That’s because your gut influences everything from your digestion to your brain and your immune system. That may look like obvious digestive support (think: gas, bloating, regularity) or some less obvious signs (suboptimal concentration, tiredness, and skin concerns). Luckily, there are a number of ways to check in with your body to see if you can optimize your gut health, plus expert-backed strategies to cope. Although everyone’s gut microbiome shares some similar characteristics, there are also vast differences....

Anecdotally, many of my patients found their thyroid problems started after a stressful time in their lives. Research validates this stress-thyroid connection—one Clinical Endocrinology study says, compared to control groups, autoimmune thyroid patients had a higher rate of stressful life events prior to their diagnosis. What to do: Be consistent with activities of calm, like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. These activate your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which can make you feel more zen....

When we strive to practice gratitude, it’s often viewed from an internal lens. Whether it’s through journaling or meditation, these feelings of appreciation have been shown to boost overall well-being1 and may even relieve stress2. While self-expressions of gratitude are essential, extending that gratitude to others can also go a long way. With nearly a year of isolation behind us and a continued call for social distancing in 2021, finding ways to show support for others remains critical....

That said, many have been searching for ways to keep their creative juices flowing, whether you’re facing a WFH slump or are simply looking for new ways to get inspired. That’s why we consulted Elizabeth Stein, founder and CEO of Purely Elizabeth; Stein sure knows a thing or two about creativity (especially in the entrepreneurial space), as she’s personally using this time to turn lemons into, well, blueberry lemon oatmeal. It’s a little more difficult to replicate during our new normal: Travel is limited, not all restaurants are opening their doors, and social distancing is still very much in effect....

We’ve come a long way on the road toward true gender equality, and yet sometimes it can feel like progress has halted completely. Women make up less than a quarter of the 535 members of the U.S. Congress, and as of last year, women held CEO positions of just 5 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The gender pay gap persists as well, the worst of it falling on the shoulders of women of color; Latina women make 54 cents for every dollar a man makes....

Needless to say, our brains change quite a lot throughout our lifetime. But can we take control of that process? According to communication pathologist and cognitive neuroscientist Caroline Leaf, Ph.D., we absolutely have the ability to direct the plasticity process in our favor. Whether it’s dealing with emotional trauma, anxiety, or simply expanding your knowledge-base (before a test, perhaps), we can restructure our brains and transfer that energy in a positive direction....

As a child, joy can seem limitless. But as we grow older, it’s easy to become jaded. Many of us lose the sense of wonder and awe we once had for the world—particularly the ordinary moments. We become entrenched in work, distracted by technology, and over time, may even lose a sense of self. Not only has it been shown to improve performance in daily tasks2, despite stress, but it may even lower the risk of burnout....