth control she was given to "handle" her cysts, giving her side effects that made her other symptoms worse. For Cortazar, adding the endocrine and metabolic part to the name allows for a better understanding of what could be wrong.

Language can be a tool to raise questions and look for answers. In its renaming, PMOS may no longer be treated monolithically. May this be the change needed to continue evolving the conversation and, hopefully, developing more individualized treatments. We may have a new name, but we'd also like healing.

Elsa Cavazos is a freelance writer based in Napa, CA. Her work has appeared in Vogue Mexico, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Marie Claire, and other publications. Her translation work has appeared in publications such as The Texas Tribune and The Guardian.

They Were All Diagnosed With Cancer - Then Came the Breakups

Chandler Plante — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:03 -0700

Breakups never really come at a "good time," but ending things mid-cancer diagnosis might just take the cake. Some quick stats: women are six times more likely to end up separated or divorced if they are diagnosed with cancer (as compared to male partners). Another paper studying 2,701 different marriages found that only measures of a wife's illness onset were associated with a higher risk of divorce. These numbers indicate a concerning trend: when women need their partners most, cracks start to form.

For cancer breakups specifically, patients are tasked with fighting both an incredibly physical battle, and an emotional one. The grief is two-fold, and the healing process often feels especially heavy. Getting through a breakup mid-treatment is no small feat - but it's not impossible either. To shed light on the hardest parts, the silver linings, and the lessons learned, we spoke to three survivors who have gone through a cancer breakup themselves.

The Breakups

Three months prior to Mairead Ryan's breakup, doctors feared her breast cancer had spread to her brain and spinal cord. Thankfully, this turned out to be false. But it was at this point that Ryan's partner started to express concerns about the "longevity" of their relationship. "He wanted to get married, have kids, move to the suburbs, and felt like me having stage 4 breast cancer was inhibiting him from doing so," Ryan tells Popsugar. "Simply put, he broke up with me because I have stage 4 breast cancer."

"Being cheated on was so much more painful than cancer."

This sudden switch up is something Emilee Aubrey can relate to. Shortly after receiving a bone marrow transplant for leukemia in October 2021, she caught her boyfriend messaging one of her close friends, offering to come over, and even soliciting explicit photos. "Being cheated on was so much more painful than cancer," Aubrey says. "I just would never even think to do that to someone."

Zee Valentina describes her breakup as a more mutual decision, but it wasn't easy either. She broke up with her partner of 11 years just one month after being diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. "Going through chemotherapy simultaneously, I really couldn't handle any extra stress," she says. "I had to quickly accept it for what it was, because I had a [bigger] battle to focus on, which was my battle against my body."

The Immediate Aftermath

At first, the hurt and betrayal from these cancer breakups left each woman with unanswered questions. "How could someone who told me they loved me unconditionally put conditions on our love?" Ryan found herself asking. "Did he not think I wanted the same things in life too? Did he not think this was hard for me - the one going through breast cancer?" Valentina says the heartbreak mostly left her empty and numb. "[With] all my medical problems happening in parallel, I felt like I really did hit rock bottom."

A week after her breakup, Aubrey visited a palliative care doctor. "I was just a wreck. He was like, 'We should discuss getting on antidepressants,' because I was just so upset and hurt." It's not that she was entirely without support - her friends and family were still there for her. It just felt different now. "It wasn't the same as having conversations every second with someone that cared . . . or I thought cared," Aubrey explains. "I was literally [at] the lowest point of my entire life."

The Healing Process

The grief from a cancer breakup can feel overwhelming, especially in the early stages. But these survivors will be the first to tell you that healing is possible. In fact, Valentina thinks being forced to sit with her grief might've actually helped in the long run. "It's a really tough situation to be in, [because] on top of all the medical problems happening at the same time, you're not able to distract yourself much," she says. "We are forced to face everything all at once."

For Aubrey, antidepressants played a big role in helping her process the stress of her breakup and cancer journey. "At that time, I thought that I still had cancer," she says. "Finding out I was in remission was a big turning point." Still, she says healing emotionally was harder than healing physically, and working through both things at once was difficult and uncomfortable.

Ryan agrees that her cancer breakup felt "cruel and unfair." But as she continued to heal, she also started to learn from it. "If someone is not going to stick by you at your lowest points in life, they surely don't deserve you at any other point," Ryan says. "I think the breakup really made me realize my self worth and what I deserve."

The Reflection

After the breakup, Aubrey remembers her friends assuring her it would "get better" eventually. "In the moment I [was] like, 'I wanna kill you,'" she laughs. "But you know, it does. The people are right. It does get easier." That said, Ryan reminds people that no matter how much the breakup hurts, your health should always come first. "You and your health are [the] number one priority. Whoever is not there to support and make that a priority is not worthy of your love," she says.

To those navigating similar situations, Valentina says to grieve the future you thought you'd have. Healing isn't linear and it's OK to have mixed emotions. "If someone can't accept you for all of you - including your history with cancer or your cancer journey - then they are not for you," she says. "To be able to go through cancer and a breakup at the same time requires a steel amount of strength, and you will have to dig deeper than you ever have to get through. But you will."

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the health and fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.

I Have Chronic Allergies - and the Cure Is Almost as Bad as the Symptoms

Lauren Ramos — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:03 -0700

Allergies are common - and may be becoming more so. They're a leading cause of chronic illness in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and with climate change making seasonal allergies more prevalent and rates of food allergies rising as well, more and more people are becoming personally affected by the condition, which occurs when the body's immune system reacts to a substance. It can trigger hives, itchiness, swelling, and even anaphylaxis. Here, TikToker Lauren Ramos shares what it's like to live with chronic allergies that significantly affect her daily life.

I've had allergies ever since I can remember. The tip of the iceberg was when I first interacted with cats. I was six and had hives all over afterward. I needed to be medicated, and started taking allergy medicine regularly soon after that.

But when I reached middle school, things started to get really bad. I had asthma and didn't know it, along with seasonal allergies. When allergy season would roll around, it would feel hard to breathe. I also did gymnastics, and I would be wheezing and struggling to breathe all the time. I'd also be sneezing and have itchy eyes all the time. It wasn't anything to the degree it is now, but it was a warning sign of what was to come.

Getting a Diagnosis

I saw an allergist when I was 22 and discovered through a skin prick test that I'm allergic to a long list of things: every type of tree and grass you can imagine, dust mites, dogs, and cats.

Last year, I started getting allergy injections. These are a type of immunotherapy that contains a tiny amount of what you're allergic to with the goal of building up immunity to those allergens to stop or reduce allergy attacks. But my allergies are so bad that I even struggle with the allergy injections.

On my immunotherapy days, I get a shot in each arm. About two hours after I leave my doctor's office, my face turns red and starts swelling, and it can be hard to breathe. My eyes also get swollen and burn, and I feel hot.

I recently switched allergists, so the makeup of my shots have changed as well and I seem to be having better reactions. But there have been so many instances where my reaction is intense enough that I have to get a shot with epinephrine, which helps tamp down on the body's release of histamine, the chemical that causes allergy symptoms. It's happened often enough that my healthcare team has now made it a requirement that whenever I get a shot, I have epinephrine on me.

I still get anxious when I get a shot, because I never know if it will ruin my entire day. I've definitely asked myself several times if the benefits of getting these shots are actually worth how awful I feel afterward. But then I also know that I'll feel lousy all the time if I don't get the shots. It's a tricky situation.

In addition to the immunotherapy, I have a whole "allergy drawer" at home to help with my symptoms. It contains the inhaler I use to help control my asthma (which doesn't always work), special drops for when my eyes get swollen after injections, as well as a nasal spray to prevent post-nasal drip and the sore throats that can come with it. It also has the prescription allergy medication I'm supposed to take - but that makes me feel incredibly drowsy. So I have to decide if I want to have allergy symptoms or fall asleep and miss my day.

Everything is prescription strength. My allergies are so severe that a lot of the over-the-counter stuff doesn't work for me.

Holding Onto Hope

Even though the allergy shot reactions are terrible, I have seen my allergy symptoms get better. I haven't been able to test things around cats or dogs, but I feel better when I'm outside. The only time I have symptoms now is when I get a shot.

I get my injections once a week now; I used to get them twice a week. They should be even more spaced out at this point, but I had to get set back in the shot schedule because of how strong my reactions still are.

The immunotherapy is supposed to be a two-year process, with the shot frequency tapering off to nothing, although it's probably going to take me around three or 3.5 years, and I'm only about a year into it. It's helpful that I'm starting to feel better with my actual allergies, and that motivates me to keep on getting the shots. But I also know that I have to always be prepared so that I'm not freaking out about if I'm going to have a bad reaction.

It's likely that I'll always deal with allergies and allergic reactions on some level. But I know that things have already gotten better - and I'm told they should keep on improving.

- As told to Korin Miller

Korin Miller is a writer specializing in general wellness, health, and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in Women's Health, Self, Health, Forbes, and more.

How to Recognize and Combat Medical Gaslighting

Alexis Jones — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:30:02 -0700

Have you ever walked into a doctor's office, voiced your concerns to a provider, and essentially been told that it's either in your head or just the result of stress, when you know it's something more? Well, there's a name for what you may have experienced - it's called medical gaslighting.

You may be familiar with romantic gaslighting, which refers to a form of psychological abuse, wherein someone manipulates their partner into questioning their own reality. Medical gaslighting, on the other hand, occurs when medical professionals disregard their patients' feelings or reported symptoms, attributing their experiences to psychological causes (like stress) or denying their symptoms entirely.

It's all too common, and women are more at risk: research shows that one in five women report that a healthcare provider has ignored or dismissed their symptoms. People of color may also be especially likely to experience the phenomenon, which could lead to harmful delays in diagnoses, or worse. In fact, one out of every seven doctor-patient encounters results in diagnostic error - which includes missed, wrong, or delayed diagnoses - according to a study in The Medical Journal of Australia.

At least a portion of that diagnostic error can be attributed to what's known as medical gaslighting, says Vanna Health president Liz Kwo, MD. Ahead, here's what you need to know about medical gaslighting - including why it happens and how to combat it.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Liz Kwo, MD, is a Massachusetts-based physician, the president of Vanna Health, and former chief commercial officer at Everly Health.

What Is Medical Gaslighting, and How Does It Happen?

"[Medical gaslighting] describes the experience of having one's symptoms dismissed by a medical provider," Dr. Kwo says. At its foundation is, essentially, a lack of trust. "When [healthcare providers] don't necessarily trust either the reporter's symptoms or what they're really thinking," that's when medical gaslighting occurs, she explains.

This can stem from a lack of experience or clinical knowledge on the provider's part. A patient may report a host of symptoms that "don't correlate directly back to a potential reason for why this could happen, and sometimes that gets dismissed as overly exaggerating," Dr. Kwo says. Those symptoms may then be chalked up to stress, hormones, or other psychosocial or related factors. But prejudice and implicit bias can also play a role in a physician's tendency toward medical gaslighting.

Who Is Most Affected by Medical Gaslighting?

Medical mistrust, and in turn gaslighting, tends to disproportionately affect women, Dr. Kwo notes. "Female patients are frequently told they're under stress, or have anxiety, or suffer from depression, or the complaints are a result of hormonal cycles - whether menstrual cramps or perimenopause," according to an Association of Health Care Journalists post. "Other women find their symptoms attributed to their weight or to just plain malingering."

Research also demonstrates that women experience more "medically unexplained" symptoms than men, a term that's used to describe symptoms for which there's no clear cause. Studies have shown that up to two-thirds of women in primary care experience medically unexplained symptoms.

"When doctors choose to not investigate a symptom that is significantly affecting a person's life, it not only threatens physical health but also their mental health."

At least part of this discrepancy can be explained by the fact that, in general, women have been studied less than men. "In 1977, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began recommending that scientists exclude women of childbearing years from early clinical drug trials, fearing that if enrolled women became pregnant, the research could potentially harm their fetuses," per The New York Times. "Researchers were also concerned that hormonal fluctuations could muddle study results." In 1993, a law was passed reinstating the inclusion of women and minorities in medical research funded by the National Institutes of Health.

But the knowledge gap created during the period before this law was passed still exists. A 2014 report out of Brigham and Women's Hospital states that the science that informs medicine today "routinely fails to consider the crucial impact of sex and gender." The failure "happens in the earliest stages of research, when females are excluded from animal and human studies or the sex of the animals isn't stated in the published results. Once clinical trials begin, researchers frequently do not enroll adequate numbers of women or, when they do, fail to analyze or report data separately by sex. This hampers our ability to identify important differences that could benefit the health of all." This has impacted the way doctors understand certain conditions and how they affect women.

Take heart disease, for example. It's the leading cause of death for women in America. But "only one-third of cardiovascular clinical trial subjects are female and fewer than one-third (31 percent) of cardiovascular clinical trials that include women report outcomes by sex," according to the Brigham and Women's Hospital report. This leaves doctors more familiar with male symptoms and unprepared to deal with the varying symptoms women tend to experience, which can lead to exactly the kind of diagnostic error mentioned earlier.

For women of color, particularly Black women, medical mistrust and gaslighting tends to be even more troubling - and direct. In a study published in scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, half of the medical trainees surveyed believed myths about Black patients, like they experience less pain than white patients. When giving birth, Black people experience higher maternal mortality than their white peers, due at least in part to a disbelief in their symptoms. The mistrust of Black patients has even been reflected in the way doctors take notes during visits with Black patients versus white patients. A Journal of General Internal Medicine study found that doctors' notes about Black patients were more likely to contain judgement words like "insists" or "claims."

Dangers of Medical Gaslighting

At best, medical gaslighting is dismissive and can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment. At worst, like in instances of Black maternal mortality, medical gaslighting can be fatal. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Factors like variation in quality healthcare, structural racism, and implicit bias, which can all play a role in medical gaslighting, are considered contributing factors.

How to Tell If Your Doctor Is Gaslighting You

Sometimes, medical gaslighting is obvious: you're trying to tell your doctor how you feel or what you think may be wrong, and they are pushing back, writing off your concerns, repeatedly telling you it's normal, or offering up answers that you know don't make sense. But other times, it can be harder to know for sure what's going on. After all, the relationship between medical professional and patient is not an equal one. We're taught to put our faith in our doctors' opinions and advice; to trust them, the supposed experts, over ourselves.

So, Dr. Kwo suggests being mindful of how a trip to the doctor's office makes you feel. Do you leave feeling like you got your questions answered, or do you leave feeling unheard or worse off than when you got there? Dr. Kwo says to be particularly aware of feelings of confusion, withdrawal (as in not wanting to talk or be there anymore), anxiety, and defensiveness during and after your visit. Not every doctor's visit will be perfect, but feeling unheard or dismissed is a red flag.

How to Combat Medical Gaslighting

Dr. Kwo has suggestions for both patients and providers to improve doctor-patient interactions.

For patients:

Don't be afraid to get a second opinion, if possible. If you've been seeing the same provider again and again and they're giving you the same answers and suggestions that you've already tried and haven't helped, it might be worth moving on. If you're able to see a new doctor, try it, and see if you have a different experience.
Keep a symptom journal or diary. Write down the age of onset for your symptoms, how often they occur, and when they tend to worsen, so that you have a thorough track record to bring to your next visit.
Consider at-home self-testing. While this isn't a perfect solution, some tests can be useful in figuring out where your health currently stands, and/or in starting a new dialogue with another physician.
Ultimately, trust your gut. If you feel like you're not getting the care you deserve, seek out information from alternative sources, advocate for yourself, and if possible, look for a new healthcare provider who is a better fit. These aren't always easy or accessible solutions, but when your health is at stake, it's worth pushing back to get the answers you deserve.

For providers:

Everyone presents information differently, especially when it comes to reporting symptoms. Patients of color have a history of medical mistrust. And a patient's delivery of their symptoms can vary depending on culture and ethnicity, age, personality, etc. The onus is on physicians to learn about and study these differences so that they are able to help patients from all walks of life and meet them wherever they are on their trust scale.
Consider the zebras. Physicians tend to think in terms of horses, or common conditions and correlations. "But sometimes there are zebras and you diagnose something that's just not common, but it happens," Dr. Kwo says.
Follow through with your patients. Track their symptoms over time to develop pattern recognition, so that you can be aware of any major changes.

Ultimately, if you have a feeling that your provider isn't listening to you, that's a good enough reason speak up or find someone new. Everyone deserves to feel seen in the doctor's office and health problems shouldn't go unaddressed. It's your health and your right to get the care you deserve.

The Cancer Besties Swapping Support Groups For Friendship Apps

Chandler Plante — Tue, 19 May 2026 19:10:02 -0700

Making friends is hard enough as it is - a cancer diagnosis doesn't make it any easier. While some find comfort in traditional support groups, others are searching for something different, swapping perhaps surface-level bonds for genuine friendships. They want to meet people who have felt their pain, dealt with similar symptoms, and experienced the same hardships firsthand. More than anything, they just don't want to feel so alone.

In this pursuit of kindred spirits, some members of the cancer community are making the switch to friendship apps. One such person, Anita Tran, describes her reasoning plainly. "I joined because I was diagnosed with something so rare and I had nobody around me in person that had cancer . . . or somebody young like me," she tells Popsugar. It was on the app CancerBuddy that she met Mark Sevillano Jr., a friend with stage 2 esophageal cancer. Sevillano Jr. had similar motivations for joining, and was mainly looking to feel less isolated in his journey. "I was just hoping to find someone, or a couple people that [knew] what I was going through," Sevillano Jr. says. "I was like, 'Oh, that sounds kind of cool. CancerBuddy? I need a buddy during this time."

Amaya Matos and Michael Cramer are another friend duo that met on the app, bonding over a serious complication called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). "We connected on having the same symptoms around the same time," Matos says. "I felt like I could be more vulnerable . . . it feels less lonely." Over time they bonded over a multitude of other interests unrelated to illness, forming a genuine friendship over Fortnite, Lego, fitness, and the Orlando Magic.

To learn more about these connections and the apps making them possible, we asked the people in each friend duo to interview each other. Read on for their takes on friendship apps, navigating a new friendship amid cancer, and how they went from internet strangers to besties IRL.

Anita and Mark

Image Source: Courtesy of Anita Tran and Mark Sevillano Jr.

Why do you think we make such good friends?

Mark: "One, we both smile a lot. And two, I really love that scripture that you posted on your Instagram bio. It's Psalm 138: 8."
Anita: "I'm so glad you like that psalm, because it means a lot to me. It gives me faith that even if I don't know what I'm doing, He has a greater plan for me."
Mark: "Scripture means so much to you, and now I'm going to also think about that scripture, because I want Him to fulfill my purpose. Like, why am I here? Why did I get cancer? Why am I using my voice to help others?"
Anita: "When I first met you, I really admired your advocacy in the cancer community and how quick you were to hop on to opportunities . . . I had my fundraiser, and you showed up. You actually showed up . . . our values and passions align [and] it helps us connect as friends."

What role has our friendship played in your cancer journey?

Mark: "As you know, when you're dealing with cancer . . . you get fatigue, and you just want to sit all day. So I developed that habit, but being friends with you, I'm always looking at your page, and you've reminded [me] about being active and moving and walking and getting my steps in."
Anita: "That fills my heart. It's like a whole circle."
Mark: "And then [also], your positivity. Sometimes I get sad because I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh, I know Anita is going through it. I know she is.' Yet you smile through it. And that just makes me want to cry, because how do you have so much strength in your pain? That's amazing and inspiring, and I just know from going through cancer that it's hard. It's hard to [have] that smiley face and be positive. But something in both of us, we're just positive."
Anita: "Your positivity helps me too, every time I see your videos. But also the first thing that came to my mind is that you're a survivor. You [also] went through something very difficult . . . and it gives me hope that there's an 'after cancer' for me. Every time I look at you, I'm like, he survived. He did it. So can I. There is going to be an after for me, too."

How has our friendship evolved over time?

Anita: "I wanted to reach out because you were a cancer survivor, and also your career was very interesting to me . . . but over time, you gave me positivity and encouragement through my treatment. You supported me through your online presence. But also, you showed up in person and you showed me that with our advocacy, we can make a difference in our community . . . when you showed up to the fundraiser I was doing, I felt like you were a person who was a part of my life - not just an online friend, but [someone who] supported me throughout my life and my journey."

How would you describe our relationship now?

Anita: "I would describe our friendship now as actual friends - not just online friends who met in person. We continue to follow each other online, and I know a piece of your life, a piece of your family, a piece of what you do in your life. It's like how I have some high school friends I still follow on Instagram, and we see [each other] maybe once in a blue moon, but we still pick up where we left off. I don't think it's regressing, it's progressing. And in the future, we'll have more chances to do things together when our health allows it."
Mark: "I love that I will always have your back, and you will always have my back. And I know that I can count on you . . . I count on you as a resource, but also as someone I can lean on if I'm having a bad day and vice versa. We're there for each other. It's been great, and I'm excited to continue to grow in friendship together."

Amaya and Michael

Image Source: Courtesy of Amaya Matos and Michael Cramer

How is a cancer app different from a support group?

Michael: "I feel like none of the connections I made on CancerBuddy were ever forced because we'd already gone through a similar thing and had a similar mindset because we've been through so much as a community."
Amaya: "Especially with both of us going through the GVHD stuff, it's really nice to be able to be like, OK, well, I'm not crazy and also not alone. I know I always message you like, 'Has this happened to you?'"

What made you want to start talking with me on the app?

Amaya: "You are the reason why I feel like my care is where it's at now. I think that had I never reached out to you about getting a second opinion and meeting with your doctor, I would have never done those things . . . [it's] almost like putting a battery in my back . . . you're so good at advocating for yourself and speaking up, whereas I would let [doctors] put me to the side. Even though I am stagnant right now in treatment, it's just because I don't have a lot of options. But I wouldn't be where I'm at right now if it wasn't for that - putting the battery in my back."
Michael: "That's sweet. I think it's the same thing [for me] - seeing someone my age with GVHD, locally too. When you see someone across the world, you still connect, but . . . the fact that we've met several times has been really cool. We bonded over the necrosis, even Fortnite."

Why do you think we make such good friends?

Amaya: "I can always reach out to you. Even if I were to look at our messages, you've always answered, and I hope you feel the same vice versa. You can always reach out to me . . . I feel like the after part is really hard because you're expected to be perfect and great because you survived it. But like, I'm sitting here, and my toes are stuck."
Michael: "I get the worst cramps every day. I totally get it."
Amaya: "It's just one of those things, being able to relate . . . and then the times we have spent together in person - it's not just surface level. I think it has meaning."

What role has our friendship played in your cancer journey?

Michael: "When people hear that your cancer is in remission, a lot of times people think you're all good, you're back to normal. But when you live with something like GVHD, it's a whole other disease, a whole other life you have to adapt to. And our friendship has played a huge role because we've been able to connect, to talk about it. I don't feel so alone going through it, you know? A lot of cancer survivors I talk to, I'm happy for them because they survive cancer, but they may not have GVHC, so they can't understand me on that level. But our connection - we understand each other because we've been through very similar things."

How has our friendship evolved over time?

Amaya: "The years go on and we're still dealing with this. It's unfortunate, but I think the bond is stronger because of it . . . even just seeing your videos of how much you're focusing on the gym and then sharing that you're getting your [personal training] certificate . . . you motivate me."
Michael: "Our relationship evolved from Instagram DMs to laughing on Fortnite, literally. And I think it's great that there's stuff we bond over that's not just GVHD. We're friends beyond the disease and beyond cancer and GVHD. Like, the Orlando Magic, Fortnite, even Lego and the gym."

How would you describe our relationship now?

Michael: "I go to the hospital and I see people who are getting ready for their stem cell transplant . . . and then I'm there getting my regular infusion . . . you feel like a poser because you're about to go home and go back to studying, and they're about to go get admitted."
Amaya: "Exactly that . . . I don't know if I've talked to anyone else that's had to deal with that. [It's] almost like we're living the same life, just in different bodies and places."
Michael: "Yeah, and one has the superior basketball team in their city."

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.

15 Rules of Sickness Etiquette, According to Popsugar Editors

Mirel Zaman — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:45:02 -0700

The pandemic changed everything, including social norms around how to behave when you're sick (or just afraid you might be sick). Some long-held courtesies still apply - sneeze into your elbow; don't show up to a birthday party when you're clearly contagious - but there are some new rules of conduct too. And people have opinions - strong ones - about proper sickness etiquette. To help you parse this updated landscape, we attempted to spell out what's considered polite or rude in regards to illness.

To come up with these points of decorum, we asked coworkers to weigh in on real-life scenarios. We couldn't address every possible situation you might encounter, but we attempted to give guidance for the most common experiences people have. We also ran the results of our mini-survey by PS Council member Andrea C. Love, PhD, who helped flag anything that clashed with the actual best practices of hygiene and safety.

Together, we were able to draw up 15 basic rules for modern-day sickness etiquette. Some of them may seem like common sense, while others might be considered more controversial. But that's to be expected - what etiquette guide doesn't inspire some passionate discourse?

Experts Featured in This Article

Andrea Love, PhD, is a biomedical scientist and award-winning science communicator with over a decade and a half of expertise in infectious diseases, cancer, and immunology.

Sickness Etiquette in Social Situations

When you're starting to feel sick: If you have plans to meet up with a friend and you're feeling a little under the weather, it's polite to let the friend know ASAP and let them decide if they're still down to see you - even if you're eager to keep your plans. If you begin feeling sick after spending time with a friend, text them to let them know. It's also a good idea to take an at-home COVID test so you can tell people you've recently seen whether or not they're at risk of COVID specifically.
When you're getting over an illness: If you're recovering from an illness, you should tell anyone you're planning to see that you've been sick (until you're totally symptom-free) - even if you feel confident you're no longer contagious.
When you sound sick: When you know you don't have a contagious illness but you sound sick (due to seasonal allergies, for instance), it's polite to explain to people you see in person that you're not at risk of getting them sick.
When you've been exposed to COVID: When someone you recently hung out with says they just tested positive for COVID, you should tell anyone you saw since then that you've been exposed (as well as anyone you were planning to see in the next few days). This is a good rule whether you have symptoms or not, and you should consider taking an at-home test even if you don't feel under the weather. The FDA recommends testing yourself five full days after being exposed to COVID. If you're negative, the CDC suggests re-testing 48 hours later to confirm. The FDA also suggests testing before visiting any high-risk individuals, just to be safe.
When you're trying to avoid getting sick: It's OK to ask friends if they feel at all under the weather before you see them, especially if you have a big event coming up that you can't miss, or a pre-existing health condition. (You don't have to explain why you're asking.) When your friend offers you a bite of their meal or a sip of their drink, it's also not rude to ask if they're sick before accepting. "There are other things besides respiratory illnesses that can be transmitted too," Dr. Love says.
When you're hosting an event: If you're hosting an event such as a wedding or kid's birthday party, it's fine to include a line on the invite that says something to the effect of "If you're feeling under the weather, please stay home."

Masking Etiquette

For explaining your mask: You never have to explain why you're wearing a mask - whether it's because you're immunocompromised, trying to avoid getting sick, or trying not to pass along germs to others. Should the topic come up, however, most people we spoke to said it's polite to explain. "We should try to start normalizing mask-wearing for whatever reason the person has," Dr. Love says. "[It's] very considerate."
For being in public while sick: If you get sick just before you're supposed to leave for vacation, it's not rude to go anyway - but you should take precautions such as masking if you're taking public transportation like a plane. In general, if you're sick - or think you might be getting sick - and you have to go out, you should wear a mask in public spaces, including public transportation. "Also worth noting: try to limit public exposures if you can avoid them. For example, if you have the ability to order delivery groceries instead of going to a store," Dr. Love adds. "Not always possible, of course."
For commenting on others' masks (or lack thereof): The people we spoke to agreed that you can offer a mask to someone else, but only if it's someone you know or someone who's said they're sick. If you're ever in doubt, mask up yourself instead. Likewise, you can tell people you know that they're masking incorrectly. When it comes to strangers, though, it's better (and probably safer) to just mask up yourself if you're concerned about their improper masking.

Workplace Sickness Etiquette

For sick days: Obviously, working while sick is not required. If you need rest, you should take it. "We live in a society where the 'hustle' culture is often to our detriment. Even if your illness is mild, your immune system fights best when you get good quality rest, hydration, and a balanced, nutrient-rich diet," Dr. Love says. So if you can take the day off, do.

Hand Sanitizer Etiquette

For using sanitizer in public: When you use your own personal bottle of hand sanitizer, it's polite - but not required - to offer the sanitizer to the people you're with. The people we spoke to also agreed that it's rude to use hand sanitizer immediately after shaking hands with someone. Wait until you're no longer with them, or sanitize discreetly.

Sickness Etiquette For Kids and Families

When your child is sick: When your child is sick, but you feel fine, it's considered polite to give people you have to see a heads up that you have a sick kid at home. But you don't have to behave as if you're sick too, unless you start experiencing symptoms. This is a tricky scenario - and a good compromise. "For any illness, the 'attack rate' isn't 100 percent even if you live with someone who's sick," Dr. Love says. "[Getting sick] isn't a guarantee, but the risk is higher."
When a parent is under the weather: When you're sick, but your child seems fine, it's polite to encourage them to be extra-diligent with hand washing, masking, and social distancing, and give people they'll be seeing socially a heads up that their parent is sick.
When someone else's kid is under the weather: If a fellow parent at your child's school or daycare admits to sending their child in when they're in violation in the facilities' sick day policies, it's not rude to alert the facility - but offering backup childcare solutions or asking more about why they feel they have to do so is also a nice thing to do. Notably, this is a rule in which the public's and Dr. Love's perspectives diverged. While the people who responded to this question in our mini survey noted you're not compelled to alert the facility, Dr. Love says, "I think the daycare should be notified." It's not about tattling, but "being aware of the public health impact of these decisions (see [last year's] measles outbreak in Philly)," she explains.

And One Last General Rule of Thumb:

It's never OK to lie about being sick or your symptoms.

- Additional reporting by Chandler Plante

Mirel Zaman (she/her) is the former health and fitness director at Popsugar. She has over 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, covering fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.

What Is Lupus? An MD Breaks Down the Autoimmune Condition

Ginny Graves — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:45:02 -0700

This informational guide, part of Popsugar's Condition Center, lays out the realities of this health concern: what it is, what it can look like, and strategies that medical experts say are proven to help. You should always consult your doctor regarding matters pertaining to your health and before starting any course of medical treatment.

You may be more broadly familiar with lupus as celebrities have gotten more open and honest about their experience with the autoimmune condition in recent years. But what is lupus, exactly? And how do people get lupus? A simple way to explain it: lupus occurs when the immune system mistakes the body's own healthy tissue as a foreign invader and attacks it, causing widespread tissue damage and inflammation. "The body essentially becomes allergic to itself," says rheumatologist Daniel Wallace, MD.

The causes of lupus isn't certain either, but experts have a few theories as to why certain people are more impacted than other (more on that below). For example, 90 percent of people with lupus are women, mostly in their childbearing years, and the condition can be fatal in some instances, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. Ther are also a handful of other morbidities associated with the condition, like an increased risk of heart disease and pregnancy complications, so being aware of its symptoms and bringing them to the attention of a doctor is critical.

Ahead, experts break down everything you need to know about the condition, including what causes lupus, how lupus is diagnosed, lupus symptoms and risk factors, and treatment for lupus.

Experts Featured in This Article

Daniel Wallace, MD, is an LA-based rheumatologist and a member of the Lupus Research Alliance board of directors.

What Is Lupus?

Lupus falls is an autoimmune disease that "occurs when the body immune system attacks your own tissues and organs," per the Mayo Clinic. It involves a spectrum of symptoms and can affect several different organ systems, including the skin, heart, kidneys, joints, lungs, blood, and brain (in 50 percent of systemic lupus cases, there is major-organ involvement).

There are two main types of lupus: systemic and cutaneous. "Systemic lupus, the most common type, involves the organs, and people who have it are usually fairly easy for medical professionals to identify," Dr. Wallace says. "Cutaneous lupus causes achiness and rashy skin."

Symptoms of Lupus

Lupus symptoms can vary from person to person and day to day, ranging from mild to very severe. Some common symptoms of lupus include:

Extreme fatigue
A butterfly-shaped rash on the cheeks and nose
Headaches
Low-grade fever
Swelling or stiffness in the joints
Chest pain when you breathe deeply
Dry eyes
Skin lesions that can worsen with sun exposure
Fingers and toes that change color with cold temperature or stress

Fatigue is often the most debilitating factor, limiting ability to function mentally and physically. Most people with the illness don't suffer continuously, though. The disease often alternates between flares, or periods of disease activity, that can vary across a person's lifetime and with treatment. The flares can range from mild symptoms to downright debilitating.

What Causes Lupus?

No one knows the exact cause of the syndrome, but a combination of factors likely come into play, including genes, environment, and hormones, per the Mayo Clinic.

Lupus is about 25 percent genetic, according to twin studies, Dr. Wallace says. There are more than 50 genes associated with the condition.
Environmental factors such as excessive sun exposure, cigarette smoking, infections like Epstein-Barr virus, and exposure to silica dust in agricultural and industrial areas may all increase the risk.
Certain drugs, including penicillin and other commonly prescribed antibiotics, may trigger symptoms.
Stress and trauma may be associated with lupus risk. A 2017 study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology found that women who experienced post-traumatic stress disorder after incidents like serious car accidents or sexual assault were three times as likely to have lupus - and those who were exposed to trauma but didn't develop PTSD had more than double the risk of their non-traumatized peers.
Estrogen is somehow associated with lupus, doctors believe, given that the condition primarily affects women of childbearing age. Some people with the condition are more symptomatic before their periods or during pregnancy, when estrogen is high. "If you have lupus, you should talk to your doctor about whether it's safe to use hormonal birth controls or hormone therapy," Dr. Wallace says. Also, while people with lupus can have normal, safe pregnancies, they're considered "high-risk pregnancies" because of their condition.

Black people tend to be disproportionately affected by the condition: they are three times more likely to get lupus than white people, per the CDC. Latine, Asian, Native American, and Alaska Native people are also more commonly affected by lupus. This disparity may be due to several barriers, including language or communication, lack of access to care, inadequate or lack of healthcare coverage, and stress caused by racial discrimination, reports the American Journal of Epidemiology.

How Is Lupus Diagnosed?

Receiving a lupus diagnosis is no easy feat as symptoms vary from person to person and can change over time. "A lupus diagnosis can take up to six years from the time symptoms are first noticed. You might have to advocate for yourself to see a rheumatologist, who is better trained to identify the condition," Dr. Wallace tells PS. (This short quiz from The Lupus Foundation of America can help you discern whether you should ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist.)

In order to diagnose lupus, experts will use a combination of blood and urine tests, symptom analysis, and physical examination, as there is no one test for the condition. They may also rely on imaging or a biopsy, if the condition is suspected to have impacted your lungs, heart, or kidneys.

How Is Lupus Treated?

Early diagnosis and avoiding triggers for the disease, like excessive sun exposure, can help people with lupus manage their symptoms. There are a range of medications that are used to treat it, from antimalarial medications like hydroxychloroquine to steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Patients with organ-threatening disease might require chemotherapy or other specialized treatments, Dr. Wallace adds.

Lupus is often categorized as an "invisible illness," and experts emphasize that it's important to advocate for SLE testing or for an appointment with a rheumatologist when you aren't finding answers to "invisible" symptoms such as recurrent joint pain, fever, and severe fatigue. "Educate yourself about the disease - lupus advocacy organizations have high-quality information - and call your doctor when you get a fever or swollen joints," Dr. Wallace says.

Talk to your doctor about diet and exercise, too. Both can help you feel better and function better, but you need to make sure you're making the best choices for you and your particular condition. "If you're on steroids, for instance, you want to limit carbs and cholesterol," Dr. Wallace says. "The best exercise includes range of motion, like Pilates, tai chi, and yoga. Anxiety and stress reduction is vital, too."

- Additional reporting by Alexis Jones

Ginny Graves is an award-winning writer in the San Francisco Bay Area whose work focuses on science, psychology, health, nature, and the human-animal bond. In addition to PS, her features have appeared in Time, Vogue, Runner's World, Men's Health, O The Oprah Magazine, Elle, Prevention, Scientific American, and National Geographic Adventure.

What to Eat When You Have Lupus, According to Experts

Lauren Manaker — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:40:03 -0700

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by the body's immune system attacking its own tissues and organs. This can cause inflammation in various parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs. And while living with lupus requires management of symptoms and understanding of the condition, it's also important to note there isn't a one-size-fits-all "lupus diet."

Some people, however, find that certain foods can impact their symptoms either positively or negatively. Identifying and incorporating foods that can help manage your symptoms, along with those to avoid, can be a beneficial part of your overall lupus management strategy.

Ahead, Popsugar spoke to dietitians and a rheumatologist about creating a lupus diet that is most beneficial for symptom management, as well as what foods to eat with lupus and what foods to avoid.

Experts Featured in This Article

Micaela Bayard, MD, is a rheumatologist at Mount Sinai and the associate professor of medicine at The Icahn School of Medicine.

Mascha Davis, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and author of "Eat Your Vitamins".

How Does Your Diet Impact Lupus?

Like many conditions, dietary choices may impact symptoms associated with lupus, with some caveats to keep in mind. "Lupus is an autoimmune condition, so it can't be cured by just changing your diet," Chrissy Arsenault, registered dietitian at Trainer Academy, told PS. "However, consuming a nutrient-dense diet is an essential part of a holistic approach to treatment."

"Periods of increased lupus disease activity or lupus flares are a result of inflammation," adds rheumatologist Micaela Bayard, MD. Because of this, Dr. Bayard says anything that leads to decreased inflammation may prevent or limit flare symptoms - including eating or avoiding certain foods.

Consulting with a healthcare provider or a dietitian can help in tailoring a dietary plan that suits an individual's specific needs and conditions.

Food to Avoid With Lupus

People living with lupus should consider avoiding certain types of foods that may exacerbate their symptoms or trigger flare-ups. While trigger foods can vary from person to person, there are some general foods and beverages our experts recommend limiting when you have lupus, including:

Alcohol: It may potentially trigger flares due to its immunosuppressive properties, exacerbating symptoms and increasing the risk of kidney involvement, a common lupus complication.
Alfalfa sprouts: While beloved by many, these microgreens "contain an amino acid called L-canavanine that may stimulate the immune system, potentially leading to flare-ups in individuals with lupus," Dr. Bayard explains. Because of this, this food may be best left off of the dishes of those with lupus.
Foods high in salt: These foods may elevate blood pressure and stress the kidneys, an organ that lupus may affect. Pickles, ultra-processed meats (like bacon and sausage), and many canned soups are just a few items that are typically high in sodium.
Sugary beverages, ultra-processed snacks, and fried foods: Foods that fall into this category (like regular soda, fried chicken wings, and fried potato chips) can also negatively affect those with lupus as they're considered pro-inflammatory foods. "Some research indicates that reducing added sugars may alleviate lupus symptoms, but there is not yet enough evidence to conclude that sugar directly causes lupus symptoms," says dietitian Mascha Davis, MPH, RD.

Food to Eat With Lupus

For those managing a lupus diagnosis, a balanced and nutritious diet can play a crucial role in maintaining overall health and managing symptoms. "Overall, there is no one best lupus diet, and the best balance of food and supplements is specific to the needs of each individual living with lupus depending on their most active symptoms," Dr. Bayard tells PS. That said, there are also some foods experts believe can be particularly useful for those who have lupus, including:

The Mediterranean diet: This eating plan is thought to have a positive impact on lupus health, per Dr. Bayard. One study published in Rheumatology showed that, among people with lupus, greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was linked to better heart health and lower disease activity vs. those who did not follow this dietary pattern. The researchers suggest that one reason why these positive effects were observed is because of the anti-inflammatory nature of this diet. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes consuming the following foods: plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, alongside olive oil as a major source of healthy fat. It also includes moderate amounts of fish and poultry, with a reduced intake of red meat and dairy products, promoting heart health and supporting weight management.
Foods that provide calcium: Food sources high in calcium (like leafy greens, milk, and tofu) can be beneficial for bone and joint health in lupus, Dr. Bayard says.
Fish and nuts: Both are rich in omega-3s which can be beneficial for heart health in lupus, Dr. Bayard tells PS.
Dark-colored produce: Cherries, beets, and leafy greens, and other dark-colored produce are rich in antioxidants and should therefore be a part of a lupus-friendly diet, Davis shares. Antioxidants can combat oxidative stress, which may thereby reduce inflammation and potentially reduce flare-ups among some people with lupus.
Vitamin D foods: People with lupus tend to have low levels of vitamin D due to a combination of lupus disease activity, corticosteroid use, and avoiding sunlight. Vitamin D impacts bone health, and lower levels of it are linked to negative bone health outcomes. Fatty fish, eggs (with the yolk), fortified milk and dairy alternatives can help fuel the body with vitamin D.

Outside of food, Dr. Bayard also considers supplements as a potentially beneficial component of the "lupus diet". As more research becomes available, "we may find more about the benefits of many of the supplements that have been suggested to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects: curcumin, turmeric, selenium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E," Dr. Bayard says.

That said, all of our experts agree that every body is different and when it comes to eating a "lupus diet," there is no one plan. For this reason, consulting with your healthcare provider can help you navigate your diet in the safest and most beneficial way.

Lauren Manaker is an award-winning registered dietitian and freelance writer who is passionate about providing evidence-based nutrition information in a fun and interesting way.

Doctors Told Me Anxiety Was Making Me Sick, Then I Was Diagnosed With Lupus

Caitlin Flynn — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:40:03 -0700

"I'm not leaving this office until you run an ANA test and give me a satisfactory explanation for why I'm not really sick," I told my doctor, wiping away tears of frustration and distress. It was late 2017, and, after years of desperately trying to get a diagnosis for the increasingly debilitating symptoms of what we now know is lupus, I was at my wit's end. I couldn't take it anymore - and by "it," I'm referring to both the untreated illness and the parade of doctors who had dismissed my symptoms.

It had been five years since I'd experienced my first symptom of the autoimmune disease: extreme fatigue. I was in my early 20s, and, like pretty much everyone else, I was familiar with feeling exhausted after pulling an all-nighter before an exam or staying out too late on a work night. But this was completely different - no matter how much I slept, I woke up feeling unrefreshed, and if I didn't set an alarm on the weekends, I could easily sleep for 12 hours straight.

A few months later, I began experiencing unexplained joint pain and spiking high fevers despite not having the flu or a virus. I made an appointment with my primary care doctor in the hopes that she'd be able to shed some light on what might be causing these symptoms. She ran the most basic blood test possible and, when it came back normal, concluded that I was just stressed out and my physical problems were related to my anxiety disorder. At the time, I didn't know that lupus, like many other autoimmune illnesses, requires a slew of lab tests in order to be detected.

I was perplexed by my doctor's conclusion. Although I agreed that anxiety could be the cause of my fatigue, it seemed unlikely that it was the reason my fever spiked to 103 on a regular basis. But I figured she knew best, so I didn't push the matter. When my symptoms intensified several months later, I decided to get a second opinion and scheduled an appointment with a different doctor - but the outcome was the same. Both doctors had excellent credentials, so I began to wonder if the problem was me. They'd both referenced my history of anxiety and depression when they concluded I wasn't physically ill, so I became fearful that I was "crazy" and I'd either brought the symptoms on myself or wasn't mentally well enough to understand them.

I got sicker, but I felt ashamed after two doctors had told me that nothing was wrong. I always thought doctors were on my side and would want to help a patient who was experiencing a great deal of physical pain. So even as my symptoms got worse, I didn't go back to a doctor for a full year. I couldn't bear the thought of another medical professional telling me the pain was all in my head. Then, the illness became so severe that I struggled to function. Getting out of bed in the morning required a Herculean effort, and my body was so weak that I felt exhausted after performing the smallest tasks. I lost weight, and my concerned boss frequently sent me home from work early because it was clear to her and my coworkers that something was very wrong.

It had been two years since I'd first exhibited symptoms of lupus when my mother was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which is also an autoimmune illness. Because autoimmune diseases run in families, I went to another doctor and shared this information. By this time, my mom and I had already begun researching my symptoms in an effort to figure out what was causing them - doctors weren't willing to do the task, so someone had to.

No, I didn't plan to diagnose myself based on what WebMD told me, but I hoped that if I arrived at my next appointment armed with some knowledge, the doctor would be more likely to take me seriously. Because the symptoms of lupus mimic those of other illnesses, including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, I still wasn't sure what illness I had, but I did know I was sick and I needed treatment in order to remain a functional human being.

I went to a fourth doctor, who once again blamed stress and anxiety for my fatigue, body pain, and headaches. I brought up the fevers, and she responded that I probably have a weak immune system and catch more colds and viruses than I realize. At this point, it was incredibly difficult to stay calm, but I knew that if I flew off the handle, I would only give the doctor more reason to chalk up my symptoms to a mental illness.

Shortly after that appointment, I moved from New York City to Seattle and found a new primary care doctor. We went over my medical history, but she was unconcerned by my symptoms. Then I visited my best friend in Austin to celebrate her birthday. I've always been sensitive to the sun and extreme temperatures, but this time was different thanks to the photosensitivity caused by lupus. I developed a butterfly rash on my face - although it's considered a telltale sign of lupus, not everyone with the illness gets it, and this was my first time.

When I got home, I went back to the doctor and showed her photos I'd taken of myself after developing the rash. I was now fairly confident that lupus had been causing my symptoms all along, and I reasoned that seeing is believing. And this time, I wasn't backing down.

I had done more research, and I knew an anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) test is the most sensitive diagnostic test for confirming the illness. "It's possible to get a false positive on an ANA test," the doctor told me. I was aware of that, but it was irresponsible and straight-up lazy to not even run the test and explore the possibility that I have lupus. She continued to push back, telling me that if the test came back negative, I would be upset. That's when I told her I wasn't leaving her office until she took my illness seriously. When it came back positive, I asked to be referred to an autoimmune specialist.

The specialist ran more tests, and, five years after its onset, I was finally diagnosed with lupus. I was put on two medications for the illness, and, at my new doctor's recommendation, I also began acupuncture and medical massages. Although I still struggle with flare-ups and go through rough patches, my treatment regimen has helped enormously, and it has changed my life. I no longer sleep through weekends, and I'm able to travel, hike, and work out again.

It may sound as though I had bad luck, but unfortunately, my case is ordinary; it takes an average of nearly six years for people to be diagnosed with lupus. To be clear, I understand that lupus isn't a simple illness to diagnose, but what's completely unacceptable to me is that my doctors didn't even try to figure out why I was having such intense physical symptoms. Instead, they took the easy way out and used my anxiety disorder against me. The bottom line is that we know our bodies better than anyone else - and, at the end of the day, we're the ones who have to live every single day with the illness. Whether you have lupus or another tough-to-diagnose illness, trust your instincts, and if your current doctor won't take your symptoms seriously, find one who will.

Caitlin Flynn is a journalist, editor, and content strategist covering culture, social justice, human rights, and health.

Why Women in Pain Are Still Begging Doctors to Listen

Alisa Hrustic — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:40:00 -0700

Abigail Libers experienced her first string of daily headaches when she was just 12 years old. As her pain intensified, her mom booked appointments with a doctor, a chiropractor, and an acupuncturist. "We talked to so many people trying to figure out what was wrong with me," Libers recalls. "None of them said the word migraine."

Libers, a freelance journalist, vividly remembers one of her first consultations with an older male doctor. "I told him I had a headache every day. He was like, 'Every day? That's not possible.' I felt like he thought I wasn't telling the truth." Frustrated by the lack of answers, she started acting like the headaches weren't happening, a tactic she relied on throughout high school, college, and her early 20s. "I was in denial for a long time," she says. "I pushed through a tremendous amount of pain, and no one knew."

Libers is among the nearly 25 percent of women in the US who live with chronic pain. Today, she no longer hides her migraine attacks, which she likens to a knife being screwed into her head. After seeing a slew of specialists over many years, she now has an arsenal of tools to treat her chronic migraine, an often debilitating neurological condition, but still deals with pain daily. "It's just a question of how bad it is," she says.

Pain is tough to diagnose and treat because no two people experience it the same way. "It's not like your blood pressure or your heart rate. There is no objective way to measure pain," explains professor of orthopedic surgery Kimberly Templeton, MD.

Yet women carry a heavy and unique burden. Women's pain is frequently misdiagnosed, brushed off, or ignored by healthcare providers. Studies show women are more likely to experience chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia and migraine - and perceive pain more intensely - than men. There's a host of excruciating health conditions that only affect the reproductive systems of people assigned female at birth, like endometriosis and uterine fibroids, which are easily missed or undertreated. We also know that women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety - feelings that are often seen as emotional overreactions versus chronic conditions that can increase pain sensitivity.

And that's all just the tip of the (very sharp) iceberg. Here's why our healthcare system continues to fail women in pain, how experts are trying to shrink the pain gap, and how to advocate for yourself if you're not getting the help you need.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Kimberly Templeton, MD, is a professor of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center, as well as the past president of the American Medical Women's Association.

Akiko Okifuji, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pain management and a member of the treatment team at the University of Utah Pain Management Center.

Janiece L. Taylor, PhD, is a Johns Hopkins School of Nursing assistant professor who researches pain disparities in older women of color and people aging with disabilities.

Fadel Zeidan, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology in the Center of Pain Medicine and the director of the Pain Health and Mindfulness Laboratory at UC San Diego.

A Healthcare System Built on Biases

Pain isn't just a literal zap! to your body tissues. It's a biopsychosocial phenomenon, says pain researcher Akiko Okifuji, PhD. It's influenced by biological traits, like your family's health history or past injuries; your psychological state, or emotional and mental well-being; and social factors including things like cultural norms and whether or not you have affordable health insurance. All of these things can be pieces in your pain puzzle.

"We're expected to take care of everyone else before we take care of ourselves."

And this is where the pain gap starts to widen: Many women have been conditioned to feel like they're pestering their doctor with too many questions or overstating how much they're hurting. Women are told it's "normal" to live with pain because they experience it monthly. From a young age, girls are socialized to be nice, nurturing, and selfless. "We're expected to take care of everyone else before we take care of ourselves," Dr. Templeton says. Women may try to tamp down their bodies' warning signals - even if they're flashing red - leading to devastating delays in care.

Photographer Eva Woolridge will never forget rushing to urgent care in 2018 after about three weeks of on-and-off abdominal pain. She initially tried to brush it off, not wanting to "dramatize" her symptoms, but the "internal stabbing" got so bad, so suddenly, that she toppled over and started projectile vomiting. Her white female doctor cracked jokes during the appointment and brushed it off as food poisoning.

Stunned by the interaction, Woolridge headed to the ER, where she waited 40 minutes to be seen, despite her severe pain. "I felt so helpless," says Woolridge, who channeled her experience into an award-winning photography project. "I was in such disbelief at how the system was failing me. They weren't listening to me." Meanwhile, a grapefruit-sized dermoid cyst was blocking the blood supply to one of her ovaries.

Black Women Face Even Harsher Realities

As a Black woman, Woolridge remembers thinking, "It's happening to me. I'm a statistic." Unfortunately, her experience is in fact all too common and distressing, especially for women of color. Pain doesn't discriminate, but unfortunately, people do, points out Janiece L. Taylor, PhD, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing who researches pain disparities in older women of color and people aging with disabilities. "Expectations and beliefs surrounding Black women can really influence how their pain is assessed and treated," she says.

The US healthcare system has a sordid history of medical racism, and blatantly false beliefs about Black people's bodies persist. A 2016 study found that a whopping 40 percent of first- and second-year medical students believed Black people have "thicker skin" than white people; trainees who believed Black people were less sensitive to pain were also less likely to prescribe effective treatments. Research has also shown that Black patients who land in the ER are 40 percent less likely to receive pain relievers than white patients.

When Woolridge's doctors told her they needed to remove her affected ovary, her dad sprung into action, asking question after question to ensure the procedure was necessary. Historically, when women (especially women of color) complained of reproductive issues like pelvic pain, doctors often performed major procedures, such as removing entire organs, Dr. Okifuji notes. In Woolridge's case, the procedure was warranted, but she was grateful to have a parent with knowledge of racial bias in the healthcare system as her advocate.

Race is one of the most glaring social determinants of health in the pain gap conversation, but scientists are digging into other factors too. Your level of education, how much money you make, access to healthcare and nutritious food, and the safety of your immediate environment can also tip the pain scales.

The Pain Gap Is Rooted in a Data Gap

Every expert Popsugar spoke with agreed that the gold standard for pain treatment is personalized care that adopts a multidisciplinary approach. For example, a woman with rheumatoid arthritis would ideally see a rheumatologist, a physical therapist, an orthopedic surgeon, and a mental health professional. "In our own disciplines, we have biases based on our focus and how we were trained as clinicians," Dr. Taylor explains. "That's why working with other disciplines is so important. We can check each other to develop the best plan with the patient."

But there are "fundamental questions" to answer and "significant knowledge gaps" to fill before we reach that level of personalized care for women, per a recent congressionally mandated report. Experts lack clear and consistent guidelines that would allow them to effectively diagnose, treat, and prevent many women's health issues, especially reproductive health conditions. Yet only about 9 percent of the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) grant spending focused on women's health research between 2013 and 2023. Critical departments like the Office of Research on Women's Health remain underfunded.

"Most studies that look at ways to try to improve pain do not consistently disaggregate data based on either sex or gender," Dr. Templeton explains. (Remember: Sex is based on biological characteristics and gender is a social construct.) "Unless we actually look at the patients who are involved in those studies, to see what the differences are between how women respond and how men respond, we're not going to make a lot of progress." Layering in social determinants of health is extremely important, she adds, but it will take a massive educational effort to power studies that are large enough to look at all of the significant variables and how they influence pain.

One example of why a sex-specific approach just might be a game-changer: A study published in 2024 suggests that opioids - some of our most powerful pain medications - can be less effective for women because of how women's bodies process pain. Researchers found that while men clearly rely on the body's natural opiate system (certain neurotransmitters that bind to receptors in the nervous system) to reduce pain, women seem to rely on a different body system for similar relief. It's one that scientists have yet to pinpoint, says study author Fadel Zeidan, PhD. "Once we discover that, then we could use therapies that we know target said system, and possibly optimize pain relief in a sex-dependent fashion."

But we're not quite there yet: "The biggest hurdle right now is funding," he adds. "It's expensive to do this work. It really takes a village to make it happen." (Including a woman's voice. Dr. Zeidan notes that this study, which he calls one of the biggest discoveries in his lab, was kicked off, in part, because an undergraduate female student - Mikaila Reyes, an author on the paper - wanted to look for potential sex differences in this natural opiate system.)

While women have been included in clinical trials in recent years, the science is slow-going, Dr. Okifuji notes. After all, researchers are building on a decades-long foundation of studies largely conducted in men or mice. It's promising that certain biological factors could help illuminate why women uniquely experience pain - from hormonal fluctuations to neurological differences - but scientists aren't always looking for or analyzing these disparities in the data, even when they do include women in their research. "If you don't look, you don't find," Dr. Templeton says. "You can't have personalized medicine until you have the data to show what those differences are."

Advocacy Can Fuel Hope - And Change

Where do we go from here? Dr. Templeton says pain researchers are focusing on building awareness around sex and gender differences at the source, baking it into the curricula taught to medical students. They're also working with academic institutions and medical journal leadership who influence proposals and guidelines for publishing studies.

For example, the NIH funded a 2023 symposium where editors and leaders from top orthopedic journals came together to discuss how to "fix" the lack of sex-specific data in medical research. "We published an editorial as a call to action for journals to find a way, from a publishing perspective, to address this," Dr. Templeton says.

The hope? "If journals take a stand on this, which several of them have, and set the bar that they will be looking for [sex-specific data], then the researchers will follow suit, ideally designing their studies to include the validity of the data for both women and men."

There's also a renewed spotlight on federal funding: The above report calls on Congress to catalyze serious change, with a recommendation to pump $15 billion into women's health research over the next five years. This would nearly double the average NIH annual investment.

Dr. Templeton notes that while people with certain conditions will never be 100 percent pain-free, doctors should still do everything possible to improve the quality of life for these patients. Unfortunately, that often means that women in pain are left to fight for the care they need and deserve.

Until We See Sweeping Change, Don't Hesitate to Speak Up

Remember, you know your body best. If something feels seriously off with your health but you're being brushed off by a doctor, keep the below tips in mind.

Push for a second (or third) opinion.

For Libers, finding the right neurologist - someone she felt genuinely safe with - made all the difference. "If you're uncomfortable with your doctor, you're not going to say what you need to say in your appointments - and that's a waste of your time and their time," she says.

That said, a lot of people (understandably) have a hard time navigating our complex healthcare system. If you're feeling overwhelmed, ask your current provider for a social worker to help you, says Dr. Taylor, who adds that you don't have to explain why. A social worker can help you parse through insurance requirements, connect you to financial aid and educational resources, and generally help advocate for your needs.

Interview your doctor.

Ask them about how they work, what they think your treatment plan should be, and whether or not they have personal experience with your condition. Pay attention to how they make you feel, Libers suggests. Are they rushing? Do they ask thoughtful questions about your symptoms? If you leave your appointment feeling disheartened, don't ignore the gut instinct to keep looking.

Connect with others.

At the height of the pandemic, Libers joined a support group for people with migraines, where members simply validate each other's pain, exchange treatment tips, and just vent with "people who get it." She says the experience has been crucial in her journey to finding relief.

Lean on someone you trust.

"Never downscale the pain you're feeling," Woolridge says. If possible, bring a trusted friend, family member, or partner with you. "You might be so overwhelmed by the actual pain that you need someone who can process the information doctors are telling you, challenge why certain actions are necessary, and be a witness to what they're saying," she explains.

Be an active participant in your care.

Tell your doctor when something doesn't work, Dr. Taylor says. For example, if they refer you to a physical therapist who's located somewhere you can't easily get to, that's a barrier worth bringing up. Or, if you tried a prescription medication and experienced a ton of side effects, be sure to mention that during your next appointment.

"Sometimes it feels like we're meant to be passive in the healthcare system," Dr. Taylor says. "But as patients, we definitely have a right to ask about the plan of care. Being a shared decision partner in that is so important."

Alisa Hrustic is a health, science, and lifestyle writer and editor with eight years of experience in digital media and service journalism. She's passionate about creating trustworthy wellness content that's rooted in science, inclusivity, and empathy. Most recently, she was the executive editor and health director at Self. She was previously the deputy editor at Prevention.com. Her work has also appeared in Men's Health and Women's Health.

I Sat in a Sauna Every Day For a Month - and Honestly, I'm Happier For It

Hayley Folk — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:30:02 -0700

A few years ago, a classmate in a nonfiction creative writing course I took in college turned in an essay that I've never quite forgotten: a 25-page piece all about her Finnish origin and her family's practice of daily saunaing.

Until her piece was passed out for peer review, I assumed most people's sauna routines mimicked mine; that is, they hit the sauna roughly once per year, during a visit to a trendy spa or bathhouse for a rare self-care day or for a friend's birthday or bridal shower.

I was wrong. As I learned from my classmate's piece, in Finnish culture, sauna-ing is not just a thing you do, but rather, a way of life. Finns literally invented the sauna, at least 2,000 years ago, and it's truly at the core of their culture. As my classmate put it, sauna-ing is a practice of meditation, love, family, honoring your body and, of course, taking care of your own health and well-being.

Oh, and one more thing that stuck with me from my classmate's essay: you may be pronouncing sauna - the only Finnish word you can find in the English dictionary, meaning "bath" or "bathhouse" - incorrectly. (I was!) It's pronounced SOW - rhymes with wow! - NAH, not SAW-NAH. And according to this classmate, who surely couldn't have imagined how often I'd think of their essay, saying SAW-NAH vs. SOW-NAH would be enough to get yourself uninvited to her family sauna.

Finally, after thinking about that 25-page essay and what it had taught me about the practice of sauna-ing for a few years, I decided to give it a real go. Sure, I could have visited a spa like Bathhouse more often, but some light online research led me to another option. I discovered that some people opt for installing an at-home sauna, too.

This may sound extreme for someone who, until that point, had only spent about five minutes in a sauna once a year. The truth is, it was extreme. But I couldn't stop wondering what my day-to-day would look like if I took sauna-ing as seriously as my morning coffee. Would my body and mind feel much lighter? How would other areas of my life change if I accepted the sauna as a way of life?

So, I did it. I installed an at-home sauna and sat in it every day for one month straight. Here's what happened.

Week One

In case you're unfamiliar, the practice of sauna-ing involves sitting in a heated, wooden room. Saunas can be dry, meaning they use hot stones or an electric heater to raise the room temp, or wet, meaning they use some sort of steam generator to create humidity as well as heat. My sauna was dry and the thermostat hovered around 150 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

While some people really don't like the heat of saunas, as someone who opts for hot yoga over "regular" classes every time, I wasn't too intimidated; I expected that my first few days of saunaing would remind me of stepping into my yoga studio after taking a few weeks off.

My inaugural visit to the sauna was a little more difficult than I expected, though. Stepping in, I felt immediately too hot and slightly winded. I sat on the wood stark nude - a nod to Finnish tradition. I managed to make it a whole five minutes before feeling overheated enough that I had to step outside.

While showering off, the afterglow set in. I felt tingly and refreshed, and that feeling stuck with me all day - then, as my experiment continued, all week. I started to look forward to my sauna session each morning, since it was such a reliable pick-me-up.

Week Two

When week two arrived, I was mostly excited to see if I could extend my sauna sessions past five minutes. While one small, older study published in the Medical Journal of Austria found that just three minutes of sauna-ing can improve cold symptoms, a review by RMIT University of 40 studies notes that Finnish sauna sessions mostly last from five to 20 minutes - much longer can put you at risk of issues like dehydration or blood pressure fluctuations, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

With that goal in mind, I brought a big jug of water into the sauna with me, laid out a towel beneath me, and tried to settle in for the (relatively) long haul. Each day, I tried to add on a little more time, and by the end of the second week, I was good to sit for 15 minutes fully, which felt really good on the chillier mornings.

Did I notice any big differences, though? I still felt tingly after my sauna sessions, but I'd say the biggest thing I noticed was a change in my skin texture. When I showered after, I could tell my skin was plumper and soaked up my skin-care regimen differently than when I didn't sauna. As a skin-care junkie, this was an unexpected but happily welcome side effect.

Week Three

They say it takes a person an average of 66 days to truly form a habit. But stepping into the sauna on week three, at day 15, I felt like sauna-ing could quickly become a daily ritual of mine.

This week, my goal was to stay in for 20 minutes and use this time to center myself. As someone who has suffered from anxiety and depression, I typically journal or use a meditation app for ten minutes at the start of my day, so I thought, "Why not meditate in the sauna?"

Now, in addition to the water jug and towel, I brought with me a waterproof speaker so I could play my morning meditation guide. The combination of heat and mindfulness was really nice. Every day, I noticed that it felt good for me to have a space meant solely for my own relaxation and grounding. Instead of being distracted by the noise of my upstairs neighbor or my computer calling to me, I was able to tell myself, "This is sauna time, nothing else."

Week Four

By day 22, I was really loving the daily sauna life. Every morning, I grabbed my water, towel, speaker, and of course, I had my birthday suit on just for the occasion and sat in the sauna by myself.

It was during week four that my classmate's sauna piece popped into my head yet again. I remembered how she said that for her, sauna-ing wasn't just about sweating, but about being with herself. I'd say that's how I felt this entire week. I already love alone time, but the sauna now felt like my very own sanctuary to enjoy just that.

By this time, I also felt like the actual benefits touted about sauna-ing - relaxed muscles, stress management, improved sleep - started to kick in, too. I'm super tense, especially around the shoulders and neck, but I found that I felt a little less tight in general. Plus, according to my OURA ring, my sleep score and resting heart rate had improved in comparison to my previous month.

What Did I Learn From My Daily Sauna Routine?

So, what did I learn? Did it actually change my day-to-day? Could I follow along with the Finnish and adopt it as a ritual? After doing it every day for a whole month, I absolutely think so.

While sometimes it's easy to say something has benefits and you should do it, we know that's not always the case, especially when it comes to health kicks. But with the sauna - a 2,000-year-old invention - I had high hopes. And while different bodies will respond differently to lifestyle changes, I'm happy to say that I did enjoy some noticeable benefits: better sleep, improved mental health, less muscle tension. I can't speak to some of the other benefits, like improved heart health, but I was happy with what I experienced.

For me, though, the biggest takeaway I had from my month-long sauna experience was this: it gave me a mental health routine I actually looked forward to. I was able to have a space that came to feel sacred, soft, and heart-opening. Even when I woke up not feeling my best, I could go to the sauna and reflect. I found that my classmate was right about what she had said: Sauna is not just about sweating out toxins or sitting naked in a wood box. It's about giving yourself the space and time to be with yourself.

Would I recommend sauna? Yes. While I won't go so far as to say that everyone has to literally build a sauna in their house like I did, I think anyone could get at least some benefit from adding a regular sauna session into their routine, if they're able to. Would I consider it a new life hack? Honestly, it just might be. Do I refer to it as SOW-NAH vs. SAW-NAH now? You better believe it.

Hayley Folk (she/her) is a freelance writer, editor, and podcast host based in New York City. She is the host of the "Naked Folk" podcast - a sexual wellness and relationships podcast - and she writes for major publications about the LGBTQ+ community, travel, lifestyle, sex, and wellness. In 2022, she received her master of fine arts in creative writing from The New School.

Winnie Harlow Has Some (Inner) Beauty Advice

Chandler Plante — Fri, 01 May 2026 06:00:02 -0700

Winnie Harlow knows a thing or two about feeling comfortable in your own skin. Growing up with non-segmented vitiligo, she didn't have many other people who looked like her. The autoimmune condition caused parts of her skin to lose their pigment, resulting in a mosaic of patches all over her body. Ask Harlow how she learned to feel beautiful living with a visible difference, and she'll tell you she always did. It was the rest of the world that needed to catch up.

"I was raised to feel like I was beautiful. I was raised seeing beautiful women in my family, and I was raised being told I was beautiful," Harlow tells Popsugar. "But the people at school [and] the stares I got - all those things started to make me feel insecure."

She remembers how parents warned their children not to play with Harlow, because they might "catch her skin." Classmates made fun of her vitiligo with insulting nicknames like "cow" and "zebra," and in high school, the bullying became physical. Harlow was forced to drop out and switch to homeschooling for some reprieve, where she was able to rebuild her self-esteem.

"Our opinion of ourselves should matter most."

"As a kid, you're so prone to wanting other people's approval," she says. "As we get more seasoned in life, we realize that our opinion of ourselves should matter most." For Harlow, that mindset shift started with a choice to educate herself about vitiligo, to show herself love, and to choose confidence (almost) every day. Her recent work on Incyte's The Power of Choice campaign empowers others living with vitiligo to make similar choices, and feel informed about their options in partnership with a dermatologist.

"I am confident by nature, and I'm confident by my Jamaican roots, but no one is confident every single day," Harlow says. "Like right now, I have the biggest pimple I've ever had in my entire life on my cheek," she laughs. The point isn't to ignore these insecurities, but to ensure they aren't dictating your life. "Some days you're going to be down, that's OK. But not every day," she says.

In deciding hers was the only opinion that really mattered, Harlow took her renewed sense of self and ran with it. She quickly built a following, secured major campaigns, and booked huge runway shows, becoming the first ever Victoria's Secret Angel with vitiligo. "I would've loved to see me on a 'Vogue' cover when I was a little girl. That would've made me feel so confident," she says. "So, you know what? I'm going to [do it]."

"I would've loved to see me on a 'Vogue' cover when I was a little girl."

It's not that Harlow ever lost sight of her own potential. It's just that the rest of the world tried to make her doubt herself. Even in the modeling world, she dealt with plenty of rejection before finding international success. That only re-affirmed her belief that beauty is not dependent on the approval of others. "If we were born on a stranded island, all by ourselves, and the only vision of beauty we ever had was us, we would think we're the most beautiful person in the world," Harlow says. "It's only when comparison comes into play that we lose that sense of self."

Harlow's vitiligo journey has taught her a lot about self-love, kindness, and what it really means to be beautiful. Truthfully, she's still learning. But in spite of all the hardship it caused her growing up, the condition also has its silver linings. "Although I do feel like I'm beautiful inside, the fact that people judge based on outward appearance - and I've been affected by that - makes me hyper aware to the inner beauty of people," she says. "That's something I really love."

Just as vitiligo changes over time, so does Harlow's relationship with the condition. But through rough patches and pinch-me moments, she's emerged as someone who no longer seeks validation. After all, she already has it from the most important source - herself. "Once I went to school, I was focused on other people's opinions. And what changed is that I wasn't focused on how people felt about my skin [anymore], because I felt I was beautiful," she explains, pointing to her personal growth.

"If you believe that you are beautiful, that's all that should matter," she says. "It's been really beautiful to make the younger me happy by believing in my own beauty."

Forest Bathing Isn't What I Expected - It's Better

Chandler Plante — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:06:31 -0700

I thought I knew what a forest bath was . . . until I took one myself. I imagined I would sit quietly among the trees, take in the sunlight for a moment or two, then dust my hands and go about my business. Quick, quiet, and distinctly solo. In another corner of my brain, there might be a drum circle or some partial nudity - just goes to show how off-base I really was.

"Forest bathing does not involve walking around the woods semi-naked," confirms Clara Schroeder, Columbia-trained ecotherapist and author of "Re-Nature: How Nature Helps Us Feel Better and Do Better." Despite this misconception, forest bathing is much more tame than some seem to think. "You are usually with a group led by a certified guide who is helping you deepen your connection with the natural environment, as well as with yourself," Schroeder explains. But what does that actually look like, and can it really help you feel more grounded?

The science points to yes. The practice (also known as "Shinrin-yoku"), originated in Japan in the 1980s as a government-funded health initiative to help prevent burnout and stress. And indeed, studies have shown that forest bathing has real benefits for mental and physical health. These include lower cortisol levels, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, lower blood pressure, improved immune function, and better sleep quality (to name a few).

One promising finding from Eventbrite's 2026 Social Study indicates that people are still reaping these benefits today, with forest bathing events up 25 percent in the US and UK on the platform. Whatever's happening at these forest baths, people just can't get enough, and I wanted in. Here's how I felt after taking two different forest baths myself.

My Garden Forest Bath

My first-ever forest bath was at the Huntington Gardens in Los Angeles. I met up with a group of fellow bathers, at which point our certified forest therapy guide led us deeper into the gardens. We sat on rows of secluded benches and started opening our senses, closing our eyes, picking out nearby sounds, and even trying to taste the forest air. After a full-body meditation, our guide asked us to share what we noticed. I responded "nostalgia," thinking back to the kinds of smells and sounds I remembered from playing outdoors as a kid. Funny how we have to re-learn that sense of play as adults.

One of my favorite parts was the breathwork exercise. Our guide had us inhale, then slowly exhale into a bubble wand, sending iridescent bubbles dancing all across the garden. We then had solo time to move across the grounds, feet sinking into the moss and snapping wayward twigs. It was interesting to see where people chose to go. Some picked one particular spot to reside - fascinated by a particular plant or spiderweb. Others, like myself, sought shade from the trees, or solitude in the tall grasses.

Moving into a more private area, we were told to collect "gifts from the garden" to share with the group (read: anything you could find on the floor). I found a cactus petal, a spiky sweetgum ball, and a bright orange fruit. We arranged our findings on a table and surveyed each other's loot like artwork in a museum. By the end, I felt incredibly grounded and connected to my surroundings. I could see what the forest bathing hype was all about.

My Full Moon Forest Bath

I enjoyed my initial forest bath so much, I decided to go a second time - this time, at night. My next forest bath was on a full moon at the Los Angeles Arboretum, where our guide encouraged us to walk around, moon gaze, and share whatever came up. The environment was overwhelmingly beautiful, with a large reflecting pool and a beautiful sunset, but I noticed my energy felt different. My group came back with responses like "grounding" and "healing," but embarrassingly, my words were more like "frustrated" and "stubborn." I wasn't sure what was prompting these emotions. Maybe my day had been more stressful. Or maybe the moon was bringing out a different side of me.

Afterwards, we sought shelter within the tangled branches of a massive tree on the outskirts of the Arboretum. We meditated within it, and I carefully climbed one of the limbs - strong and wide enough for me to lie completely flat on. I used to get in trouble for climbing trees, I thought to myself. Reuniting with my group, one woman told us how she's seen this tree a million times in the daylight, and even taken her kids to play there. But time flies, and they're all grown up now. "What a drop in the bucket that must be to this tree," she laughed. I loved her words, and in fact, I was touched by many of the community's takeaways. It wasn't only nature I was learning from.

Takeaways

Spending time in nature is powerful, no matter how you do it. But in my experience, forest bathing takes it a step further, challenging you to open your senses, get in touch with your emotions, and practice more intentional mindfulness. During both forest baths, I found it most difficult to slow down and listen to my body. In an increasingly tech-heavy world, it's not easy to re-kindle your relationship with nature (for me, at least). But in my opinion, it was worth the effort.

"We are living in extremely chaotic and uncertain times, where it's hard to find moments of genuine peace in our daily lives," Schroeder says. "Forest bathing is one of those wellness practices that truly brings you back to center."

It's interesting what you find when you stand still enough to notice. Forest bathing didn't always bring up positive emotions for me, but they were definitely honest. In forging a deeper connection with nature, I felt like I also connected more deeply with myself. Sometimes it was calming, and sometimes it was more invigorating (or even uncomfortable). But both times, it was very much needed.

I Did a No-Phone Coachella (and Loved It)

Chandler Plante — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:45:02 -0700

My phone is an extension of myself. Wherever I move, there it is right beside me. I don't know I'm running on empty until I'm served a video about burnout. I forget I've been sitting too long until an app nudges me to get moving. At concerts especially, I, like many, feel a desperate need to document every moment. But beyond my work in social media, I'm not entirely sure why. As soon as the lights dim, there's a flash of panic, and I reach up to hold my phone high over the crowd. And yet, I rarely ever watch the clips again.

At any given concert, you can look out into the audience and see an ocean of screens shining back at you. Coachella in particular is known for its splashy social media presence. Dubbed the "influencer Olympics," it's hard to get through your FYP this time of year without encountering a single Coachella GRWM. Brand activations are increasingly photo-worthy, artists are known to bring out exciting guests, and tickets are more expensive than ever. There's a lot of pressure to make your experience feel "worth it" - if you're not taking content of your own, you're hardly getting your money's worth.

There's a lot of pressure to make your experience feel "worth it."

Gearing up for my first-ever Coachella, I could feel the mounting pressure to post. It was hard to imagine a version of the weekend that didn't involve me behind a screen for most of it. Maybe I didn't trust myself to remember everything. Maybe I was bad at living in the moment. Or maybe (and most honestly), I just wasn't having as much fun as it seemed on social media.

It's not that I hate taking videos at a concert - I just didn't want to stress about it anymore. It's embarrassing to admit, but I needed to relearn how to be present and enjoy myself in the actual moment. To help me get there, I landed on a pretty extreme solution: Inspired by Pinterest's phone-free initiative, I decided to attend the entire festival solo . . . and off my phone. No photos, no videos – not even a mobile map or lineup - just a digital camera and good vibes. Read on to see how it went, from the magical pinch-me moments to the major learning curves.

Image Source: Courtesy of Chandler Plante / Pinterest

No-Phone Coachella Day 1

I wish I could say every day of no-phone Coachella was a breeze . . . but I'd be lying to you. I had prepared for the festival like a damn Girl Scout, toting around wet wipes, hand sanitizer, ear plugs, and a phone zipped within the depths of my anti-theft backpack. (I did keep my phone on, and shared my location with friends, just in case I got caught in a stampede of Beliebers.) The previous night, I drew a "mini-map" of the venue by hand, which ended up being a saving grace, and wrote my full lineup, set times, and venues on a separate piece of paper. I took photos on a disposable camera, marveled at how shaky my hands were becoming, and then met up with my cousin to brave the shuttle.

One short 90-minute drive later, and there I was, standing at the entrance of the festival. Unplugged and in the middle of the desert. In some ways, it felt freeing. I didn't have anyone to answer to - no one to argue or meet up with. But in pretty much every other way, it felt terrifying.

I started the day off slow, using my map to navigate towards the (air-conditioned) Pinterest activation. I checked out nostalgic festival trends, like "analog aesthetic," got my makeup done, mailed a handwritten letter to my apartment back in LA, and even made a new friend. I only made it to three sets that day (a far cry from the six or eight you'll see most people rushing to), but without a phone, I felt like I was able to enjoy the artists I did see on a deeper level. I was less distracted and less stressed as the day went on.

Image Source: Courtesy of Pinterest / Chandler Plante

No-Phone Coachella Day 2

Going into day two, I felt more confident in my game plan and determined to see more artists than the day before. Since I only had my mini-map and a few wayward signs to navigate the expansive festival grounds, I decided to stick to stages that were close to one another. An inadvertent perk of this new strategy? Less walking. I reunited with my new friend (the power of sharing your location) and we made it to the barricade together for one of my favorite musicians.

Later that day, we took a break and rode the Ferris wheel together, watching the sun set over the Coachella Valley. Fine, yes, we took a photo (on the digital camera, I swear!), but this ended up being one of the phone-free moments I remembered most vividly later on. "Core memory," my friend said from the opposite side of the gondola. We ate pizza and danced to The Strokes together, proving you can find some really amazing people at the festival, even if you had every intention of doing it alone.

No-Phone Coachella Day 3

My last day of Coachella was bittersweet. I wasn't able to find my friend, and I couldn't pull out my phone to text her, so I did the day truly solo. That said, I did get to see some of my most-loved artists. I watched Gigi Perez bring out Noah Cyrus, and I was able to enjoy the surprise instead of fishing around for my phone to record. Later, at Foster The People, I danced with strangers to "Pumped Up Kicks" and "Coming of Age" underneath soft pink skies. (Hashtag no filter.)

The most anticipated set of my whole Coachella trip was FKA twigs. She performed in a tent I hadn't been to yet, but I was surprised how quickly I found it (thanks, mini-map). As I waited for Twigs to come on, I started connecting with my fellow "Twig-lets," bonding over our favorite albums and most anticipated songs. When the music I started, I danced, I cheered, and of course, cried during her performance of "Cellophane." In being moved to tears, I realized I had officially grown comfortable being in the present moment.

Image Source: Courtesy of Pinterest

No-Phone Coachella Takeaways

Coachella is a pretty unorthodox place to do a total digital detox. Logistically, there are some tasks that are just easier with a phone in your hand - mobile payments, communication, transportation, safety precautions, to name a few. But if you can't enjoy a beautiful moment without reaching for your phone, this festival really is the perfect place to turn that around. With a little preparation, no-phone Coachella is honestly easier than you might think.

In my case, forgoing my phone allowed me to focus on real-life connections, great music, and happy concert flashbacks. I remembered them all more vividly, and I noticed how they made me feel. In the end, I connected with one of my all-time favorite artists in a way I probably wouldn't have been able to with the mindset I had a few weeks ago. And in that sense, what started off as an intimidating endeavor ended up being a real gift. I'm walking away with new friends, new music, and of course, plenty of core memories.

These "Slow Dopamine" Activities Could Help You Reset Your Mental Health

Kristine Thomason — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:00:02 -0700

Lately, it seems like everyone is nostalgic for the '90s - and I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree. As a child of the decade, there was something so magical about a time where screens were limited to boxy TVs in the living room or bulky, stationary computers. Social media didn't monopolize our every waking moment, and instead we spent time on tangible activities and hobbies that required our full attention.

Now, with our computers (ahem, smartphones) seemingly glued to our hands, we're not only available at all times, but also carry a mode of constant distraction. And, as most of us intuitively feel, this lifestyle could be wreaking havoc on our mental health. Namely, we're messing with the way dopamine is produced and received in our brains (for context: dopamine is a neurotransmitter that's integral to our brain's reward system, and it influences feelings of pleasure, motivation, mood, and more.)

Experts Featured in This Article

Nicole Vignola, MSc, is a neuroscientist, brain health consultant, and founder of the Mental Currency Method.

"The underlying rule for dopamine is you want effort involved in reward," says neuroscientist Nicole Vignola, MSc. However, activities like scrolling on social media (along with gambling, doing drugs, or drinking alcohol) lead to a massive spike in dopamine, but don't require any significant effort.

"If you've got this volatile spike and then a volatile drop, you're always going to be in this reward-seeking behavior," she explains. "Not only that, but your brain is also going to start to prioritize immediate rewards over long-term gains." This could look like scrolling for hours instead of reading, or even opting for quick, unhealthy dinners rather than putting effort into cooking a nutritious meal. And so, it perpetuates a vicious cycle.

However, there's an alternative: "slow dopamine" habits. What does this look like, exactly? I chatted with Vignola about the difference between slow and fast dopamine, why this matters for our brain health, and how to shift our habits in a practical, sustainable way.

Why Slow Dopamine Is Good For Our Health

Dopamine increases in two different ways: in response to trying to obtain a reward, and also when we have a spontaneous reward. "The slow release of working for something means you have a sustained rise, and then you've got a sustained drop," Vignola says. Whereas, if you're getting "quick dopamine" or "cheap dopamine," as she puts it, you'll experience that aforementioned huge spike and then a huge drop.

"The problem is that with dopamine there's a refractory period, meaning it needs time to replenish," Vignola explains. And, after a rapid, high-intensity spike in dopamine, the baseline level of dopamine drops much lower than the original level, which can lead to a state of lower motivation and energy. It also means you need a bigger dose to feel as much fulfillment or enjoyment from whatever you're doing, says Vignola. "That's why social media starts to feel like this hamster wheel, seeking reward but not really feeling anything."

Slow dopamine, however, "refers to anything that requires you to put in effort to attain the result," says Vignola. That includes going for a walk, washing the dishes, exercising, sauna and cold bathing - really anything that involves time, effort, and delayed gratification. And, the absolute best kind of dopamine comes from working on a long-term goal, over time. Think: committing to learning guitar, and setting aside time each day to work towards that skill.

How to Incorporate More Slow-Dopamine Activities Into Your Routine

Last year, I felt so fed up with my screen dependency - especially when I became acutely aware that it was having a negative impact on my anxiety levels and ability to focus. So, I decided to take a "dopamine reset trip," aka three days without screens, excessive caffeine, processed food, or passive entertainment. Instead, I engaged in slow-dopamine, low-stimulation activities: exercising, reading, writing, and spending time in nature. And, I have to say, it was incredible just how much I started to feel like the best version of myself, in a short amount of time.

Ever since that experience, I've been determined to bring those changes into my everyday life, wherever possible. I tried practicing intermittent digital fasting, where I stop looking at screens an hour before bed and an hour after waking. And, I've been using the Brick - a physical device that locks me out of social media and distracting apps. Most recently, however, I started thinking about those slow-dopamine habits Vignola taught me about, and how I could prioritize them in the name of my mental well-being.

After my dopamine reset trip, Vignola told me that one of the best ways to break our ties to cheap dopamine is to replace rather than just remove: "The brain is wired for stimulation, but when we're thoughtful about what we feed it, we can shift from compulsive consumption to conscious engagement."

And, these changes don't need to be drastic. She recommends simply taking a walk in the morning rather than checking your phone the moment your eyes open. Or, reading in the evening before bed rather than scrolling.

Personally, I'm making it a goal to reconnect with the screen-free activities that brought me joy as a child, such as reading, playing piano, sewing, and crafting. Admittedly, as I've tried to pick up these hobbies again, I've experienced some mental friction - as if my adult brain has an aversion to putting effort into tasks that exist outside of my work. However, in the moments that I've allowed myself to lean in - to sit at the piano and play, even if it's challenging, and even if I don't get it perfectly right away - I've felt an astonishing sense of peace and enjoyment. And I've been feeling a sense of fulfillment after trying these hobbies again, rather than the shame or guilt I often experience after getting sucked into a social media rabbit hole.

This whole concept may seem shockingly simple, but the reality is these small changes can have a profound impact on our brain and mental health. So, I encourage you to try to add a few slow-dopamine habits into your routine this spring and beyond - whether that's simply walking each day or listening to a podcast that teaches you something new. The way Vignola sees it: "As you do minor tweaks, you start to realize that life is actually more enjoyable."

Life is too short to spend hours passively behind my phone getting cheap hits of dopamine. I want to live a full, beautiful life - and for me, the first step is embracing activities that bring me back to the real world and back to myself.

Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women's Health. Kristine's work has also appeared in PS, Travel + Leisure, Men's Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.

Khloé Kardashian Promises the Protein Trend Is Here to Stay

Chandler Plante — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:12:59 -0700

For Khloé Kardashian, protein isn't just a passing trend. Over the course of the last decade, she's dedicated herself to what she calls a total "lifestyle overhaul" which has touched on fitness, nutrition, and self-care. The first step was getting serious about her workout routine, which now includes cardio, resistance training, and high-intensity exercises. But looking back on her journey, getting active was actually the easy part.

For Kardashian, the hardest part of wellness has always been nutrition. At first, she was unsure of the kinds of foods that might best support her fitness goals. Then, she wanted options that actually tasted good. Although she's aware of the current protein boom, Kardashian's decision to launch Khloud protein snacks was more inspired by her personal wellness journey than the latest nutrition buzzword. Well . . . that, and her frustration with all the "bro-ey" products occupying the protein space.

In celebration of Khloud's new protein chip launch (available April 8), we caught up with Kardashian about her current approach to health and fitness, and how she's keeping up in 2026. Read on to get her thoughts on everything from self-care to family-friendly wellness hacks.

Popsugar: Why was it important for you to make sure this snack had great macros?
Khloé Kardashian: I've been on a health journey - I would say a lifestyle overhaul. I started at least 10 years ago . . . and I've always had [more] battles in the kitchen. I built up the endurance and the self-motivation to get in the gym, and now I love it and I can't see my life without working out. It's not necessarily about a weight or a number I'm looking for on the scale. It's just about feeling good, and the release I get mentally. It's a form of therapy for me. The kitchen part of it - the dietary, nutritional part of it - my education on that came much later. And I realized you can work out for literally hours and hours and you won't gain muscle if you're not consuming the right amount of protein.

I started eating differently, but I don't eat a lot of meat or fish, so I needed other ways to get my protein, and I'm such a snacker by nature. I would eat other protein-based snack brands, but they were super bro-ey, more masculine. The taste was not for me. I'm always going to be that chubby girl at heart where I want taste to come before anything. And that's how Khloud was born.

PS: Protein is having a huge moment in the wellness space - how do you feel about that?
KK: I'm totally here for it, and I love that it's having its moment, but I just don't want it to be a trend.

I had so much to learn when doing Khloud. We just so happened to [align] with the protein buzzword at the moment, but I really believe in it so much. I think it's something that all real fitness people have been doing, but [when they do it] it's like eight eggs or meat, and that's not always realistic, at least for my lifestyle. I'm a grab-and-go type of girl. And I think a lot of people are - especially busy moms.

All of this stuff, yes, it's becoming popular right now, but I think we're just becoming more aware and educated on what these things do to the makeup of our body and how beneficial it is. I really think this is just the new norm, and that's a beautiful thing. Protein keeps you full, it supports your energy, it helps build your muscles. It does so many things, especially for our children and their growing brains. I just think it's all about balance and things that support your body.

PS: You mentioned being a busy mom. What keeps you balanced and grounded?
KK: I love a schedule, so that's number one. If I didn't have my whole day literally scheduled out, it would be hard for me to make it all work. But my family comes before anything, because that's what makes my heart happy. I have nonnegotiable hours, so like, doing carpool drop-off is 95 percent of the time a nonnegotiable. I want to have dinner with my kids every night or at least put them to bed every night.

I love working. It makes me feel accomplished and badass and strong, and I love that I get to show my kids everything I'm doing. But while they're at school, I can really do whatever. Right now we're on spring break, and I took them to Japan last week, making sure when they have their off-time, that I get more off-time, because that's what really matters in life - those family moments. I think that's what really keeps me grounded.

PS: What do you do to make wellness fun for the whole family?
KK: I have a gym in my house and my kids will come down and we jump rope or do fun workouts. It's not anything too crazy or serious, it could just be five or 10 minutes, but they'll get in on the action. I'll do stuff with balls or things that are fun for them. And I love that they see me being active. Also, I love cooking with my kids. It's just about living a healthy, happy life together.

Everything's about balance and having fun. We do live an active, happy, healthy lifestyle, but also lean into the ice cream. Let's have a pizza night. It's all about moderation. I just want my kids to see more of a happy lifestyle and then they can make those choices when they get older.

PS: What are you cooking together?
KK: My daughter loves to go on my phone and we'll Google recipes . . . I tell her the ingredients, and I think they love the concept of potions and mixing elixirs. We do Taco Tuesday every Tuesday and she loves to dice all the tomatoes and the lettuce. Like she loves the preparation work. And trust me, I don't really care about the prep work, so I'm like, 'Good, I have my little sous chef.' Tatum will be there with a whisk and we normally just let him have fun. But True is really into the whole execution of it from beginning to end.

When the cousins are over, they all love to get in [on the cooking action]. Every weekend we make pancakes and they love to put food coloring in and make it fun. You have to make those moments enjoyable. Those moments - we only get them for a few short years.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The Best Sleep Week Essentials to Help You Fall and Stay Asleep, Starting at $10

Marisa Petrarca — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:20:17 -0700

Wellness trends come and go, but the importance of rejuvenating sleep has transcended fads and evolved into a powerful movement. In honor of Sleep Week, it feels especially timely to spotlight just how essential quality rest has become. It seems like everyone we encounter these days is fixated on optimizing their sleep quality, finding ways to fall asleep faster, and maximizing their downtime. We, too, have become part of this passionate group after realizing that an annoying eye twitch was a clear indicator of both insufficient and poor-quality sleep. Since then, many of us have completely transformed our sleep routines, reluctantly bidding farewell to habits like dozing off to "Friends" in pursuit of better shuteye.

With an open mind, a collective effort from the PS staff, and a multitude of dedicated shoppers, we curated a comprehensive list of the best sleep products that are believed to be effective in achieving and sustaining a good night's rest. As Sleep Week encourages us to reset and prioritize rest, if you're among those fully committed to achieving the highest level of restfulness, but find yourself encountering challenges along the way, one (or a few) of these products might just become an indispensable part of your journey. (And let me emphasize this point: turning off the TV is a crucial step.) Wishing you a blissful shopping experience and a more tranquil night's rest - with the help of these sleeping products, of course.

The Best Sleep Week Products:

A blackout sleep mask that lets you blink comfortably: Yiview Sleep Mask at $10, originally $14
Bestselling blackout curtains for a pitch-dark bedroom: Nicetown Pitch Black Solid Thermal Insulated Grommet Blackout Curtains at $10, originally $29
A travel-ready neck pillow for falling asleep anywhere: Popsugar Travel Neck Pillow at $15, originally $20
THC-infused gummies for deep, couch-lock sleep: Lumi Labs Plum Berry Runtz Indica Gummies at $27, originally $30
A calming bedtime ritual in journal form: The Five Minute Journal at $30
Viral sleep gummies for a more restful night: Lemme Sleep Gummies at $30
Noise-reducing earplugs for uninterrupted rest: Loop Quiet Ear Plugs for Noise Reduction at $35
A weighted eye mask for next-level relaxation: Nodpod Gentle Pressure Sleep Mask at $38
A portable white noise machine for better sleep anywhere: LectroFan Micro2 Non-Looping Sound Machine at $43
Cooling sheets for hot sleepers on a budget: Hotel Sheets Direct Bed Linen Set at $65
A sunrise alarm clock for better sleep and wake routines: Hatch Restore at $170
A luxe, temperature-regulating pillow for deeper sleep: Purple Harmony Pillow at $249
A bedside humidifier that doubles as a sleep aid: Canopy Being Frenshe Bedside Humidifier 2.0 Set at $275, originally $318
Melt into pure comfort: Lola Blanket Greenhouse Blanket at $325
A cloud-like mattress topper for a zero-gravity feel: Moon Pod Cloud Cover Mattress Topper at $329, originally $439

For Many Brides, Wedding Prep Now Comes With Weight-Loss Drugs

Taylor Andrews — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:15:03 -0700

When Alyssa Cantrell began planning her wedding last year, she wanted two things: a sharp jawline and a tiny waist. "Saying it out loud makes me sound vain and vapid," she tells Popsugar, "but that was genuinely what I thought to myself."

After feeling dissatisfied with her weight and body image for years, she decided to officially pursue a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) prescription shortly after getting engaged. "I was planning out outfits for our engagement photos, and the pants that I had envisioned for the photos could not button up and were not going to work at all," she says. After experiencing an "extra hard crash out" that night, she emailed her medical provider about GLP-1s. Three days later, a full dose of tirzepatide was delivered to her door. "I was both amazed and annoyed at how easy it was."

For as long as weddings have been an elaborate event with a growing guest list, there's been pressure for brides to look and feel a certain way. But what the industry doesn't tell you is that "looking and feeling your best" can sometimes be a boon to toxic diet culture: calorie-counting tips, CoolSculpting ads, cellulite-removal promotions, bridal arm workouts, fad diets, and more.

"I have never gotten so much messaging that I'm not good enough or pretty enough or thin enough as I have since getting engaged," bride-to-be Kelly Dyal says. "At a bridal expo I attended, every other booth was for a gym or a weight loss and aesthetics business - and not in a 'treat yourself' way, but in a 'laser off all your dull disgusting skin so you can finally be radiant' way."

"I have never gotten so much messaging that I'm not good enough or pretty enough or thin enough as I have since getting engaged."

Unfortunately, the wedding industry has always had a reputation for perpetuating this harmful messaging. But according to Zola and its 2026 trend report, the need to lose weight for one's wedding day may be even more prevalent today with the abundance and increased accessibility of GLP-1s.

Per the trend report, the wedding planning platform found that couples spend over $1,100 to "look and feel 'wedding ready'" by updating their exercise habits, changing their diets, refreshing their skincare routines, and updating their beauty routines. But now, GLP-1s are putting on even more pressure: 42 percent of all couples say "easier access to weight-loss medications has increased the pressure they feel to look a certain way." According to the survey respondents who are on a GLP-1, 21 percent of them said they're "taking the medication entirely to lose weight for their wedding," and 33 percent said "their wedding is one of multiple motivating factors."

Like Cantrell, Dr. Lindsey Upton is another bride-to-be who sought out a GLP-1. Though she was initially prescribed Zepbound by her doctor after a bloodwork test, she says the effects of being on a GLP-1 has helped her feel more confident. "More than anything, I want to feel good in my own skin walking into [my wedding], and [a GLP-1] is definitely part of my pre-wedding health regimen and changes," she says.

Though she still has a couple of months before her nuptials, Dr. Upton is happy with the results. "I'd consider it successful not just because of weight changes, but because of how it helped regulate my metabolism and the way my body processes food for nutritional and metabolic purposes." She adds, "The biggest shift wasn't just the number on the scale - it was how my body processes water and food in general."

Cantrell is equally satisfied with her results. When she got married in January, she says she was extremely happy with how she looked - even after the monthly $150 cost of her GLP-1, which sometimes rose to $300 a month for a higher dosage. "It gave me the extra oomph to drop the last few pounds and help me feel the best I possibly could," she says.

"It gave me the extra oomph to drop the last few pounds and help me feel the best I possibly could."

Despite the pressure to lose weight for the big day, though, there are still some brides actively working against it. Ahead of her wedding in August, Dyal is choosing not to focus on weight loss, despite an expressed desire to lose weight. "The size of my body has just stayed so low on the priority list of things to work on or think about related to the wedding," Dyal says. "I want to be comfortable - both day of and in the lead up - and that means not putting more effort into calorie counting than centerpiece building."

Though she says weight loss may be something she works toward in the future, it's not what she's focusing on now. "Instead of counting calories or spending hours at the gym, I've been prioritizing time with family and friends, and have enjoyed lots of wedding-related crafts," she says. "Instead of thinking about my waistline, I've been thinking of our guests - and though that doesn't mean I'm thrilled with my waistline, I can honestly say I'm pleased with how I've used our most valuable resource of time."

Ultimately, there's no clear right or wrong way to think about weight loss or your "wedding body," because every person has different goals and visions for how they want their special day to look. But as weight-loss drugs become more widespread, the choice between a snatched waist or an elaborate centerpiece might, for some, become even murkier - or, at the least, more costly.

Taylor Andrews is the senior balance editor at Popsugar, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.

Is 2026 the Year of the Coach?

Chandler Plante — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:47:42 -0700

Getty / Connect Images

Why go through life alone when you could have someone coach you through it? Though the word "coach" once conjured up images of high school gym class and a tracksuit-clad Sue Sylvester, the word now carries an entirely different meaning, and the clientele of modern-day coaches consist of everyday people looking to better themselves in a wide range of ways.

See, not everyone in pursuit of self-improvement goes about it the same way: A recent Google Trends report points to terms like "backflip coach" and "energy coach" as breakout searches, with "birth coach" and "grief coach" also reaching all-time highs. The most coveted specialties vary, but it's clear that people want to grow, regardless - and they're willing to pay for individualized support. But as the profession grows more hyperspecific, even at the risk of becoming a gimmick, is coaching really the answer?

To find out more, we spoke with four different coaches about what they do and how they do it. Read on to learn why so many want to work with a coach, and what kind of results they actually deliver.

Clients of Alexis Smith's feminine energy coaching on a group retreat.Courtesy of Alexis Smith

The Coaches

Allie Stark's life and leadership coaching began in earnest after she contracted an illness on a yearlong trip to Asia. "I started by working with people who had chronic autoimmune illnesses, similar to mine," she tells Popsugar. "I partnered with naturopaths and integrative practitioners, helping clients implement protocols and create real behavior change." From there, Stark expanded into the realm of executive leadership, challenging her clients to unpack outdated narratives and discover their own unique leadership styles. "I deeply believe that when we align someone with the energetics of their life, money flows," she says.

Movement coach Henrique Quôs, meanwhile, helps artists make every move look flawless. That might mean teaching someone how to hold a microphone, or how to walk across a stage with confidence. "Every artist who comes to me is trying to improve something specific," Quôs says. Over the past three years he's worked with over 300 artists, all at different stages in their careers. Although Quôs does consider himself a choreographer as well, he explains that a movement coach is more focused on what happens on stage or on camera, as opposed to dance moves.

"One day, one of my followers asked if I could coach her."

If you can't connect with a coach in person, odds are you can find one online. Just ask feminine energy and inner work coach Alexis Smith. "I began teaching on TikTok and YouTube about all the inner work I did to restore my playful, confident, and powerful feminine side," she says. "One day, one of my followers asked if I could coach her."

Smith admits she was hesitant at first, but since launching her coaching program, she's been fully booked. "A common misconception with feminine energy is that it's about 'looking beautiful' or 'being sexy,'" Smith says. "My work is to help women embody this inner beauty and sexiness, by waking up that raw, authentic life force energy inside them."

The coaching culture is quickly expanding, but there are of course still coaches with more traditional backgrounds and trainings. Grief and resilience coach Breanne Cook is one example: On a professional level, Cook has experience in social work and hospice care, in addition to mental health education and grief tending training. But her work is also informed by her own grief journey following the loss of her parents. "A grief and resilience coach supports people to live alongside loss in a way that feels more manageable," Cook explains. "It's not about fixing grief, it's about witnessing grief and being able to hold space for honoring it."

Allie Stark working with her life and leadership clients, and Henrique Quôs in a movement coaching setting.Courtesy of Henrique Quôs / Allie Stark

The Process

Every coach operates differently depending on what works best for them and their clients. Stark often refers to a three-part framework that involves unlearning old narratives, "awakening" any areas that could be improved, and making strategic moves. "If the business is developed, we examine systems and infrastructure. If I'm working with business partners, we unpack what hasn't been said," she says. "When clients walk away, their businesses are more sound. Their leadership has a strong moral compass that's uniquely theirs."

Smith's feminine energy coaching framework shares some similarities - namely unlearning old beliefs. "[We work on] feeling safe to release that masculine energy we often switch to as a result of survival mode, past trauma, and beliefs taught to us," Smith says. She encourages her clients to embody this mindset via her "release, reshape, reprogram" approach to coaching. "My job is not to tell my clients what to do, but to get my clients to hear and honor what their heart and intuition are already telling them," she says.

"You're allowed to make every mistake you need to, without judgment."

When it comes to movement, Quôs tries not to overthink it. "My philosophy is simple: You learn by trying, failing, laughing at yourself, and trying again until something finally clicks," he says. "With me, you're allowed to make every mistake you need to, without judgment." It's not an overly complicated framework, but it does feel pretty radical in an industry where mistakes are rarely tolerated. "I want artists to feel that if they work hard enough, they can become superstars," Quôs says.

For Cook, navigating grief has a lot to do with understanding the full impact of the loss (not just the obvious parts). From there, she creates space for clients to process their emotions without becoming overwhelmed. She also helps them come up with day-to-day care plans for themselves, so that they can start to think about what life might look like moving forward.

The Results

Results vary depending on the kind of coach you choose and the specific intentions you set going in. As a result of her feminine energy coaching, Smith says her clients have gotten into their dream relationships, started their own businesses, strengthened their boundaries, become financially free, and improved relationships with their minds and bodies. Others have found the courage to end relationships, move to new countries, and move through the world as their unapologetic self.

Since Quôs works with such a wide variety of artists, his results have more to do with a heightened sense of confidence. But movement is ever-evolving, and he wants to set his clients up for success, no matter what project they take on. "Training can be expensive, and not every artist can afford to have a movement coach for every project," Quôs says. "[I try to] give artists the tools and direction they need so they can continue developing on their own."

Following her life and leadership coaching, Stark has seen clients transform in both personal and professional spheres. On a personal level, they've entered and exited relationships, changed jobs, moved cities, saved money, negotiated raises, bought homes, and learned how to advocate for themselves. On a leadership level, they've built internal culture frameworks, gained visibility, and grown from six to seven figures, she says.

"They often start looking to the future again."

Cook knows her coaching is working when clients start to feel more like themselves again. In the short term, people may feel comforted and less alone in their grief. Long term, they may be able to work through difficult emotions like guilt and regret. "They stop being withdrawn and begin to return to everyday activities, reconnect with other people, and take part in activities they might have pulled away from," Cook says. "They often start looking to the future again."

The Takeaways

There's a lot of people trying to jump on the coaching bandwagon. But not all coaches deliver the same kind of results. "Coaching is a saturated market. There are many cookie-cutter frameworks and quick certifications," Stark says. "If someone is looking for a coach, I always encourage discernment. Ask questions. Do your research. Make sure the person has done significant personal development work and can hold space in a trauma-informed, thoughtful way."

Coaching isn't a quick fix, nor is it an easy profession to be in. However, it is a form of support that can be rewarding for both coach and client, especially in a society that isn't always designed to support personal and professional development. "If I am honest, I wish my job did not need to exist. I wish communities and families felt more able to support each other through grief," Cook says. "Until that time, this work is so important, and so sacred, and it's a privilege to hold space for people in grief."

While you don't necessarily need a coach to achieve your goals, it can certainly set you on the path for success. The important thing is to be clear about your intentions and find someone with the right experience, character, and expertise. "It's a powerful profession, but it's also a bit of a Wild West," Stark says. "The right fit matters."

Paris Hilton Talks Wellness From Her Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber

Chandler Plante — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 05:50:03 -0700

If you still think of Paris Hilton as the larger than life it-girl of the early aughts, you've got it all wrong. She's forever iconic - just to be clear - but these days, Hilton is better known as an advocate and a successful businesswoman. Answering questions from within her personal hyperbaric oxygen chamber and chatting about some of her favorite biohacks, Hilton tells Popsugar, "I'm such an undercover nerd when it comes to finding out everything about longevity and wellness."

Not convinced? Just look to her at-home wellness spa: "I built a 'sliving' spa in my house. In addition to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, her home is also equipped with a NEO Light Bed for red light therapy, which is said to improve collagen production and help slow the aging process. She also has a space for cryotherapy, a full-body lymphatic machine, a pink vibration plate, and, of course, the aforementioned hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which comfortably fits four people. "It's the number one thing for anti-aging and building telomeres so you live as long as possible, and it's just so good for your health."

"I built a 'sliving' spa in my house."

Hilton's wellness nonnegotiables are surprisingly simple by comparison. At the top of her list is a ritual she's been doing since she was a little girl: her skincare routine. "My mom taught me [about it] when I was like eight years old, so I've been obsessed with skincare ever since," she says.

Image Source: Courtesy of International Delight

There's also her morning coffee. A "Parista" at heart, Hilton recently launched her own collection of creamers and cold foam with coffee company International Delight. "I love making coffee," she says. And you'll never catch her drinking a boring black coffee, either: Hilton tops off her raspberry champagne creamer with cotton-candy cold foam. She adds, "It's just so delicious and makes me start my mornings in a fun and happy way."

Joy is the foundation of her routine, which is one thing that hasn't wavered about her approach to health and wellness. Still, it can be fun to look back, especially with the internet affectionately calling 2026 the new 2016. "Honestly, I loved everything about 2016. It was such a fun year," Hilton says. "Looking back at the memories and photos, everything was just extra and fun. I love skinny jeans, I love the makeup trends - I really can't think of anything I wouldn't want to come back."

It's all about living your best life no matter what, and over the years, Hilton's trademark "sliving" has become less of a meme and more of a mindset. In this current moment, sliving also involves parenthood, as Hilton is now mom to 3-year-old Phoenix and 2-year-old London. "They are my whole world," Hilton says. That's changed things, of course, but in her eyes, only for the better. "Being their mom keeps everything in perspective," Hilton says. "No matter how busy things get with work, coming home to them is truly what centers me."