Snack Time | October 2024
Coffee-fueled performance naps, the premiere of The M Factor, and FSA spending made easy. Plus, updates on my new 60 Day Body Composition Journey.
Dear Reader,
It’s Sunday night and I’m reflecting on a week gone by. There is so much to celebrate.
Our community is growing.
Welcome to the 454 of you that are new to In the Pink. I’m so happy you are here.
By introduction, I’m Celia — a wellness CMO, certified health coach and biohacker. I work with private clients, teach group classes and partner with innovative brands that challenge the way we think about “being well.”
This Substack is dedicated to all of the ways we can optimize our health from balancing our glucose to regenerating with peptides to avoiding jet lag. But it’s not all blood tests and supplements, I explore ways to introduce more joy and pleasure into your daily life.
Many of you were referred by my dear friend and co-conspirator in metabolic health, Sonja Manning of Cooking in Color. Her recipes are bursting with flavor and happiness — I can’t wait to cook with her in person soon.
Others landed here from a fun interview I gave to Zoe Schaeffer of Found LA. It was a peek into my work day as a health optimization coach and revealed my favorite spots to eat and play in LA, Mexico City and Lisbon.
The conversation is evolving.
On Friday, I spoke at the press launch for Plum, a science-backed vaginal skincare product, alongside the amazing Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz. We had a candid, lively discussion about vaginal health, sexual wellness, and female longevity. Grateful for the journalists helping to amplify these important messages on women’s health.
The content is expanding.
As many of you know, I’ve been working to improve muscle mass and bone density while reducing subcutaneous and visceral fat— a key goal for men and women over 40. It's been challenging! Starting this week, I’ll share personal insights from my new 60-Day Body Composition Journey in a recurring post (and maybe in the chat), covering new fitness protocols, dietary tweaks, and peptide experiments. Wish me luck and follow along!
xCelia
Welcome to Snack Time, my monthly roundup of fascinating health and wellness news. Whether it’s a headline, podcast, product discovery, or helpful resource, this post offers quick, digestible bites to nourish and educate those short on time but eager to stay informed.
Sleep Like an Olympian 😴
Sleep scientist Dr. Cheri D Mah, who works with elite athletes, offers a research-backed performance hack called the "Nappucino." The idea is to drink a caffeinated beverage right before a 20-30 minute power nap. If you fall asleep quickly, the caffeine kicks in just as you wake up, giving you a greater boost in performance and alertness than either a nap or caffeine alone.
The Critical State of Women’s Health 🚨
There is only 1 menopause specialist for every 32,556 women aged 35-64 in the U.S. (Census Bureau). Lack of care is negatively impacting women’s health and causing an estimated $1.8 billion in lost earnings. 🤯 But here's the good news: journalist Tamsen Fadal has produced a groundbreaking menopause documentary, the first to receive CME accreditation. It will educate the public and provide 1.2 million healthcare providers with continuing education credits for license renewal.
WATCH: “The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause,” this documentary focuses on patient stories, commentary from leading menopause experts and solutions to address this public health crisis. It aires on PBS on October 17.
Don’t Squander Your FSA Dollars 💸
An estimated $4B is lost in FSA dollars due to non-use. None of us want to light money on fire so we need to spend wisely before dollars expire. But, but it’s so annoying to remember what’s eligible?
AUTOMATE: My favorite credit card, BILT (which lets you earn miles by just paying your rent), has just launched a partnership with Walgreens called Automatic Healthcare Savings. Shop for everyday items and the card will automate the refund by identifying items on your receipt that are FSA/HSA approved.
Pro-tip: Consider these surprisingly eligible items like Therabody massagers or CrossFit classes via other sites like FSA Store or TrueMed.
All writing is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
I loved the Plum conversation on Friday and cannot wait to see the M Factor!