Wellness Explained

Have you ever reached a point where everything in your life looks good on paper, but something just doesn't feel right anymore?

Maybe it's a career you've worked hard for, a routine you've outgrown, or the feeling that somewhere along the way, you've lost touch with yourself.

In this episode, I'm joined by Lianna Nielsen, a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach specializing in the mind-body connection. And this conversation is particularly meaningful to me because Lianna was actually one of the people who inspired me to pursue my own career in wellness!

We explore why change can feel so difficult, why we sometimes ignore the subtle signals that something isn't working, and what it means to reconnect with ourselves before reaching a breaking point.

We also talk about something I think gets overlooked in wellness: joy. What if taking care of ourselves didn't have to feel like another obligation? What if movement, nourishment, and rest could become things we genuinely look forward to?

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why we often wait for a crisis before making a change
• The relationship between physical health, emotional well-being, and self-awareness
• How to recognize when you've outgrown a version of your life
• The role of play, joy, and movement in sustainable wellness
• How sleep, nutrition, and everyday habits can influence the way we feel
• Simple ways to become more present and reconnect with what matters to you

Lianna also shares a beautiful, simple morning practice that you can try yourself, one that takes just a few minutes and encourages you to listen to what you actually need.

Try this: Liana’s 5-minute morning check-in

• Before you get out of bed or look at your phone, place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
• Take five deep breaths.
• Ask yourself: “What’s one thing I need more of today? What’s one thing I need less of?”
• Listen without judging, act on what comes up, and repeat daily for a week or more.

About Lianna Nielsen

Lianna Nielsen is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach specializing in the mind-body connection. After beginning her career as a professional actress, personal health challenges led her to explore integrative wellness and eventually build a coaching practice focused on physical health, self-awareness, intuition, and personal alignment.

She is also the host of Love Through It, a podcast featuring personal insights and conversations about connection, growth, and navigating life's experiences.

Connect with Lianna:

Website: https://www.healthybylianna.com

Podcast: Love Through It: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-through-it/id1680239705

Connect with Sandy:

Website: https://wellnesswithsandy.com

Podcast: https://wellness-explained.simplecast.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow Wellness Explained and consider leaving a rating or review. It helps more people discover the show!

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Let's talk about something we all do every single day, but probably don't think much about: peeing.

How often is too often? Is waking up at night to use the bathroom normal? And could changes in your bathroom habits be telling you something about your bladder, kidneys, or overall health?

Urinary health doesn't exactly come up in everyday conversation, but it's an important part of our well-being. And there's a lot more to it than simply drinking enough water.

In this episode of Wellness Explained, we're diving into the fascinating connection between urinary habits and overall health, including a few things that might surprise you.

In this Wellness Bite, we'll explore:

• How often you should typically urinate, and what can influence that number.
• Why your kidneys do much more than produce urine.
• The different types of urinary incontinence and why bladder leakage isn't something you necessarily have to accept.
• Common urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms and prevention strategies.
• Whether cranberry supplements can actually help prevent UTIs.
• What contributes to kidney stones and why hydration matters.
• Popular urinary health herbs and remedies, including what the research does and doesn't support
• Simple habits that can help support bladder and kidney health.

Here's something worth remembering: Changes in urinary habits aren't always a cause for alarm, but persistent symptoms shouldn't be ignored either.

Whether you've noticed yourself making more bathroom trips, have experienced a UTI, or simply want to better understand how your body works, this episode is for you.

Because sometimes, paying attention to the little things can make a big difference in how we care for our health.

Have a wellness question you'd love to hear covered? Send it my way! Your question might inspire a future Wellness Bite.

SIMPLE CORN SILK TEA
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp fresh or dried corn silk
DIRECTIONS
Put water and silk into a pot and bring to a boil with the lid on the pot. As soon as it
comes to a boil, turn the heat down to lowest setting and simmer for ten minutes. Turn
off the heat and let the silk continue to steep for another half hour. Strain the silk and
warm your tea or drink at room temperature.

CORN SILK SUMMER SUN TEA
INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups water
• 4 Tbsp chopped fresh corn silk
DIRECTIONS
Put silk and water in half gallon Mason jar out in the sun for half a day. Bring it into the
house and strain the herbs out. Add honey and lemon or lime to taste. Serve chilled or
at room temperature.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Strength training isn't just about lifting heavier weights or changing how your body looks. It's about maintaining muscle, supporting bone health, improving everyday movement, and building confidence as we age.

In this episode, Sandy sits down with Carla Davies, a group fitness instructor with 12 years of experience and a certified personal trainer, to explore the science and practical side of resistance training.

As fellow Les Mills BodyPump instructors, Sandy and Carla bring their firsthand experiences into a conversation about building strength, challenging yourself appropriately, and making fitness enjoyable and sustainable.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important as we age
• Muscular endurance versus traditional strength training
• Can lighter weights actually help build muscle?
• Progressive overload: how to know when it's time to increase resistance
• How BodyPump fits into a well-rounded strength training routine
• Common form mistakes with deadlifts, squats, and lunges
• The importance of proper technique, recovery, and rest days
• Why strength training benefits more than just appearance
• The confidence, motivation, and community that group fitness can provide
• Practical ways to begin strength training, even if you're intimidated by the gym

About Our Guest

Carla Davies is a group fitness instructor with 12 years of experience helping individuals build strength, confidence, and healthier, more active lives.

After a successful career as a Human Resources Executive, Carla discovered a passion for group fitness that inspired a second career in wellness. She holds multiple Les Mills certifications, including BodyPump, BodyBalance, RPM, CORE, and SPRINT, along with AFAA Group Fitness Instructor, NASM Personal Trainer, and NASM Nutritional Coach certifications.

Connect with Carla

Instagram & Facebook: @carladavies2010

Connect with Sandy

Website: https://wellnesswithsandy.com

Podcast: https://wellness-explained.simplecast.com

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Could the technology we use every day be influencing our biology in ways we're only beginning to understand?

In this Wellness Bite, we're exploring electromagnetic fields (EMFs), how they interact with biological systems, and what current research can and cannot tell us about potential health effects.

In this episode, we explore:

• What EMFs actually are: The differences between naturally occurring electromagnetic fields, extremely low-frequency fields, and radiofrequency exposure from wireless devices.
• Your body's electrical activity: How our cells use electrical signaling and how bones generate electrical signals in response to mechanical stress.
• Calcium signaling and cellular health: The proposed role of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function in EMF research.
• Sleep and thyroid health: Research questions surrounding melatonin, circadian rhythms, and thyroid function.
• What the evidence actually shows: Why findings from laboratory studies, observational research, and real-world human health outcomes aren't interchangeable.
• Practical exposure-reduction strategies: Simple adjustments involving phones, Wi-Fi routers, device placement, and everyday technology habits.

A note about EMF protection products

This episode also references information from DefenderShield, a company that manufactures EMF-shielding accessories. Its materials describe conductive shielding technology and laboratory measurements of signal attenuation under specified testing conditions.

It's important to distinguish a product's ability to reduce measured electromagnetic exposure in a particular setup from evidence that using the product improves long-term health outcomes.

Resources and further reading

• DefenderShield — Product information and company-reported shielding research.
• World Health Organization: Electromagnetic Fields
• National Cancer Institute: Cell Phones and Cancer Risk

Understanding potential biological mechanisms is valuable, but it doesn't automatically establish that everyday EMF exposure causes disease. The goal is to stay informed, recognize where evidence is still developing, and make practical decisions without unnecessary fear.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

What happens when the pursuit of health starts taking a toll on your physical and emotional well-being?

In this episode of Wellness Explained, Sandy sits down with Elena Morales for an honest conversation about perfectionism, body image, PCOS, women's health, and redefining what it means to live well.

From her years as a competitive athlete to experimenting with restrictive diets, intermittent fasting, and intense exercise routines, Elena shares how her pursuit of wellness eventually led her to question whether she was truly supporting her health.

Now a mother and successful Northern Virginia real estate professional, Elena offers a refreshing perspective on building sustainable habits, trusting your body, and finding joy in movement, food, and everyday life.

In this episode, we explore:

• When healthy habits become an unhealthy obsession
• The all-or-nothing mindset and its relationship with exercise and dieting
• Elena's personal experience with PCOS, hormonal health, and birth control
• Restrictive eating, intermittent fasting, and the importance of adequate nutrition
• Why research on women's health and exercise deserves more attention
• Yoga, mindfulness, and shifting away from exercise as punishment
• Fitness trackers, wellness trends, and knowing when data is helpful...or stressful
• Self-trust, therapy, boundaries, and the connection between emotional and physical health
• Making wellness realistic while balancing work, parenting, and everyday responsibilities

Resources mentioned

Dr. Stacy Sims Women's Exercise Physiology and Nutrition

Dr. Stacy Sims is an exercise physiologist and researcher known for her work on female-specific exercise and nutrition considerations. Elena discusses her work in relation to the historical underrepresentation of women in sports and exercise research.

Website: https://www.drstacysims.com/

Mary Cain “I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike”

Elena references Mary Cain's story about the pressures of elite athletics, weight expectations, and the consequences of inadequate fueling. Her experience highlights important conversations around athlete health, menstrual function, and performance.

Watch/read via The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/opinion/nike-running-mary-cain.html

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD

Elena shares how this book helped her reflect on family relationships, emotional patterns, boundaries, and developing greater self-trust.

Additional topic: PCOS and women's hormonal health

Elena shares her personal experiences navigating a PCOS diagnosis and exploring different approaches to her health. Her story is a reminder that everyone's circumstances are different and individualized medical guidance matters.

Meet Elena Morales

Elena Morales is a Northern Virginia real estate agent and member of an all-women team ranked #2 among medium-sized teams in Virginia, with more than $150 million in combined sales in 2025.

Before building her real estate career, Elena's journey included competitive basketball and volleyball, long-distance running, strength training, and yoga. She also worked on an organic fruit farm in Hawaii, managed cold-pressed juice sales and deliveries throughout Northern Virginia, and served as a store manager at South Block in Clarendon and Vienna.

A Northern Virginia native and Virginia Tech alumna, Elena began her real estate career in Northern California before returning home to raise her family and continue growing her business.

Connect with Elena

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elena__morales_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elena.morales.serhant/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elena__morales_
• Email: elena@SERHANT.com
• Phone: (571) 294-5148

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Is estrogen dominance really about having too much estrogen?

Not necessarily. The term estrogen dominance is commonly used in wellness discussions, but it isn't a standardized medical diagnosis. Sometimes the concern is an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone rather than an elevated estrogen level.

In this Wellness Bite, we explore:

• Estrogen and progesterone: Why their relationship matters and how hormone patterns change throughout life.
• Estrogen receptor sites: Why the effects of estrogen depend on receptor binding and the signals activated inside our cells, not just estrogen levels in the bloodstream.
• Soy and phytoestrogens: How plant compounds such as genistein and daidzein interact with estrogen receptors, and why their effects differ from those of the body's own estrogen.
• Flaxseed and lignans: How gut bacteria metabolize lignans into compounds that may influence estrogen signaling, while fiber supports normal digestive elimination.
• The gut-liver connection: The role of estrogen metabolism, the estrobolome, and the body's normal elimination pathways.
• Nutrients and herbs: A look at B vitamins, magnesium, vitex, red raspberry leaf, and traditional emmenagogue herbs

Hormonal health is more complicated than simply trying to lower estrogen. Understanding hormone signaling, metabolism, and your individual symptoms is a much more useful starting point.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

What does it really mean to listen to your body, and how do you know which wellness advice is worth following?

In this episode, Sandy welcomes Ashima Chopra, a scientist who shares how her experiences with hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's, and persistent fatigue reshaped her approach to health.

Together, they explore the balance between modern science, traditional wellness practices, and the realities of maintaining healthy habits when life gets busy.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Recognizing your body's signals: What changes in energy, digestion, menstrual cycles, and hunger can tell us about our health.
• Protein, fiber, and nutrition trends: Why fundamentals matter more than constantly chasing the latest dietary recommendation.
• Wellness without perfection: Making room for convenience, flexibility, and realistic routines without guilt.
• Strength training for longevity: Ashima's experience with muscle weakness, injury, and finding a sustainable approach to resistance training.
• Ayurveda and individualized wellness: An introduction to the traditional Indian system, including the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
• Adaptogens and ashwagandha: Why popular stress-support supplements deserve thoughtful consideration rather than automatic inclusion in your routine.
• Hydration, sleep, and stress: The everyday habits that can get overlooked when we're focused on optimization.
• Navigating wellness misinformation: How to question social media claims, recognize marketing influences, and avoid unnecessary purchases.
• Reconnecting with hunger and fullness cues: A practical starting point for becoming more aware of your body's needs.

Resources & Recommendations Mentioned in This Episode

Intuitive Eating & Reconnecting With Hunger Cues

Colleen Christensen - No Food Rules

Website | Instagram: @no.food.rules

Colleen Christensen is an intuitive eating educator whose approach focuses on rebuilding trust with your body and developing a healthier relationship with food.

Ashima particularly appreciates that her program emphasizes reconnecting with hunger and fullness cues before transitioning into intuitive eating: an important distinction for people who may have lost touch with those signals after years of restrictive eating or rigid food rules.

Her content offers a fun, approachable, and nonjudgmental perspective on nutrition without promoting food guilt or unnecessary restrictions.

Ayurveda & Understanding Your Dosha

Joyful Belly - Ayurvedic Dosha Quiz

Explore the Dosha Quiz

For anyone curious about Ayurveda, Ashima recommends Joyful Belly as a comprehensive resource for exploring your individual dosha, or constitution.

Unlike many short online quizzes, Joyful Belly offers multiple questionnaires that you can complete over time, with the option to create an account and save your results.

The platform also includes information about Ayurvedic body types, food recommendations, recipes, and lifestyle practices.

Ayurvedic Educators Worth Exploring

Ashima also recommends learning about Ayurveda from educators with roots in the Indian tradition who understand the realities of modern Western lifestyles.

• My Ayurvedic Life — Instagram
• Dr. Vara Ayurveda — Instagram

What Ashima appreciates about these creators is their practical approach: sharing traditional Ayurvedic concepts in ways that feel accessible, culturally grounded, and realistic for busy people, without suggesting that wellness requires elaborate daily rituals.

Note: Ayurveda is a traditional system of health and wellness. Dosha quizzes are tools for exploring its traditional framework, not medically validated diagnostic tests. Similarly, online educational resources should complement, not replace, individualized medical or nutrition care.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Hair health is more complicated than buying a “hair, skin & nails” supplement.

In this episode, we’re unpacking what may actually matter when it comes to nutrition and healthy hair, including:

• Ferritin vs. iron: why your iron stores can matter even before obvious anemia develops
• Why there isn't one universally accepted “perfect” ferritin level for hair growth
• Hepcidin: what it is and why taking iron more often doesn't necessarily mean absorbing more iron
• Why alternate-day iron dosing has become an interesting strategy in the research
• Why the form of an iron supplement matters, including ferrous bisglycinate
• Food and supplement combinations that can help, or interfere with, iron absorption
• Why adequate protein matters for hair
• Where collagen fits, and why collagen shouldn't replace complete dietary protein
• Why “more biotin” isn't automatically the solution
• The difference between hair shedding and hair breakage
• How heat and everyday hair-care practices can damage the hair shaft

The bigger takeaway: Hair is often treated like a cosmetic issue, but nutrition, nutrient status, and what’s happening inside the body can play an important role. Instead of blindly adding another supplement, start by asking why the changes may be happening.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Skincare has become increasingly complicated.

We're told to layer serums, rotate actives, protect our skin barrier, use retinoids, add vitamin C, avoid certain ingredients, and somehow figure out whether the $200 product is actually better than the $20 one.

But does good skincare really need to be that complicated?

In this episode, Sandy sits down with Shelly Hokanson, certified cosmetic formulator and founder of Geek Out of Water, to talk about what actually matters when choosing skincare, and how to become a smarter consumer without needing a degree in cosmetic chemistry.

Shelly's background in media literacy has shaped the way she approaches skincare: Who made this product? What's actually in it? What does the company want us to believe about it? And most importantly, what evidence supports the claim?

In This Episode

• What “clean,” “natural,” “non-toxic,” and “hypoallergenic” actually mean, and why these terms aren't necessarily as standardized as consumers may assume Pasted text
• What to know about claims like “dermatologist tested,” “clinically tested,” and “detoxifying” Pasted text
• Why expensive skincare isn't automatically better
• How too many actives and too much exfoliation can backfire
• Signs your skin barrier may be struggling
• The simple foundation of an effective skincare routine
• Retinoids, vitamin C, eye creams, and sunscreen
• How to read an ingredient list without becoming a cosmetic scientist
• What Shelly calls “pixie dusting”- when a heavily marketed ingredient may appear in only a very small amount Pasted text
• SAVE or SPLURGE: where Shelly thinks your skincare dollars are, and aren't, worth spending

Shelly Hokanson is a certified cosmetic formulator, professor in the School of Media Arts & Design at James Madison University, and founder of Geek Out of Water (GOOW). With nearly three decades in the classroom and a decade creating content on YouTube, Shelly brings her background in media literacy to the world of skincare, helping consumers better understand ingredients, formulation, cosmetic science, and the marketing behind the products they buy. Her work focuses on making skincare education approachable and empowering people to become more informed consumers.

A Few Terms Mentioned in the Episode

Vitamin C forms:
L-Ascorbic Acid
THDA: Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
MAP: Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Phenoxyethanol: Shelly discusses using this common preservative as a helpful reference point when looking at where highlighted ingredients appear on an ingredient list. She also notes an important caveat: some effective ingredients are intentionally used at concentrations below 1%, so placement alone doesn't tell the whole story. Pasted text

Resources From Shelly

Free Ingredient Literacy Guide:
Download the guide

Geek Out of Water / GOOW:
Shop GOOW

Follow Shelly:
YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Vibration plates have become one of the biggest wellness trends, but there's a difference between a tool having potential benefits and being a replacement for exercise.

In this episode, Sandy takes a closer look at whole-body vibration and what the research actually tells us.

You'll learn:

• What whole-body vibration actually does to the body
• How vibration may stimulate involuntary muscle contractions
• What the research suggests about muscle activation and strength
• Potential benefits for balance and stability
• What we know about vibration training and bone health
• Why vibration plates are often marketed for circulation and recovery
• Whether simply standing on a vibration plate is enough
• Why vibration plates shouldn't replace strength training, walking, or other forms of movement
• How to think about vibration plates as a supplement to, not a substitute for, your exercise routine
• Whether a vibration plate may actually deserve a place in your wellness routine

The bottom line? You don't need a vibration plate to be healthy...but it may be a useful tool when it's used for the right reasons.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Sandy takes the supplements in her personal routine as well as her personal journey
• Why a multivitamin can be useful, but isn't a replacement for a nutrient-dense diet
• Sandy's personal experience with low B12 and why testing mattered
• What to know about vitamin D and why individual needs can vary
• Why magnesium gets so much attention, and what it actually does
• Why omega-3 fats matter beyond cardiovascular health
• What CoQ10 does in the body and why it's often discussed in relation to cellular energy
• Why creatine isn't just a “bodybuilding supplement”
• Where collagen may fit, and what it can and can't do
• Why your supplement routine should be based on your diet, health history, labs, medications, and individual needs

The bigger takeaway:
Don't build your supplement routine by copying someone else's. Understand what you're taking, why you're taking it, and whether there's actually a reason it belongs in your routine.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Electrolyte powders, packets, and drinks have become a wellness staple, but does everyone really need them?

In this Wellness Bite, nutritionist Sandy Jolles breaks down what electrolytes actually do, when replacing them may be helpful, and why your individual needs matter.

In this episode:

• What electrolytes are and why your body needs them
• Why sweating and exercise aren't the only factors that can affect fluid and electrolyte balance
• How heat, illness, and other fluid losses can increase electrolyte needs
• Why lower-carbohydrate diets can increase sodium and water losses
• The nuance around caffeine, coffee, and hydration
• How certain water-filtration methods can reduce naturally occurring minerals
• Why the word “electrolytes” on a package doesn't tell you whether a product is right for you
• What to consider when comparing electrolyte products, including sodium content
• Why more electrolytes isn't automatically better

The takeaway: Electrolytes can be incredibly useful in the right circumstances, but you don't necessarily need to add them to every glass of water. The goal is to understand why you're using them and choose a product that actually matches your needs.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Should you eat before a workout? Is exercising fasted better for fat loss? And how quickly do you really need to get protein after you finish?

In this episode, Sandy takes a closer look at workout nutrition and separates what actually matters from some of the noise surrounding pre- and post-workout fueling.

In this episode:

• What actually happens when you exercise fasted
• Fasted training vs. fasted fat loss, and why they aren't necessarily the same thing
• When eating before exercise may improve performance
• How workout length and intensity change your fueling needs
• What to eat before a workout
• Why carbohydrates aren't something to fear around exercise
• Protein, muscle protein synthesis, and muscle growth
• What to eat after a workout
• Whether the post-workout “anabolic window” is really as narrow as we've been told
• Where foods like Greek yogurt and dairy can fit, and what to do if they don't agree with you
• Why your overall daily protein and nutrition matter more than perfectly timing one meal
• A simple takeaway you can start using with your next workout

The bottom line: You don't need to micromanage every bite around your workouts. Fueling should support the type of exercise you're doing, your goals, your performance, and how you actually feel.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Red light therapy has gone from a niche wellness treatment to something you can find in gyms, spas, recovery studios, and even at home. But what is it actually doing, and is it worth your time and money?

In this Wellness Bite, Sandy takes a quick look at the science of red and near-infrared light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation. She explains how specific wavelengths of light interact with our cells, why mitochondria are often part of the conversation, and where the research is most promising.

You'll also learn why not every red light device is created equal and why factors like wavelength, dose, distance, and consistency matter when evaluating whether a device may actually be effective.

Rather than treating red light therapy as either a miracle treatment or another wellness gimmick, this episode helps you understand where the evidence currently stands so you can make a more informed decision.

In this Wellness Bite:

• What red and near-infrared light therapy actually are
• How photobiomodulation may affect cellular function
• Potential applications for skin health and exercise recovery
• Why wavelength and dosing matter
• What to look for when considering an at-home device
• Where the evidence is promising, and where we still need more research

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Getting enough sleep doesn't always mean getting restorative sleep.

You can spend seven or eight hours in bed and still wake up exhausted...and sometimes, the reason has less to do with how long you're sleeping and more to do with what's happening during those hours.

In this episode of Wellness Explained, Sandy explores some of the less obvious reasons you may still feel tired despite getting what seems like enough sleep.

You'll learn about:

• Why sleep duration and restorative sleep aren't necessarily the same thing
• How stress, cortisol, and the HPA axis interact with sleep
• Why “adrenal fatigue” isn't the same thing as true adrenal insufficiency
• When persistent fatigue may warrant looking beyond sleep and discussing bloodwork with your healthcare provider
• The roles of iron, ferritin, vitamin B12, thyroid function, and other potential contributors to fatigue
• Why alcohol can help you fall asleep faster while still disrupting the sleep that follows
• How light exposure and red-light therapy fit into the sleep conversation
• How sleep apnea can repeatedly disrupt sleep without you remembering waking up
• Why snoring, mouth breathing, and waking with a dry mouth may be worth paying attention to
• Why simply mouth taping isn't a solution for unexplained nighttime mouth breathing
• One simple way to give your circadian rhythm a more consistent signal

The big takeaway: Being in bed long enough doesn't necessarily mean your body and brain are getting the restorative sleep they need.

Sometimes the answer isn't another cup of coffee, another supplement, or another sleep hack.

Sometimes it's getting curious about why you're tired in the first place.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

You've probably heard the rule: “Don't eat after 8 PM.”

But does your metabolism really have a bedtime?

In the very first Wellness Bite, Sandy takes on one of the most common nutrition rules and looks at what the research actually says about eating later in the day.

It turns out there's no magical hour when food suddenly becomes more likely to turn into body fat...but that doesn't mean meal timing is completely irrelevant.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why eating after 8 PM doesn't automatically cause weight gain
• How your circadian rhythm may influence appetite and metabolism
• Why the same meal may produce a different glucose response depending on when you eat it
• What controlled studies have found about eating more calories earlier vs. later
• Why late-night eating may sometimes have more to do with under-eating during the day than a lack of willpower
• Whether shifting more of your daily intake earlier may be worth considering

The bottom line?

There isn't a universal time when you need to stop eating.

Meal timing may matter, but something can matter without being the thing that matters most.

Instead of obsessing over the clock, it may be more useful to ask:

“What does my overall eating pattern look like?”

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Has being healthy somehow become a full-time job?

Between supplements, wearables, 10,000-step goals, sleep optimization, red light therapy, and the latest longevity hacks, it's easy to lose sight of what actually matters most.

In the very first episode of Wellness Explained, nutritionist Sandy Jolles explores the science behind the health habits that truly move the needle...and the ones that might just be icing on the cake.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why muscle is about much more than strength or aesthetics
• The surprising relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and longevity
• Why 10,000 steps isn't a magic biological threshold
• What happens when you walk after a meal
• Why fiber is much more interesting than its reputation
• How sleep affects metabolic health
• The surprisingly powerful connection between relationships and health
• Why more health data doesn't always create better health
• Where creatine, cold plunges, red light therapy, greens powders, and apple cider vinegar might fit

And we'll come back to a question that will be central to Wellness Explained:

Not just “Does it work?...but how much does it actually matter?

Because wellness should be fun. We're just going to make sure the science comes with us.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

What are we actually supposed to believe about our health?

One day coffee is good for us; the next, it's not. Carbs are in, then they're out. And somehow, there's always a new supplement promising to change everything.

With more health information at our fingertips than ever before, wellness has never felt more confusing.

In this trailer, nutritionist Sandy Jolles shares the story behind Wellness Explained and why she created a space to cut through the noise, look at what the evidence actually says, and, most importantly, make it practical for real life.

From nutrition, movement, and mindfulness to sleep, stress, women's health, longevity, gut health, bone health, heart health, and more, Wellness Explained is about turning credible health information into small, sustainable actions you can actually use.

Because better health isn't built through one giant transformation. It's built through the small decisions we make consistently over time.

Welcome to Wellness Explained. Let's make wellness make sense.

Wellness Explained

Evidence-based wellness, explained simply.

Hosted by Sandy Jolles, MS, CNS, LDN.

Disclaimer: Wellness Explained is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.