Hi! Thanks for subscribing to The Women’s Wellness Digest—Beta. Since we’re still in testing and beta mode, your feedback by replying to this email will help us improve. And if this was forwarded to you by a friend, click the Subscribe button below to ensure you receive each issue directly in your inbox.
This week: This week’s issue is about reframing—exercise that doesn’t feel punishing, health choices that quietly protect your future, and small insights that can make everyday life a bit easier. As always, we’ve done the decoding so you don’t have to.
— Nicolle, Editor
🏋🏼♀️ FITNESS FOCUS
The treadmill doesn’t have to be miserable…
If winter weather, darkness, or pure boredom has turned the treadmill into something you avoid, this may help you reconsider it.
A new New York Times guide reframes the treadmill not as a punishment but as a surprisingly useful tool, especially for women who want movement that fits real life. The appeal isn’t grinding through miles, but rather control, flexibility, and the ability to gently (or briefly) challenge your body without overthinking it.
What stood out:
You don’t need to run for it to “count.” Innovative walking workouts deliver real cardiovascular benefits too.
Small changes — incline, short intervals, pace shifts — have a greater impact than duration.
Consistency beats intensity. Twenty to thirty focused minutes a day are enough.
The treadmill can support brain health, endurance, and mood without pushing you into burnout.
“If you just keep repeating the same old boring workout, it shouldn’t be surprising when you hit a plateau. To keep improving, your body needs to experience a bit of a crisis: a faster pace, a steeper incline, or a longer interval rep than you’d usually do.”
—The New York Times
📋 BEFORE YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
You waited months for the appointment—here’s how to make it count
If you’ve ever left a doctor’s office only to remember the one thing you meant to ask, you’re not alone.
New guidance from primary care doctors says that to have a comprehensive, successful office visit, do this one surprisingly simple thing: create a short list of your concerns and questions and share them with your doctor ahead of time (via MyChart or other messaging apps, or even by calling the front office).
Here’s what helps:
Write down symptoms and questions before the visit—even the ones that seem minor or awkward.
Prioritize your top concern first. Viewing the full list this way helps doctors focus on the most medically essential items.
Bring a current list of medications, including supplements (yes, even turmeric).
Update your family history — it affects screening and prevention more than most people realize.
If you’re overwhelmed, it’s okay to bring someone with you or ask your doctor to slow down and explain.
Preparation goes a long way toward safeguarding your time and health in a system that often rushes women through.
🧬 LONGEVITY
Shingles Vaccine is Linked to Slower Cognitive Decline
Most of us think about the shingles vaccine as one of those very unglamorous, very adult health to-dos — the kind you file away under “I’ll deal with that later.” But an extensive new study suggests the shingles vaccine may quietly do more than we realized.
Researchers found that people who received the shingles vaccine were less likely to develop early signs of cognitive decline and had lower rates of dementia-related death over nearly a decade. The effect was more pronounced in women.
What’s particularly interesting is how the study was conducted. Eligibility for the vaccine in Wales was determined by date of birth, creating two nearly identical groups—same age, same health profiles—except one group had access to the vaccine and the other didn’t. Over time, the vaccinated group fared better cognitively.
No one is claiming the shingles shot “prevents” dementia. The science isn’t conclusive, and it may never be that straightforward. However, researchers believe that preventing shingles, a virus associated with inflammation and nerve damage, could reduce long-term stress on the brain. It serves as another reminder that immune health and brain health are closely linked.
At the very least, this research reframes the vaccine conversation. Some health choices aren’t about fixing a problem; they’re about quietly protecting the future version of you.
🧠 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
Why Swearing Makes You Stronger
If you’ve ever muttered something unprintable while hauling groceries, pushing through a workout, or struggling with a stuck jar, science is on your side.
Research from the American Psychological Association suggests that swearing can briefly boost physical strength and endurance — not because it’s rebellious or cathartic in a moral sense, but because it helps the brain release inhibition — that subtle mental braking system that tells us to hold back.
In controlled experiments, people who repeated a swear word while doing a physically demanding task were able to push themselves longer than those who used neutral words. The effect appears to stem from increased confidence, focus, and a state psychologists call “flow”—where effort feels more immersive and less self-conscious.
In other words, swearing may help you stop second-guessing yourself long enough to try harder.
Researchers are now exploring whether this same effect appears in other hesitation-heavy moments, such as public speaking or initiating social connections—places where women are often taught to soften, pause, or second-guess.
Worth noting: We aren’t suggesting you should go out and swear at everyone, but it’s interesting to understand how language, emotion, and the body interact, and how small mental shifts can unlock more strength than we realize.
🍎 APPLE OF THE DAY
A Sprinkle of Cinnamon for Steadier Blood Sugar
A small habit that can quietly support your energy: add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to breakfast. It works well on oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, smoothies, or even toast with nut butter.
Research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that cinnamon can help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes and may also increase satiety, meaning you’re more likely to feel satisfied — not searching for a snack an hour later.
This isn’t a cure-all or a substitute for balanced meals, but it’s an easy, low-effort addition that works especially well with carbohydrate-heavy breakfasts.
Try it today:
Sprinkle cinnamon on whatever you’re already eating — no new routine required
Like what you see? Invite others in your circle to subscribe to The Women’s Wellness Digest simply by FORWARDING this e-mail.
A few things worth knowing…
Emotional stress doesn’t just disturb sleep — it can trigger an immediate brain wake-up response, helping explain why anxiety so often shows up at night.
New evidence suggests tramadol’s pain relief may be limited for many people, with potential risks that warrant thoughtful, individualized use rather than one-size-fits-all prescribing.
Testing early, resting at home, and starting antivirals quickly (especially if you’re high-risk) can make a big difference if the flu hits during the holidays.
Simple morning habits like getting sunlight, doing a small puzzle, and checking in with a friend can help support healthy dopamine patterns and set a steadier mood for the day.
That casual holiday drink can interact badly with some everyday medications, raising risks that doctors say many people underestimate.
Researchers found that a traditional Brazilian plant may help calm inflammation and protect joints—an intriguing example of folk medicine meeting modern science.
Wait, What?
Did you know your nostrils take turns working? You mostly breathe through one at a time, while the other rests — a built-in system scientists call the “nasal cycle.” This is why we have two nostrils rather than one big nose hole.