Month: November 2025

Myth or Fact: Light vs Dark Meat

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Year after year, the debate on what’s better- white meat or dark meat- resurfaces at the Thanksgiving table. While it often comes down to taste preference, there is a nutritional difference in the meat as well. Surrounded by a plethora of heated foods (and conversations) and your uncle who became a dietician through the university of WebMD, misinformation spreads like butter. Turkey does not make you sleepy, and the myth that white meat is healthier than dark must now be debunked. 

The difference between the color of turkey meat comes down to its level of myoglobin: the protein in muscle tissue that carries oxygen. Dark meat is found in areas where muscles face sustained activity, such as legs and thighs. On the contrary, white meat is in areas where muscles don’t need high concentrations of oxygen to perform short bursts of activity, like breasts and wings. Both are high in protein and unsaturated fat, but dark meat often gets bad rep since it is higher in saturated fat. However, it is also packed with micronutrients like iron, a nutrient in which many women struggle to reach the recommended daily intake. 

FACT: Turn to white meat for fewer calories and lower saturated fat levels and choose dark meat for a nutrient dense option. Importantly, both white and dark meat have a place on your plate. This Thanksgiving, pass the turkey and the truth; after all, informed eating is the healthiest tradition of all.

Myth or Fact: Ice Baths

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Ice baths decrease inflammation and soreness, usually after high-intensity or eccentric exercise. This is true but this effect may differ across the menstrual cycle:

In the follicular phase, inflammation is sometimes beneficial for adaptation in which an ice bath helps lessen.

In the ovulation phase, we see estrogen improves blood flow and heat distribution. Then the nervous system stress response is typically more resilient. The cold feels easier for many women here and there is a better mood response (dopamine, noradrenaline bump feels great). With recovery benefits likely without as much stress load

In the luteal phase there is a higher core temperature which the body is already in a “heat” mode. Progesterone increases ventilation and heart rate slightly, and the stress system is more sensitive. So, cold exposure may feel harsher, “shocking,” or draining. As the blood vessels constrict more easily, the colder your hands and feet may get.

Cycle Syncing With Yoga

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Social media screams the catchy “movement is medicine” motto over and over. “Eat these meals, practice yoga five times a week, go take a walk with no shoes on, go completely screen free — you are now ready to skip around sunflower fields under the sun!” However, for women’s cyclic nature of hormone and menstrual cycles, wellness is not one size fits all.  There is validity in the push for mind-body connection to promote overall health, though. Yoga has the power to flow with women, both literally and figuratively.

A powerful tool for overall wellbeing, cycle syncing aligns lifestyle choices with phases of the menstrual cycle. For yoga specifically, this looks like practicing different types of yoga according to your current menstrual phase, matching energy levels, intensity, and mindfulness to feel your best. 

Yin Yoga

During the menstrual phase (1-5 days) as the uterine lining is shed, an array of symptoms may arise, ranging from cramping to fatigue to mood swings. A great opportunity to slow down and introspectively reflect, the practice of yin relies on slow, gentle movements that are held for an extended period of anywhere from three to five minutes. Rooted in Chinese philosophy, long-held postures represent the “yin,” while the “yang” of the class is the heat, active and dynamic flows to awaken the body.  Sinking deeper into the poses after movement releases tension and allows the yogi to feel more grounded and centered. Gentle twisting, hip opening, and supporting poses, and slow, relaxing movements are good for the mind and body during this phase.

Poses to try:

·  Supported child’s pose

·  Reclined butterfly

·  Supported supine twist

Vinyasa Yoga

Directly following menstruation is the follicular phase (13-14 days). Estrogen levels are on the rise, the body is preparing to release an egg, and energy has returned. A vinyasa style practice is high energy, relying on dynamic flowing sequences, inversions, and backbends to build heat, strength, and open the heart. Often referred to as relying on “one breath, one movement,” each and inhale and exhale are synced to a sequence of creative poses, connecting body and mind with a deeply intentional practice. Tap into increased motivation, creativity, and focus to try new poses and strengthen old ones! This is a great opportunity to experiment with hot yoga classes as well.

The ovulatory phase (12-24 hours) is when estrogen and testosterone peak and the egg is released. Practice similar styles of yoga as the follicular phase during this day.

Poses to try:

·  Sun Salutation A / B

·  Cobra

·  Balances such as Tree, Half Moon, or Dancer

Gentle Yoga  

 After ovulation, estrogen drops, although eventually rising slightly again as women enter the luteal phase (12-14 days). By the end of this phase, energy dips, and fatigue and other premenstrual symptoms may return. Gentle yoga is full of gradual flows to deep relaxation, flexibility, and stress reduction, encouraging the practitioner to greater self-compassion and acceptance. Softly fall back into deep stretches, reducing intensity before the menstrual phase circles back.

Poses to try:

·  Pigeon

·  Gentle forward folds

·  Supported bridge

·  Waterfall

Syncing the practice of mindful movements to the ebbs and flows of each month allows you to honor your body in all phases, cultivating strength and softness, self-awareness and peace. Experiment with what helps your body feel the best.