We all know that running makes humans healthier. Lace up a pair of shoes and, before you know it, you’re experiencing a boosted immune system, stronger body, higher bone density, and enhanced overall wellness. In many ways, running provides athletes with a fountain of youth. But running with your dog further maximizes those perks, allowing you to further capitalize on your time on the trail. It’s easy to write this idea off, claiming that dogs just make us happier, so, of course we’d love our doggy trail runs more than our solo runs. However, current research shows that owning and recreating ..read more

Last spring, among the usual elementary school reminders about theme weeks and illicit peanut butter snacks (WE ARE A NUT FREE CAMPUS!!) an email popped up that gave me pause. My kindergartner would be weighed in school, it said, and I could click on a link to opt her out. It gave me the ick. I’d paid attention to young women like Mary Cain and members of college cross-country teams speaking out against weigh-ins and body shaming in sport, and how the practice damaged their mental and physical health. That’s different from a kindergartner stepping on a scale then running back to recess ..read more

“The easiest way to turn your kids into geniuses by the time they’re seven is to front load huge amounts of experience, including dangerous experience.” This is the advice of the late John Taylor Gatto, the writer and educator who is perhaps best known for his passionate polemics against compulsory schooling. For Gatto, one of the ominous signs of  “well-schooled kids” is that they are easily bored, afraid of being alone with their own thoughts, and in constant need of affirmation from authority. To avoid this outcome, Gatto recommends that parents “challenge their kids with plenty of so ..read more

Dallas already has a reputation as a diverse and vibrant city. Can it also be a place to truly unplug and unwind? Outside sent wellness travel expert Olivia Christine Perez to the heart of Texas to find out. Her verdict? With an active local community, accommodations that cater to relaxation and rejuvenation, plenty of healthy dining options, and urban green spaces galore, Dallas sets a high bar for a wellness getaway. A seasoned traveler, Perez has visited more than 40 countries and all 50 states in search of the best destinations for the wellness-minded traveler. It’s safe to say she knows ..read more

Six years ago, Kevin Love, at the time a power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers, published a now-famous essay in the Players’ Tribune titled “Everyone Is Going Through Something.” The piece describes an in-game panic attack that had blindsided Love earlier in the season, and his subsequent struggles to talk about what had happened. Love writes that he eventually started seeing a therapist, but that it hadn’t been easy to take this step. Since childhood, he’d subscribed to a notion that equated emotional vulnerability with weakness—an attitude which, Love argues, is pervasive in the cutthro ..read more

I’ve always been a little leery of mindfulness. Not the general concept, but the broader industry that seems to have spawned innumerable charlatans hawking everything from meditation apps, to glitzy yoga retreats, to self-help literature that mostly reminds you of stuff you already know. It sometimes feels like mindfulness is just about repackaging the obvious. On the other hand, just because something is glaringly self-evident doesn’t mean it’s always easy to remember. As George Orwell famously wrote: “To see what is in front of one’s nose requires a constant struggle.” Everyone knows that p ..read more

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This article was originally published on Clean Eating. If you’re finding yourself feeling mentally foggy and unable to concentrate, you could be suffering from brain fog. Brain fog brings on symptoms like memory issues, a lack of mental clarity and difficulty focusing. You might feel like you’re literally in a fog; you can also feel sluggish and exhausted. It’s kind of like having brain fatigue, making it difficult to get through the day even if you’re feeling otherwise healthy. There are a number of potential causes for brain fog – and ways you can find relief. What Causes Brain Fo ..read more

When your lower back or glutes flare up painfully after going too hard trail running over the weekend, your default instinct might be to add some extra stretching to your routine or schedule some time with your massage therapist or chiropractor.  If the pain is excruciating, you might even consult with a sports medicine doctor. But there’s another accessible and effective treatment option for aches and pains. One that has only limited side effects and that’s been practiced for thousands of years. It’s acupuncture. And although the mechanisms through which acupuncture works in the body ar ..read more

If you’re looking for the shortest path to better sleep, Patrick McKeown suggests starting at your nose. The sleep and breathing expert has authored four books, including bestseller The Oxygen Advantage, which shows the link between good breathing, good sleep, and good performance. His new Oxygen Advantage app functions as a virtual breathing instructor, with hundreds of tips and exercises designed to help you take control of your breathing and sleep better.  “Getting good sleep is important in every aspect of our lives,” McKeown says. “It affects cognition, mood, productivity, recovery ..read more