Whether you take it black or full of creamer, iced or piping hot, at home or from your local coffee shop, that morning brew is such an integral part of a morning routine. For many of us, it's a rite of passage every single day. Which is why the conflicting messages about coffee are so frustrating. Some people call coffee out as an appetite suppressant, others say it spikes your cortisol, some claim you should “never” consume it on an empty stomach. And of course, others say you should replace your morning coffee entirely with green...

Zara Hanawalt • Oct 1, 2024

If you've ever experienced the discomfort of bloating, you are not alone. The hashtag #hotgirlshavetummyissues is trending for a reason — with research showing that approximately two in three U.S. adults between the ages of 25-44 experience digestive discomforts like bloating on a regular basis.  So, what causes this uncomfortable sensation, and how can probiotics help? Let's dive into the world of gut health and explore how probiotics, particularly Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic, can make a difference. What causes bloating? Bloating can be caused by various factors, including dietary choices, changes in the small intestine or...

Blair Sharp • Sep 26, 2024

Recently, social media has become a vehicle for spreading ideas about health and wellness. This isn’t always a good thing (see: The vast amount of medical misinformation circulating online). But occasionally, it’s gamechanging in the right way.  Take, for example, the body positivity movement. Without the conversations we began having on social media, I doubt we would’ve arrived at this place where brands hire models who aren’t exclusively size 2, where clothing manufacturers create stylish plus-size options, and where BMI is finally viewed as a flawed health metric. From body positive influencers to dietitians and health...

Zara Hanawalt • Sep 24, 2024

Recently, during my standard late-night TikTok scroll, a video popped up on my feed. In it, a woman seemed to speak directly to me, saying: “You’re not ugly, you just have cortisol face.” Bold messaging, but okay. Since then, “cortisol face’ has continued to cross my feeds. The term is all over social media. If we’re being honest, it smacks of Internet wellness talk, which often…well, isn’t necessarily rooted in science or fact. The term “cortisol face” feels new, but online chatter about cortisol is definitely not. People on social media often talk about doing things...

Zara Hanawalt • Sep 16, 2024

If you’ve spent time on social media recently, you’ve probably heard the word “colostrum” — a lot.  From people putting it in their smoothies or coffees, to your favorite influencer sharing an ad, colostrum is certainly trending online right now. According to the Internet, colostrum supplements, often taken in powdered form, are packed with benefits. Many claim colostrum has given their immune system a boost, fixed their gut issues, and even made their skin glow. What is colostrum, anyway? It gets even more interesting when you realize what colostrum actually is. Colostrum is the first form...

Zara Hanawalt • Sep 11, 2024

When I first started seeing content about intuitive eating, I was immediately intrigued. I can’t be the only person who has noticed how extreme (and extremely confusing) messages about what we “should” be eating are.  One day we’re told to avoid carbs at all costs, the next we’re told to go plant-based, and then we're encouraged to just “eat clean”. We hear that we should never skip breakfast…before being told that actually, intermittent fasting may be the “best” eating approach out there. It’s exhausting, it’s overwhelming, and it’s so confusing.  Even the more seemingly moderate approaches,...

Zara Hanawalt • Aug 28, 2024

Are you even a Millennial or Gen Z woman if your entire "for you" page isn't filled with seemingly endless ways to improve your health and wellness? From intuitive eating to somatic workouts, it can be overwhelming, to say the least. The truth is, holistic wellness isn't just about eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. It's a multifaceted approach that considers every aspect of our wellbeing — from our physical health and our emotional state to our relationships and our environment — and even the smallest of changes can make a big difference. Here's our...

Kristyn Hodgdon • Aug 27, 2024

Have you heard of Ovasitol? The supplement has been making waves on TikTok, with proponents touting its ability to improve insulin resistance and support healthy ovulation. But what is Ovasitol, and what are its benefits for women's health? Let’s discuss.  First, what is Ovasitol? Ovasitol is the brand name for inositol, an over-the-counter dietary supplement designed to support healthy insulin and hormone levels, menstrual regularity, and fertility.* It’s a combination of two sugar alcohols, myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol, which are naturally occurring in the body as well as in foods like fruits, beans, grains, and nuts. Myo-inositol...

Erin Pettis • Aug 21, 2024

Recently on social media, millennial women have been reflecting on all the blatant examples of diet culture that were simply accepted as “normal” while they were growing up. They bring to light the magazine covers picking apart female celebrities’ bodies, point out the way food and drinks were marketed to us, and share the types of comments they received from real people in their lives. In so many ways, we’re doing better today. Now, we finally have some understanding of how badly we need to confront diet culture and stop commenting on people’s bodies. We’re finally...

Zara Hanawalt • Aug 7, 2024

Estrogen, often referred to as the "female hormone," plays a crucial role in women's health throughout our lives. From puberty to menopause and beyond, this powerful hormone influences everything from bone density to mood regulation. While it's primarily associated with reproductive health, estrogen's impact extends far beyond that, affecting nearly every system in the body. However, not all women need to be concerned about increasing estrogen. In fact, many women today may experience excess estrogen, especially those of reproductive age. During perimenopause or menopause is when estrogen levels naturally begin to decline. Other scenarios where low estrogen may...

Kristyn Hodgdon • Jul 29, 2024