This week, I'm hosting family, stage managing my 10-year-old’s school play, and planning winter break, while holding down a job. It’s… a lot. And the chatter in our Skimm+ community Slack (join us!) makes it clear that I’m not the only one feeling overwhelmed. We’re all doing the most.
But in the rush to “cleanse” the colon, the message has gotten a little twisted. The colon already has that covered, as it processes waste and houses the trillions of bacteria that keep your gut microbiome functional.
Mess with it, and you could disrupt what’s already working, throwing off the ecosystem of bacteria that supports digestion, immunity, and even hormone regulation. Cue: Bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and ongoing GI issues — the exact problems people are trying to avoid. And what about those “worms” some people see in the toilet post parasite cleanse? Likely undigested food or sloughed-off intestinal lining — not proof of an infection, but evidence of irritation.
In a world where everything can be tracked, optimized, and “reset,” the bathroom can feel like the final frontier. But gut health isn’t about purging or proving how “clean” you are. It’s about consistency, nourishment, and paying attention to signals your body already sends.
For Your Sanity:
Talk With Your Doctor. They do not want photos of your poop (truly, please don’t). But they do want to know if your bowel movements become painful, persistently irregular, or suddenly change. Those details help flag issues early — including ones you don’t want to ignore.
Rethink Your Diet (Add, Don’t Subtract). Instead of focusing on removing “toxins,” focus on feeding your gut. Fiber helps support a diverse microbiome, which plays a role in digestion and colon health. Think whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Fermented foods, like yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut, can also support gut health by introducing beneficial bacteria to keep digestion running smoothly.
Address Constipation Gently. If things aren’t moving, skip extreme fixes. Hydration, fiber, exercise, and time usually help. If constipation is persistent, painful, and/or paired with other symptoms, like weight loss or nausea, that’s a cue to loop in a professional.
Q: I'm seeing weighted sleep masks everywhere — helpful or just a one-way track to wrinkles?
“There are no clinical studies on weighted sleep masks, but anecdotally some users say the gentle pressure helps them feel more relaxed. From a dermatology perspective, they do come with caveats: Excess pressure or friction around the delicate under-eye area may contribute to wrinkles. If you’re concerned about fine lines, skip the weighted version; otherwise choose a light to moderate mask in a soft, breathable fabric that isn’t too tight.”
A new analysis of dozens of controlled trials just named a standout for boosting sleep quality if you struggle in this department: higher-intensity yoga, done twice a week for about 30 minutes, over the course of a few months. Turns out, power + relaxation is the secret sauce.
The research didn’t look at when to practice (and FYI: vigorous movement right before bed can backfire for some people). What it did show is that regularly pairing breath with strength, balance, and focused movement seems to calm the nervous system and improve overall sleep metrics more than several other forms of exercise.
So this week, we’re pulling together three routines that build flexibility and strength — do them whenever they fit into your day… preferably not right before lights out.
Take 30 minutes at the start of your day to do this energizing morning flow. It can help wake you up in the AM and wind down later.
A little cough is usually harmless, but it can also be an early sign of lung cancer, a deadly disease that’s increasingly affecting young women, many of whom aren’t eligible for routine screening.
Lung cancer doesn’t always care if you never smoked — or quit back in the first Obama era. While you don’t need to panic over every tickle in your throat, a cough that just won’t go away, alongside these other symptoms, is worth a conversation with your doctor.
No Sweat
Whether the heat is literally on (thermostat cranked to 80 degrees at your great-aunt’s ugly-sweater party) or on metaphorically (said great-aunt grilling you about your life choices), these antiperspirants will keep you dry.
