The Spring Reset We’re Actually Doing This Year

There’s a certain shift that happens when spring arrives. You open the windows. You crave lighter meals. You suddenly want to reorganize everything from your closet to your calendar. The body feels ready for something fresh.

But instead of jumping into extremes, this year’s reset is about subtle, sustainable shifts. No dramatic overhauls. Just intentional changes that help you feel clearer, lighter, and more energized as the season turns.

Here’s what our spring reset actually looks like.

Start the Morning Clear

Before coffee. Before email. Before the scroll.

Celery juice has become the first ritual of the day. We’ve been reaching for the Celery Juice from Pressed Juicery, which feels clean, simple, and grounding. Hydrating first thing in the morning supports digestion and elimination, and celery juice adds that subtle fresh start energy that feels aligned with the season.

On busier mornings, keeping a few green juices in the fridge makes it easy to layer in kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, and apple without turning breakfast into a full production. It’s not about replacing meals. It’s about adding something vibrant and alive to the day.

Clean Out the Fridge, Not Your Entire Diet

A true reset starts with what is already in front of you.

We begin by clearing out the refrigerator. Toss the sauces that have been sitting there since November. Check expiration dates. Wipe the shelves down. Then restock with color. Citrus. Herbs. Leafy greens. Berries. High quality proteins.

When your fridge looks intentional, your choices follow. You reach for what is visible. You cook more simply. You snack more consciously. A reset does not require eliminating everything. It requires paying attention.

Small decisions, repeated daily, shape how you feel by the end of the week.

Move Energy, Don’t Just Talk About It

Winter routines tend to be more sedentary. More time indoors. Heavier meals. Less natural light. Spring is the invitation to move again.

Long walks in the evening. Pilates with the windows open. Strength training to wake up muscles that have been on autopilot. Lately, we’ve been loving classes at Pvolve for exactly this reason. The workouts are low impact but incredibly effective, focused on functional strength and controlled movement that leaves you feeling energized rather than depleted. It feels aligned with spring energy. Intentional. Strong. Sustainable. Check out Jennifer Aniston’s Pvolve Sculpt Anywhere Bundle here. 

Even ten minutes of stretching while sunlight fills the room can shift your entire mood.

Movement supports circulation and lymphatic flow, but it also resets your mindset. When your body feels unstuck, your thoughts follow. Spring energy is expansive. Let your routines expand with it.

Reset One Corner of Your Home

You do not need to overhaul your entire life in one weekend.

Pick one area. A kitchen drawer. Your nightstand. Your bathroom shelf. Remove what you do not use. Wipe it down. Put back only what feels necessary and aligned.

The physical act of clearing space creates mental clarity. When your environment feels lighter, it subtly reduces friction in your day. You spend less time searching, less time overwhelmed by visual clutter, and more time moving with intention.

Spring energy is about flow. Your home should support that.

Set Intentions for the Season Ahead

Spring is not just a physical reset. It is an energetic one.

Before overhauling your diet or routine, take an hour to get clear on what you actually want from this season. More energy. Better sleep. Stronger boundaries. A new creative project. A shift in your career. Write it down. Be specific. Clarity creates momentum.

There is something powerful about pausing long enough to define what “feeling lighter” really means to you. Is it less stress in your calendar. More movement in your week. More time outdoors. Fewer distractions at night.

If you need structure, revisit our Manifestation Guide as a framework for turning intention into action. It walks you through identifying your goals, aligning them with daily habits, and building consistency without overwhelm. A spring reset works best when it is tied to something bigger than aesthetics. It should support who you are becoming next.

When your habits are connected to intention, they stick.

The Real Goal

The goal is not perfection. It is to feel lighter in your body, clearer in your mind, and aligned with the season you are stepping into.

A little more sunlight.
A little more movement.
A little more green.
A little more space.

That is enough.

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7 Questions to Ask Your Dermatologist to Catch Melanoma Earlier

Most of us assume a yearly skin check is enough. You go in, hear that everything looks fine, and move on for another 12 months.

But board certified dermatologist Dr. Michael Christopher says that reassurance can sometimes be misleading. Skin exams are not standardized, and one clinician’s “full body check” can look very different from another’s, especially when it comes to using dermoscopy, a tool that helps detect melanomas the naked eye can miss.

Dr. Christopher detects 150 to 215 melanomas per year, compared to a state average of about 17. The difference, he says, is not about patient behavior. It is about how thoroughly the exam is performed.

We asked him to explain why melanomas are still being missed, what a truly comprehensive skin exam should include, and the exact questions patients should be asking to catch melanoma earlier.

Why do so many melanomas still get missed even when patients are doing yearly skin checks Skin checks aren’t a standardized process. One clinician’s “full body exam” can look very different from another’s in how systematic it is and whether dermoscopy is used consistently. Melanoma can be subtle, sometimes even pink or non pigmented, and can mimic benign lesions to the naked eye. Dermoscopy allows us to see diagnostic structures beneath the surface that simply cannot be evaluated clinically.

What does a truly thorough skin exam actually include and what should patients expect during one A thorough exam is a true head to toe evaluation of all skin surfaces, including higher risk and easy to miss areas like the scalp, behind the ears, the back, between the toes, the soles, and the nails. It should also include the use of a dermatoscope, a handheld magnifier with light, on all pink and pigmented spots.

What early warning signs do you see patients dismiss or misinterpret most often The most commonly dismissed warning sign is change. Patients notice a mole evolving but wait because they assume it can just be watched until the next routine visit. I also see people dismiss spots that intermittently bleed, crust, itch, or do not heal. Any new or changing spot deserves evaluation sooner rather than later.

How does dermoscopy change melanoma detection and why is it not standard everywhere yet Dermoscopy reduces missed melanoma because it allows visualization of pigment networks and vascular patterns that the naked eye cannot see, enabling earlier recognition. While dermoscopy is encouraged, education around it is not standardized. As a result, depth of knowledge and skill can vary widely. That gap leads to inconsistent use of a tool that can meaningfully improve detection.

Are there specific areas of the body where melanoma is most commonly missed? Melanomas are most often overlooked in areas that are hard for patients to monitor and easy to under examine quickly, such as the scalp, behind the ears, the mid back, the back of the legs, the soles and between the toes, and around the nails. Hair bearing areas, especially the scalp, are also technically challenging without a careful, systematic approach.

How often should someone really be getting checked based on risk factors like skin type, family history, or past sun exposure There is not one perfect interval for everyone. Many average risk patients do well with yearly exams, but higher risk patients, including those with a history of melanoma, many atypical moles, a strong family history, significant sun damage, or immunosuppression, often need checks every 6 to 12 months, sometimes more often, in addition to regular self exams at home.

What are the most important questions patients should ask their dermatologist to make sure nothing is overlooked

1. Do you use a dermoscope routinely, and will you examine every mole, pink or pigmented, with it?
2. Based on my individual risk factors, how often should I be evaluated for skin cancer?

 

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In Conversation: Miranda Kerr on Certified Organic Beauty and Long Term Integrity

Miranda Kerr does not talk about wellness like it is a trend. She talks about it like it is a responsibility.

When she previously joined us as Guest Editor in Chief, her perspective was already clear: wellness is not something you perform, it is something you practice. That through line still runs through everything she builds and speaks about today. Whether she is talking about family, formulation, or the future of beauty, there is a steadiness to her point of view.

For her, the roles of mother, entrepreneur, and public figure are not separate identities she switches between. They inform each other. “I love this question because for me, these roles are not separate. They shape each other and are so interconnected.”

In Conversation with Miranda Kerr

Motherhood as the Anchor

At the center of everything is motherhood. “Being a mother is what anchors everything. My boys are my greatest teachers. They remind me that presence matters more than perfection, that the energy in the home sets the tone for everything, and that wellness starts with how safe and loved they feel.”

That grounding perspective shapes how she manages her time, her nervous system, and her priorities. “Motherhood has made me more intentional about my time, my nervous system, and the example I set. If I am calm, grounded, and nourished, they feel that.”

Balance, for her, is not about doing everything at once. It is about choosing what matters most.

Why Certified Organic Still Matters

When Miranda launched KORA Organics more than fifteen years ago, transparency in beauty was limited. Words like natural were used loosely. She saw a gap between what consumers believed they were buying and what they were actually putting on their skin.

“I believed there needed to be a higher bar. Certified organic follows strict third party standards, ensuring products are free from synthetic chemicals and unnecessary ingredients. That level of accountability felt essential to me.”

She is clear about the distinction. Clean beauty is unregulated. Certified organic follows rigorous standards. “We owe it to consumers to be clearer about what those words actually mean so they can make informed choices.”

For Miranda, this commitment is personal. When her mother was diagnosed with tumors during her teenage years, it changed everything. “It prompted our family to take a much closer look at everything we were putting in and on our bodies. That experience was a profound wake up call. It made me realize that what you put on your skin should be as safe, nourishing and intentional as what you put into your body.”

She built the brand she could not find. “I couldn’t find anything on the market that truly met those standards, and that gap is what led me to create KORA Organics.”

Efficacy Without Compromise

One of the biggest misconceptions she challenged early on was that organic meant ineffective. “I felt strongly that we could create results driven formulations powered by certified organic ingredients, rich in antioxidants and nutrients, without compromising on performance.”

Results still matter to her. “I don't want to use products on my skin just because they are healthy, they need to be results driven.” Backing claims with consumer studies and data is part of that integrity.

For Miranda, purity and performance are not opposites. They are non-negotiables.

The Products She Still Uses

 

More than fifteen years in, Miranda still uses the formulas daily. “I’ve been using our formulations since I began R&D in 2006, and I genuinely credit that consistency for the health and resilience of my skin today, almost two decades later.”

For newcomers, she suggests the Noni Glow Face Oil, which “represents the heart of the brand: certified organic ingredients, powered by Noni as a superfood for the skin, and results driven without unnecessary chemicals,” and the Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask, “like an instant at home facial” where “your skin is brighter, smoother and looks fresh and radiant.”

She also highlights the Plant Stem Cell Retinol Alternative Serum, which “gives retinol results, it lifts and softens the signs of aging without the irritation,” and the Turmeric Glow Drops Niacinamide Alternative Serum, a plant based alternative designed to deliver brightening and pore refining results in a certified organic way.

“I don't want to use products on my skin just because they are healthy, they need to be results driven.”

What Separates a Good Brand From a Great One

When asked what defines a truly great wellness brand, her answer is immediate. “Integrity and intention. A good brand can follow trends and create appealing or viral products, but a great brand is rooted in purpose and consistency. It knows who it is, what it stands for, and it doesn’t compromise those values as it grows.”

Education and transparency matter just as much as formulation. “Great wellness brands also invest in education and transparency. They respect their community enough to explain the why, not just the what.”

It is about long term trust over short term hype.

Redefining Success

Meaningful work, for her, is not measured by revenue alone. “It’s the messages from customers who say our products helped them feel more confident in their skin, or supported them during a difficult health or life transition. It’s hearing that someone changed the way they think about ingredients or became more mindful about their overall wellbeing.”

And in this phase of her life, success looks different. “Success now looks like alignment. It’s feeling present with my family, fulfilled in my work, and grounded in my values. It’s having the freedom to choose quality over quantity in my time, my relationships and my commitments.”

If there is a through line in everything she shares, it is sustainability. Not just in sourcing or packaging, but in energy and priorities. As she puts it, “My family and our health comes first. And from that foundation, everything else flows more harmoniously.”

For Miranda Kerr, certified organic beauty is not a marketing term. It is a standard. And long term integrity is not a strategy. It is the foundation.

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In Conversation: Why Burdock Belongs in the Hair Growth Conversation

When most of us hear the words hair growth, we immediately think about results. How fast. How much. How soon. It can start to feel like something we need to manage or measure instead of something that happens naturally when our hair is supported the right way.

For founders Ksenia Zaytseva and Anna Dzhilavyan, burdock was never a buzzword. It was part of childhood. A kitchen ritual passed down from Ksenia’s grandmother. A messy homemade mask that friends kept asking for. That ritual eventually became the foundation for Bur Bur, their clean, botanical haircare brand rooted in tradition and backed by modern science.

In this conversation, Ksenia and Anna share how that early ritual evolved into a modern botanical formula, what science confirms about burdock and scalp health, and why creating the right environment for hair may matter more than rushing the outcome.

In Conversation with Ksenia Zaytseva and Anna Dzhilavyan

When people hear “hair growth,” they often think about speed and results. How does burdock reframe that conversation? Burdock reframes growth as a byproduct of health rather than a race. It works at the root, literally and metaphorically, by supporting circulation, calming the scalp, and creating the right environment for hair to grow naturally over time.

I like to compare it to a plant. If you give a plant good water, care, and natural nourishment, it grows strong, full, and stays healthy for a long time. Fast results don’t always mean sustainable results. Creating the right environment for hair growth is something that can support you for a lifetime.

Burdock oil wasn’t something you discovered later as founders, it was already part of your lives. At what point did you realize this family tradition had the potential to become something bigger? The realization came very organically. One day Anna and I were sitting in the kitchen and I was mixing the original burdock mask recipe for a friend. That happened a lot. Most of our friends were asking for the recipe or asking us to make it for them once they tried it.

I remember saying to Anna, this is so messy to make at home, I wish there was a product that was exactly this recipe. And she just said, let’s make it. That was the moment it clicked.

Ksenia, your grandmother Ludmila sits at the heart of BUR BUR, and even her name means “love to the people.” What did she teach you about self-care, and how does that philosophy continue to shape both the product and the values behind the brand today? Her name translates so perfectly to what we believe in. The concept of care, for me, was never something that needed words. It was shown quietly, through small, everyday moments and actions. Taking care of yourself helps you learn how to take care of others too. That understanding lives at the core of BUR BUR and shapes how we think about care, both in the product and beyond it.

Anna, when Ksenia first shared her family’s burdock ritual with you, what stood out as something worth preserving and how did you help translate that deeply personal story into a brand with intention, structure, and longevity? I’ve known Ksenia since we were kids, and I’ve always known how deep her bond with her grandmother was. In a way, they were soulmates.

What stood out to me was how real the ritual was. It came from our childhood, from our family, from traditions. BUR BUR exists because of those deeply personal stories and i think people can feel it. I think thats why Bur Bur feels special and different.

As you began developing BUR BUR, what did modern science confirm about burdock that aligned with what you already knew intuitively? Growing up in Eastern Europe, burdock oil is one of the most well known ingredients for hair health. What stood out to us was how little people in the US knew about it.

Science confirmed what tradition already taught, that burdock is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant rich, and supportive of scalp health. It strengthens the foundation where hair grows. That alignment between science and tradition gave us confidence to introduce it in a thoughtful way.

Your formula is intentionally minimal and botanical-focused. How do you decide which ingredients truly belong in the formula and which don’t? Every ingredient has to make sense in relation to the original grandmother’s recipe and to scalp health. Nothing is there just to sound good. Hair oils have a stigma of being too heavy or hard to wash out, so we spent a long time perfecting the balance. When we found our botanist and developed the way our burdock and nettle infusion is made, it changed everything. Every other ingredient exists to support and balance that infusion. The formula ended up being even better than we imagined.

Why was oil the right delivery system for burdock, especially when oil is still misunderstood in hair care? Burdock plant doesn’t produce oil on its own, it has to be infused into a carrier oil. Oil allows for slow absorption, massage, and ritual.

Oil is misunderstood in hair care because not every oil works for every hair type and it needs balancing ingredients. Our formula is carefully balanced to nourish without weighing hair down.

“Clean” can mean many things in beauty. What does being a clean brand actually mean to you in practice? To us, clean means transparent, non-toxic, and made with intention. No unnecessary ingredients, no greenwashing, and no shortcuts.

Clean isn’t a label or a trend. It’s a series of choices we’ve made consistently, even when it’s harder or more expensive. It’s simply our standard.

Sustainability is deeply embedded in BUR BUR, from glass packaging to reforestation. Why was this non-negotiable from day one? Because care can’t be selective. If we’re asking people to care for their bodies, we have to care for the environment those bodies live in.

Sustainability wasn’t an add-on, it was part of the moral foundation of the brand. Anything else would have felt dishonest.

For someone discovering BUR BUR for the first time, how should they think about incorporating your product into their routine Think of it as a ritual. Use it with intention. It’s like going to the gym, eating well, or taking care of your nervous system. Consistency matters. Ideally, it becomes something you do for a long time, not a quick fix.

Beyond product use, what lifestyle factors do you believe most impact hair health and growth? For me personally, sleep is huge. Stress management and nutrition play a massive role. I notice immediately when I’m not eating well, sleeping enough, or when stress is high, my hair growth slows down.

Everything affects hair, from shampoo to brushing to the products you choose. It’s all connected.

What should people realistically expect to notice first when using burdock before visible hair health and growth? Most people notice shine, softness, and manageability first. Within two to three weeks, they usually see significantly less shedding. Our clinical testing showed a 50 percent reduction in shedding after 50 days.

Growth comes with consistency. But after 6 months to a year, I truly believe you won’t recognize your hair.

Discover Bur Bur’s burdock-based formula here.

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A Ritual Guide for the Year of the Fire Horse

The Year of the Fire Horse carries bold, expressive energy. It is fast moving and instinct driven, the kind of year that nudges you to stop circling your ideas and actually act on them. You may feel more decisive, more creative, and more willing to take risks. That spark is powerful. But without intention, it can also feel scattered or overstimulating.

Fire is not something to suppress. It is something to tend. When it is grounded, it becomes magnetism and momentum. When it runs unchecked, it can leave you feeling depleted even while you are accomplishing more. The goal this year is not to dim your flame but to direct it. Small, consistent rituals throughout the day can help your body keep pace with your ambition so that your energy feels steady rather than frantic.

Here is how to move through a Fire Horse year in a way that feels strong, embodied, and sustainable.

Morning Fire with Focus

Mornings in a Fire Horse year can start quickly. The instinct is to grab your phone, pour coffee, and dive straight into motion. Instead of matching fire with more fire, begin with grounding warmth. Giving your nervous system a few steady minutes before stimulation changes the tone of the entire day.

Anima Mundi’s Golden Moon Milk is a comforting place to start. With turmeric, reishi, and calming botanicals, it feels steady and centering rather than energizing in a sharp way. It creates warmth without pushing you into urgency. If you want something that supports mood and emotional resilience, the Happiness Tonic offers adaptogenic support that helps stabilize your baseline before the day accelerates.

Take a few minutes while you sip to write down one clear intention. Not a full list. Just one bold move you are committing to that day. Fire loves clarity. When your energy has direction, it feels powerful instead of chaotic.

Ritual Recommendation
Golden Moon Milk for warmth and grounding
Happiness Tonic for steady mood and motivation

Midday Heat that Feels Grounded

By midday, Fire Horse energy can start to feel buzzy. You are moving quickly, making decisions, juggling conversations. The momentum is exciting, but this is often when tension builds.

This is your cue to soften.

Instead of reaching for more stimulation, shift toward something that keeps your energy open and steady. Anima Mundi’s Euphoria Elixir supports an uplifted mood without feeling sharp. The energy feels warm and expansive rather than intense.

For something even more heart centered, their Rose Powder offers a subtle cooling balance. Rose helps soften fire without dimming it, which feels especially aligned this year.

Step outside. Take a slower breath. Let your ambition stay grounded.

Ritual Recommendation
Euphoria Elixir for uplifted steadiness
Rose Powder for heart centered balance

Creative Flow without Overextension

Fire Horse years are creative. Ideas arrive quickly and enthusiasm builds fast. The challenge is not inspiration. It is pacing. Without structure, you can pour too much energy into too many things at once.

Instead of forcing productivity, create a container for your creative time. Clear your desk. Light a candle. Stir your tonic slowly. These small acts signal intention and calm your nervous system so that focus feels natural rather than forced.

Anima Mundi’s Belly Love Powder can be supportive during high output periods. Digestion and creative flow are closely linked. When your body feels comfortable and balanced, your mind feels more spacious. For deeper grounding, reishi based blends help cultivate calm clarity so that your energy remains sustainable over time.

Fire balanced with earth is what allows you to build something that lasts.

Ritual Recommendation
Belly Love Powder for digestive balance during busy days
Reishi based blends for steady creative focus

Evening Cooling to Protect Your Flame

One of the hallmarks of Fire Horse energy is difficulty slowing down. Even at night, your mind may keep planning what comes next. That forward momentum is exciting, but it makes evening rituals essential.

Cooling and calming herbs help your nervous system shift out of stimulation and into restoration. Anima Mundi’s Dream Elixir Liquid is formulated to support relaxation and smoother transitions into rest. Sipping something warm in low light signals closure to your body. It tells your system that the day is complete.

Before bed, reflect on one thing you moved forward that day. Not what is unfinished. Not what is pending. Just what shifted. This simple practice keeps the year feeling empowering rather than overwhelming. Rest does not weaken your fire. It protects it.

Ritual Recommendation
Dream Elixir Liquid for evening calm and nervous system support
A warm herbal cup to mark the end of the day

 

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In the Kitchen With Jackie Johnson McBride: From Studio Lights to Garden Nights

Most of us check the weather to decide what to wear. Jackie Johnson McBride checks it to decide what’s for dinner.

After 15 years as an Emmy Award winning television meteorologist forecasting for cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and New York, Jackie traded studio lights for garden beds and family dinners in Santa Barbara. What started as learning to cook for her kids slowly turned into something bigger. Now, as the founder of The Weather Chef, she plans her meals the same way she once planned her forecasts, thinking a week ahead, tuning into the mood of the sky, and letting the weather guide what she craves.

A rainy weekend calls for a big pot of chili. A hot summer evening means seafood on the grill. Herbs from the garden dictate the flavor of the day. In this edition of In the Kitchen With, Jackie shares how she went from self described “terrible cook” to confident home chef, the ingredients she swears by, and the simple habits that make everyday meals feel special without overcomplicating them.

You’ve forecasted the weather for years. How did that background naturally shape the way you cook and think about food today? I feel like the two go hand in hand for everyone organically, we truly crave and eat according to the weather. My background being hyper-focused on the weather and forecasting makes me just a little more tuned in than most people. And because I forecast a week ahead, I do that with my grocery shopping as well.

The Weather Chef is such a distinct idea. What does cooking “by the weather” actually look like in your day-to-day life? If I know tomorrow is going to be a rainy, cold day and we’re all going to be home, I'll plan ahead for that. For instance, l’ll make a big pot of my white bean chicken chili on a rainy weekend like that because it’s such a cozy dinner. Then, in the summer when it’s so hot, I’m drawn to easy seafood dishes that I can throw on the grill. That’s the origin of recipes like my clam bake on the grill, actually, It’s the ultimate “one pan meal” but in tin foil, so it’s even better because there’s even less to clean up.

How has living in Santa Barbara influenced your approach to food, entertaining, and home life overall? It has such a major impact on my life! Living here, I can grow fruit, vegetables and herbs all year round. That’s a game changer. It makes eating fresh so easily attainable. We also have resources in Santa Barbara that similarly source incredibly fresh ingredients, like the Santa Barbara Fish Market where I can get the freshest seafood daily. I talk about them all the time because I think their seafood is incredible. I love entertaining and my favorite thing to do is dine al fresco, or outdoors. We eat as many meals as possible outside and most of our parties are in the backyard. My home life is so great because I can get out and hike from my house, garden, and get an overall sense of peace just from living in such a nature forward place.

Gardening plays a huge role in your recipes. What’s almost always growing in your garden, and how does it influence your weekly meals? I’m always growing herbs and lettuces, that’s a year-round thing for me even during the winter. My favorite two things that I grow are parsley and arugula. I try to plant seasonal gardens that are very different depending on the weather because that helps change up my cooking. I try to spend time walking outside every day, and that also inspires me about what to make that day, whether it’s experiencing the weather or just seeing what’s growing.

That’s actually how I came up with the recipe for my lavender hazy day beauty balls. I walked outside and thought how beautiful it was to see my lavender growing into my Meyer lemon tree, and then I immediately knew I wanted a recipe to incorporate them together. Our flowering plants and vegetation also inspire me as far as what to use for my daily tablescape. Whether it’s trimming branches off the olive tree, or cutting roses from our garden.

You studied French classical cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu. What’s one lesson from Paris that still shows up in your home cooking? How to get things done quickly and efficiently, that’s for sure. Being a home chef I sometimes piddle around and take way too long to cook something. Now, I’m way more disciplined and efficient and cook multiple things at once. Before that I used to slowly do one thing step by step.

You’re raising kids while building a brand rooted in slow, intentional living. How do you balance real life cooking with aspirational meals? I look at any dish I want to make and immediately start to gauge what I can change to make it a little healthier, but also easier and more approachable for the everyday home cook. It's fun to cook a long, laborious meal once in a while, but no one has time to do that realistically. For instance my halibut provincial bouillabaisse can be ready in 20 minutes, and doesn’t lack in flavor at all. It's probably one of my most flavorful recipes, but it also comes together so quickly. As a mom, I know how important that timing piece really is.

What’s one ingredient you think home cooks underuse, but you reach for constantly? I’m a huge fan of parsley and lemon. I don't think parsley has to just be a garnish, it can play a leading role in dishes. When I make salads I always use quite a bit of parsley mixed in with the lettuces themselves. As for lemon, I really use it for most things. Just a squeeze can brighten up so many dishes and it adds so much flavor. Sometimes people assume “it just needs salt” when it really just needs a squeeze of lemon for the hit of acid, or some lemon zest.

You’re known for your al fresco decorating and beautiful tablescapes. What’s your secret to making everyday meals feel a little more elevated? I think ambience makes everything better. If you just do one thing to make your table feel special I'd say light a candle or use some little battery operated ones. If you combine that with some fresh cut flowers from the yard (or Trader Joe’s if you don’t have a yard) then you’re golden. If you have time, put a glass pitcher on the table with ice and water and some lemon slices.

What do you cook when you want dinner to feel cozy but not complicated? Always soup. Soups are my go-to meal for that feeling. They’re satisfying and there are always leftovers. My current favorite recipe is my saffron halibut soup.

What’s your go-to tip for making simple ingredients taste elevated? I call it the Alice Waters effect: If you have good produce any recipe is going to taste better. You just need good bones. That’s why I take the time to go to the farmers market for things like strawberries or garlic, once you get your garlic from the farmers market you will never get store bought again! As for strawberries, the ones I get from the market are so delightful that for dessert all I do is cut and clean them and dust a little confectioner's sugar on top and the kids go nuts.

If someone only stocked five staples to cook more confidently, what should they be? Good olive oil, sea salt, a Staub dutch oven, a wooden spoon and a measuring cup with a juicer on top. If you have those, then you’re ready to go!

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Living Well with Dr. Robin Berzin, Founder & CEO of Parsley Health: On Closing the Gap Between Looking Healthy and Feeling Well

If you know Parsley Health, you likely know it as the modern medical practice redefining what preventative and integrative care can look like. But behind the brand is Dr. Robin Berzin, a physician, entrepreneur, and mother who has spent her career asking a simple but uncomfortable question: why do so many people look “healthy” on paper while feeling anything but in their bodies?

Trained at Columbia and Mount Sinai, Dr. Berzin founded Parsley Health after seeing the same pattern repeat itself. Patients doing everything right yet still exhausted, inflamed, anxious, or stuck. Labs that looked normal on paper but missed the bigger picture. Parsley was built as an answer to that gap, offering more time, deeper data, and a root cause approach that treats the body as an interconnected whole.

In this edition of Living Well, Dr. Berzin shares what she is seeing most in patients right now, why high functioning people so often feel unwell, and the non-negotiables she personally protects to support energy, resilience, and long term health.

Check out our recent Living Well conversations with Molly Sims and Summer Fridays co-founders Lauren Ireland and Marianna Hewitt, plus more interviews from the series exploring how leaders actually take care of their health.

Living Well with Dr. Robin Berzin

For people who may know Parsley Health but not your personal story, what moment made you realize the current healthcare model wasn’t working and that you needed to build something different? I kept seeing the same pattern. People were doing everything “right,” their labs were technically “normal,” and yet they felt awful. Exhausted, inflamed, anxious, gaining weight, stuck. The traditional healthcare model didn’t have a lane for them because it’s built for short visits and late stage diagnoses, not prevention or root cause problem solving. I didn’t want patients dismissed as “the worried well” when their bodies were clearly signaling something was wrong.

Parsley was my response. Give people time, deeper data, and a connected plan so we can intervene earlier and help them feel well again, stay well, and know that they always have a medical care team in their corner.

How do you explain Parsley Health to someone who’s never experienced functional or preventative care before? I describe Parsley as preventative and integrative care that bridges the gap between conventional medicine and functional medicine. We help people understand why they feel the way they do and what to do about it, whether they’re trying to prevent future disease or they’ve already seen multiple specialists and still don’t have answers.

We look at the body as an interconnected system and focus on the drivers that shape long term health, such as metabolism, inflammation, hormones, nutrients, cardiovascular risk, and gut health. That systems based, root cause approach is what allows us to be helpful both early on and when someone feels like they’ve run out of options.

Some people come to Parsley before anything is “wrong.” Others come to us as a last resort, when everything looks normal on paper but they still don’t feel well. Our role is to connect the dots across systems, bring clarity where there’s been confusion, and create a personalized plan for someone’s long term health.

You talk often about burnout as a biological issue. What are you seeing most consistently in patients right now? Burnout shows up as a full body physiological shift, not just “stress.” I see disrupted sleep, blood sugar swings, anxiety, inflammation, stubborn weight changes, and fatigue that doesn’t match someone’s life on paper.

Many people think burnout is a mindset issue. Clinically, it’s actually a biological issue where the body is stuck in a chronic stress response. When we treat burnout as physiology, people don’t just cope better. They actually recover.

Why do you think so many high functioning people look healthy on paper but don’t feel well in their bodies? Because “normal” isn’t the same as optimal or resilient. Many high performers are metabolically inflexible without realizing it. Their energy crashes after meals, they rely on caffeine to function, and workouts feel harder than they should.

Clinically, I see people sitting in early insulin resistance for years before it ever becomes a diagnosis. Over one in three Americans already has prediabetes, many without knowing it. That’s how you can look fine on paper while your metabolism is quietly struggling. The body gives signals long before it gives diagnoses.

What do you think mainstream conversations about health and wellness still get wrong? We treat health like a collection of biohacks or tips and tricks instead of a long term practice. People tend to gravitate toward the shortcut, the supplement, the gadget, but the biggest levers are boring yet powerful. Sleep, stress management, nutrition, and exercise.

There’s increasingly a lot of data and AI assisted noise about your health that you can easily access now. The next step that actually makes a difference is working with an experienced clinician who helps you make sense of it all and understand how it applies to your health.

If someone feels “fine” but not great, what’s your advice for what to pay attention to first? I start with the signals people normalize too quickly. Inconsistent sleep, unstable energy, and digestion issues. Afternoon crashes, feeling “hangry,” or needing caffeine just to function are early signs your metabolism and nervous system are under strain.

Clinical intervention in that “fine but not great” phase is very powerful because smart diagnosis and small changes can make a huge impact. Don’t wait until you’re truly sick to take your health seriously.

Women make up a large part of Parsley’s patient base. Why do you think more women are drawn to this model of care? Women are tired of being told their symptoms are “normal” or dismissed altogether. Hormonal transitions affect everything from metabolism to mood, sleep, inflammation, bone, and muscle, yet primary care doctors don’t usually offer a real plan for hormone support.

Women are also often the health CEOs of their families, and they’re usually the first to sense when something is off. This model gives women time, data, context, validation, and a strategy that matches what’s actually happening in their bodies.

If you had to simplify longevity and aging well to a few non negotiables, what would they be? Muscle. Metabolic health. Sleep consistency.

If you protect those three, you protect healthspan. Muscle is your metabolic engine and one of the strongest predictors of aging well. Metabolic health shapes everything from brain function to cardiovascular risk. Sleep consistency is one of the fastest levers we have for recovery, inflammation, and resilience.

The post Living Well with Dr. Robin Berzin, Founder & CEO of Parsley Health: On Closing the Gap Between Looking Healthy and Feeling Well appeared first on The Chalkboard Mag.

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