30. Hot Wellness Trends: What’s Worth It in Midlife

In this week’s main episode of Midlife and Glowing, Alicia and Nicole break down the biggest wellness trends taking over TikTok, YouTube, and the midlife wellness world — and most importantly, they reveal which ones are actually worth your time, energy, and money.

From red light therapy to PEMF mats, cold plunges, castor oil packs, mineral mocktails, hydrogen water, sauna therapy, vagus nerve tools, IV nutrient drips and more — this episode cuts through the overwhelm and helps you understand what truly supports hormone balance, inflammation reduction, nervous system regulation, and midlife vitality.

Whether you’re curious about red light therapy, wondering if cold plunging is necessary, or questioning the hype around olive oil shots and NAD infusions, this episode gives you the insight you need to glow confidently and intentionally in midlife.

⏱️ Episode Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & Why Wellness Trends Appeal in Midlife
01:00 – What Midlife Women Really Need: Inflammation, Repair & Nervous System Support
02:00 – Red Light Therapy: Benefits & How to Choose a Device
06:00 – Sauna Therapy: Infrared, Full Spectrum & Real-Life Benefits
10:40 – Cold Plunges: What's Actually Safe and Effective for Women
14:00 – PEMF, Vibration Plates & Energy/Frequency Tools
20:00 – Vagus Nerve Tools & Binaural Beats for Stress & Sleep
23:00 – Dry Brushing, Castor Oil Packs & Other Detox Rituals
27:00 – Mineral Mocktails vs. Juice Cleanses
31:00 – Aromatherapy, Hydrogen Water, Olive Oil Shots & High-End Therapies
40:00 – Final Hot/Warm/Nope Roundup & How to Choose What’s Worth It

📌 Resources Mentioned in This Episode
🔴 Red Light Therapy Devices We Use & Recommend → https://snwbl.io/platinumled-therapy-lights/YMMZW6680
🧲 PEMF Therapy Devices We Use & Recommend → HigherDose https://rstyle.me/+cobE55D-DpARPcrwKUfdSQ and HealthyLine Pro Platinum https://rstyle.me/+06M54jijeqEzMUcwogt3bA
🎧 Our Biohacking Episode (for deeper info on red light + PEMF) → https://youtu.be/I5jogJ7BQxI
🧽 Dry Brushing Tutorial → https://youtu.be/nRxFN

Transcript

Alicia 0:00

Hey there. Welcome back to Midlife and Glowing. I'm Alicia,

Nicole 0:03

And I'm Nicole, and today we're breaking down the top wellness trends and what's actually worth it,

Alicia 0:08

because let's be honest, our feeds are full of them. Red light therapy, cold plunges, vibration plates, olive oil shots. There's always something new, promising, more energy, glowing skin, or better sleep.

Nicole 0:21

and we get it. Midlife is the season where your body changes and you're looking for things that help you feel good, strong, and energized again, but how do you know what's actually worth it and what's just clever marketing?

Alicia 0:34

So today we're breaking down some of the most popular health and wellness trends We've seen, what the science says and our personal take on them, and whether they're hot or just hype,

Nicole 0:43

Before we jump into the list, I think it's worth talking about why these things catch our attention.

Alicia 0:48

right? Because most of us aren't chasing perfection. We're just looking for energy, calm, and ways to feel more like ourselves again.

Nicole 0:55

And the truth is many of these trends tap into three really important areas for midlife women, reducing inflammation, which underlies everything from joint pain to fatigue, supporting cellular repair as hormone shifts impact metabolism and recovery. And then regulating the nervous system because stress is the ultimate hormone disruptor.

Alicia 1:16

And that makes total sense. And I think there's also this deeper thing. When you're in perimenopause or menopause, your body's changing, and after years of putting yourself last, you feel like it's finally your time. Plus you're uncomfortable, so you're willing to try whatever it's going to take to feel good in your body again.

Nicole 1:32

So as we go through these, remember none of these tools are magic, but some of them really can enhance your wellness routine when used intentionally.

Alicia 1:40

the first category of wellness trends that we're tapping into is light, heat, and cold therapies. So let's start with one of our favorites, red light therapy.

Nicole 1:49

Yes. You probably all know that this is one of my favorites. Red Light therapy or photobiomodulation uses wavelengths of red and near infrared light to stimulate your mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of your cells that increase ATP or energy production, which helps with cellular repair, collagen synthesis, and reduces inflammation.

Alicia 2:11

So it's not just about glowing skin, it's helping at the cellular level.

Nicole 2:16

Yes, exactly. And studies show that red light therapy can improve skin elasticity, muscle recovery, joint pain, and even mood. It's well supported and safe for home use. So this one's definitely a hot and worth it. I mean, we both personally use it and have for quite a long time. It's great for so many things. As we've mentioned, it's shown to be good for skin elasticity, reducing wrinkles, like that's a huge, plus, right? A huge reason that I use it. It's also incredibly relaxing. It's great for stimulating hair growth and you know, we mentioned that it's good for inflammation and inflammation literally underlies every single chronic disease process in the body. So just that alone is a huge win for any therapy that provides anti-inflammatory benefits.

Alicia 3:08

Yes, absolutely. And I just wanna say that not all red light therapy units are created equal. So we definitely have a few that are our favorites and are definitely worth the spend because some just don't have, and you can go more into that because I don't know all the

Nicole 3:26

sure. Yeah. The ones that we really like have wavelengths that are supported in the research to actually have therapeutic effects. So that's really important when you're looking at a red light unit to make sure that the wavelengths that it uses are well supported. The one that we use actually has seven the current models have seven different wavelengths of light, and a lot of the options on the market only have two. So that's just something to consider. Another factor is how much power it has and how intense it can be. So that's going to determine whether it's a really therapeutic dose of red light to deliver the kind of effect that you want. Other factors that you wanna think about when you're looking at a red light unit is how much EMFs it releases, whether or not there's any flicker'cause that can impact things like headaches. So, the one that we really like is considered flicker free and, has great power behind it, delivering a therapeutic effect.

Alicia 4:29

Yes, definitely. you know, and when I'm scrolling online and I see people using the red light, I just wanna give'em a high five through the screen because there's just so many benefits and I love to see other people using it. You know, I think when it was first kind of introduced, you know, you had a lot of people that were like, uh, really, a light can actually help with hair loss, skin elasticity, uh, you know, pain and inflammation. And, you know, you had a lot of critics and

Nicole 4:52

Yeah.

Alicia 4:52

Know, it's really cool to see people actually doing the research and realizing that it is a benefit for them in using it. You know, and it, again, if you're using the right ones, it can cost a little bit of cash, but it's so worth it. And they last for years and years and years.

Nicole 5:09

Yeah, absolutely. It's definitely a worth it trend for sure.

Alicia 5:14

So we'll make sure to link that in the show notes and if you still would like some more information on red light, we did dive deeper into red light therapy in a previous episode. I believe it was the biohacking one.

Nicole 5:25

Yep.

Alicia 5:26

Um, so go back and give that one a listen if you want a little more information on that. And also red light is great because you can habit stack with it, which we love doing. So you can do it while you're, you know, on a vibration plate. You can do it while you're on a PEMF mat. You know, it's nice to be able to multitask and habit stack those wellness tools.

Nicole 5:46

Absolutely. We know you love multitasking, so.

Alicia 5:48

It's my favorite. Although when I was talking to, our brother, he's like, no one's good at at multitasking. I'm like, it's kind of my specialty. I don't, I don't think you know this about me, but like I specialize in multitasking. He is like, no, no one's good at it. I'm like, yeah, I kind of am actually. Yeah. He's like, well, studies have been done. I'm like, well, I definitely do not

Nicole 6:14

They haven't studied me.

Alicia 6:18

So, uh,

Nicole 6:19

That's funny.

Alicia 6:20

He, he was trying to tell me, I'm like, you're not gonna convince me. I kind of the bomb at it. So whatever. Okay. Next up is infrared and full spectrum saunas. And these are everywhere lately.

Nicole 6:34

And there's a reason infrared saunas heat your body directly rather than heating the air, which makes them more comfortable. The benefits of sauna therapy include improved circulation, detoxification through sweating, lower blood pressure, and reduced inflammation.

Alicia 6:50

And it just feels good. It's like your nervous system takes a deep exhale and it's kind of shedding those toxins or you know, whatever it's

Nicole 6:58

doing all the things that it's doing but it just feels

Alicia 7:01

really good.

Nicole 7:02

Oh, absolutely. It feels amazing. Studies even show regular sauna use can lower cardiovascular and all cause mortality risk. And then in our Brain health episode we talked about studies that showed that sauna therapy four times a week reduces risk for Alzheimer's and dementia by 65%. That's like, I'm still astonished by that. And it's also great for boosting immunity too. Another thing that is really, that I found really interesting recently is I had listened to an episode, a podcast episode that I think Huberman did with Stacy Sims, and she had mentioned in the episode that doing sauna therapy, post exercise when you're kind of functionally dehydrated already actually supports the body in increasing blood volume. And she kind of presented it as like, it actually would be like a good way to train for higher altitude activity because you're basically building your blood volume before you go to that high altitude place in which more blood volume is gonna be helpful for oxygenating your tissues better. And I thought that was really interesting. And I think in July, we got a sauna in our home, and I've been using it regularly, and I donated blood recently, and I'm a newbie to blood donation. Okay. So the first time I donated blood was last October, and then I did it in March, and then I did it again in October. And the first two times I did it, I kind of felt like, you know, just like deficient afterwards. Like, you know, I would be like out of breath for the first couple of days after doing it. Just, you know, on my regular walks. And I did feel like I needed to rest more and like, I just, I felt it, right? Like I, I noticed in how I felt that I had, I was missing a pint of blood. And this time. I felt amazing. Like before I got off the chair, the lady was like, how you feeling? Do you need to like sit there for a minute? I'm like, no, I'm, I'm actually feeling pretty good. You know, like I went out and sat in the waiting room while Chris was finishing up and you know, they kind of like you to sit around for a little while just to make sure you're doing okay. They got like snacks and stuff. I had brought my own water or whatever. And I'd eaten before, so I felt good and I like felt totally fine. We went for a walk later that day. I wasn't out of breath. Like, I will say that I did notice it in my Ring app. I, you know, it tracks heart rate and heart rate variability and everything. And I did notice it in that, but I didn't notice it in how I felt. So I thought that was really interesting because it was obvious to me, like, well, maybe the, you know, regular use of the sauna had actually increased my blood volume, so it didn't have as much of an impact donating blood this time. It didn't feel like it anyway. So I thought that was fascinating. Just a little, a little side note. So I would definitely say that this therapy is definitely hot and definitely worth it. So many different benefits, detoxification, immunity, you know, brain health. So many things that can benefit from regular sauna therapy.

Alicia 10:13

Yes,

Nicole 10:13

I know it's a, it's a spendy, it's a spendy one. This is a spendy one. But they, as we mentioned in another episode. They do make sauna blankets too. So, you know, don't just think, oh, sauna therapy's not for me because I can't have a, you know, big sauna in my home. There's other options, sauna therapy, blankets. I wanna say higher dose ones, like 700 bucks maybe. So, you know, maybe it's not exactly pocket cash, but it's not thousands of dollars and the benefits are well, well worth it.

Alicia 10:44

that, uh, Alzheimer's statistic.

Nicole 10:46

Yeah,

Alicia 10:47

that's crazy.

Nicole 10:49

it blows my mind.

Alicia 10:50

Definitely. Okay so now one that I kind of hate the idea of. Um, well, I, I don't just hate the idea of, I actually really hate it. Um, it's cold plunges.

Nicole 11:02

Yeah. Cold plunges and cryotherapy are trending big time. The science shows cold exposure can increase circulation, reduce inflammation, boost dopamine, and build mental resilience.

Alicia 11:14

But you have to work up to it, right?

Nicole 11:16

Definitely. If you remember in our biohacking episode, we touched on advice from Dr. Stacy Sims, who is a world leading exercise physiologist, and she says, cold plunge temps lower than 55 to 56 degrees aren't great for women. So there definitely is a difference between women and men in how cold therapy impacts us and what you know, which strategy to take with cold therapy, like men could do the ice baths type of thing. Women probably shouldn't. So you wanna start slow, try ending your shower with maybe 15 to 30 seconds of cool water. It's not for everyone, especially if you struggle with thyroid or adrenal issues. So this one really depends on your reasoning for doing it. You know, if you're doing it for mood, nervous system support and resilience, it's worth it with the caveat on appropriate temperatures And using it appropriately.

Alicia 12:09

Great. I know my boys do the ice baths, you know, but it makes sense for them because they're athletes and, you know, they're constantly overexerting their bodies, you know? Um, so. really like it and they, you know, they will do that. I don't like being cold

Nicole 12:28

Except for when I sleep.

Alicia 12:29

So, oh, I don't like cold therapy. And it actually, do you remember when we went to the spa?

Nicole 12:37

Yes.

Alicia 12:39

Um, so, you know, they had the sauna, the steam room, the hot tub, and then they had a cold plunge. And, you know, I don't know how someone could go into the cold plunge and not do like a, oops. Or, you know, like make

Nicole 12:53

Yeah.

Alicia 12:54

of the coldness that they're dealing with. Well, apparently you need to not make a single peep when you're in the, the spa because we did get reprimanded by, uh,

Nicole 13:07

We may have gotten

Alicia 13:09

they

Nicole 13:09

Yep.

Alicia 13:10

uh, that, you know, we

Nicole 13:11

Noise.

Alicia 13:12

with the cold therapy.'cause I don't know, I'm sorry. I can't do that without making a peep. but not for me. I mean, yeah, it has some benefits, but I think I'll stick with the other things. it's just not for me. But I will say though, hold on, let me backtrack a little, because there is something so refreshing about like, jumping in a cool, like, uh, we had gone to the beach and jumping into I think it was Lake Michigan.

Nicole 13:44

It was

Alicia 13:45

so refreshing. It was so cold, like painfully cold. It hurt,

Nicole 13:49

But

Alicia 13:49

it was really refreshing and once you kind of got used to it, it was refreshing, but it was

Nicole 13:55

Yeah.

Alicia 13:55

that day. So, yeah not me

Nicole 13:58

Yeah, I know,

Alicia 14:00

it's at the beach.

Nicole 14:02

right? I'm with you.

Alicia 14:05

Okay, so let's move into the energy frequency world. Things like PEMF, vibration plates, and vagus nerve stimulation tools.

Nicole 14:14

yes. These are fascinating. PEMF or pulsed electromagnetic field therapy uses low frequency electromagnetic waves to recharge your cells. It supports energy production, reduces inflammation, and improves pain and recovery. And then there's research supporting its use for bone density and sleep too.

Alicia 14:33

So it's kind of like charging your body's battery.

Nicole 14:35

Exactly. It's hot and worth it, especially for recovery, pain or bone health, which are so important for women in midlife. To have a tool that's incredibly relaxing. So it's supporting your nervous system and as a result, hormone balance as well, but also supports better bone density. I just think that's amazing, and I would actually put this up there as one of the top wellness tools for women in this stage of life because of that bone density piece because that's such a factor.

Alicia 15:04

Yeah, absolutely. You know, and I. think this is another one, kind of like the red light, where people are, are a little hesitant to really believe that it has benefits to you because

Nicole 15:15

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 15:16

it's a mat you're laying on. You don't feel anything, you don't hear anything, you know, it's kind of just

Nicole 15:21

Yeah.

Alicia 15:22

And so I think there is a lot of hesitance to, you know, spend the cash because they're like, again, really can that have any major? But this is actually something that NASA

Nicole 15:34

had used

Alicia 15:35

You know so it's not just a woowoo, you know, kind of a therapy. This is actually scientifically proven to help

Nicole 15:44

Yeah, absolutely. On the cellular level, yeah.

Alicia 15:47

it's

Nicole 15:47

Right.

Alicia 15:48

you know, and again, this is another thing that we did kind of go into more detail on

Nicole 15:52

in our biohack

Alicia 15:53

Episode. So go back and give that a listen. But definitely something that's easy to stack too, you know, if you're just laying there, you can do it before bed when you get up in the morning. Like, and there's different levels and different, um, programs that you can put it on. So you can put it on if you're, um, dealing with pain or an injury, you can put it on if you, you know, want help going to sleep, you can put, you know, I mean there's just all these different programs that you can use. So it definitely has a lot of benefits and, you know, it's something that you can notice after using it like that you're feeling better

Nicole 16:33

Yeah, and the, the, and the programs depend on which one you use. So the one that you use actually has more options for different programs. The one that I have only has four options, which is fine. It's still, you know, totally. Satisfies my needs in terms of what I'm using it for. But yeah, the different programs just depends on what type you use. And I I will say that I used the one that you use when I had come home the last time, and the one that I use, I always feel like super relaxed and everything, but, and I don't know if it was the specific program that I used, if I was just needing it more at the time or what, but I was so, so relaxed using that one. Like it made a huge difference. It kind of like, you know, that feeling when you're. It's almost like you're in that in between state where you're not really sleeping, but it feels like you are, like, you feel so relaxed. I felt like that when I was using yours, you know, and I, not that I don't feel like that on mine, but I haven't felt it that deep. So it did make a difference.

Alicia 17:42

You know, mom

Nicole 17:43

yours has, eight copper cores and mine only has four. So maybe it's just a matter of that it was stronger or I, I don't know.

Alicia 17:50

yeah, mom uses it regularly and she notices a big difference. You know, she's, it's like I'm so relaxed. She actually listens to our podcast while, she's on that and doing

Nicole 18:04

Amazing

Alicia 18:06

So, um, and

Nicole 18:07

triple stack.

Alicia 18:09

So she is so relaxed. She loves it.

Nicole 18:12

That's awesome.

Alicia 18:13

worth the spend, for sure.

Nicole 18:15

Yeah

Alicia 18:16

Okay, next up, let's talk about vibration plates. Are they worth it or not?

Nicole 18:21

They can actually be great for stimulating lymph flow, circulation, and even supporting bone density. This is another one that NASA has used to help astronauts maintain bone and muscle mass in zero gravity. It's also great for improving proprioception. So it's a form of fall prevention in a sense.

Alicia 18:39

okay. I wasn't sure what proprioception means, so that means,

Nicole 18:43

Oh, proprioception is basically, challenging your balance so that the different intrinsic muscles in your lower legs are being activated. So it helps you develop more stability by challenging that balance. Does that make sense? Okay.

Alicia 19:00

Okay. And you could also lose weight and firm your muscles using this. Right.

Nicole 19:04

Yeah. It is stimulating your muscles. You're contracting them as you're using it. So it would actually help in the same way that other types of exercise would, in a sense, in that exercise stimulates your muscles, right? So this is just another way to do it. Essentially, you're challenging your body. You're having to use your muscles to maintain steadiness or stability on them. And that's, you know, the contraction of the muscles is gonna help build muscle. The more muscle mass you have, the better your metabolism is, the better able you are to burn calories. So yeah, it definitely can help with muscle strength and losing weight in the same way that exercise would. So this is another hot and worth it, depending on what you want out of it.

Alicia 19:50

Okay. Next is vagus nerve stimulation tools like Apollo or Pulsetto.

Nicole 19:56

Yeah, so these are amazing for stress management. The vagus nerve connects your brain to your body. It's the main switch for your parasympathetic or rest and digest system that we talk about all the time. Stimulating it helps regulate heart rate variability and lowers anxiety. It puts you in that relaxation mode essentially.

Alicia 20:17

So it's like tech for your nervous system,

Nicole 20:19

Yes, exactly. They are little devices that you wear, so the Apollo you typically wear on your wrist or ankle, and then the Pulsetto is a device that you put around your neck, but they both use frequencies that stimulate the vagus nerve. And for midlife women who struggle with stress or sleep, it can definitely be worth it if other tools aren't working for you.

Alicia 20:42

Is it something that you wear constantly or just here and there,

Nicole 20:47

Good question. It completely depends. So I think there's a difference too in those two systems. So like the Apollo, you could wear all the time, the Pulsetto, it's, you know, if you, if you go online and look at a picture of it, it wouldn't really be something that would be ideal to be wearing all the time.'Cause, you know, looks, um, it wouldn't go with your outfits.

Alicia 21:10

That'd

Nicole 21:10

Um, that would be more of a, you know, like using it as a therapy for a certain, a specified period of time. Maybe you do it before bed, maybe you do it in the morning, maybe you do it throughout, you know, at various times throughout the day. But it wouldn't be something you would wear the entire day. Whereas the Apollo, you could wear for longer stretches of time. You could wear all night during sleep, for example. So that's, there's a difference between them and how you would use them

Alicia 21:39

All right. And then we've got binaural beats. I hear these can be great for focus.

Nicole 21:43

yes. They use slightly different sound frequencies in each ear to synchronize your brainwaves, helping you shift into calm, focus or sleep states depending on what you're using them for, which frequencies you're using. So it's free, it's non-invasive. And evidence supports their use for relaxation and attention. When I had my brick and mortar office. This is something that I used to put on all of my patient's care plans anytime they were struggling with sleep or stress. And that's, those are such common issues. So, in fact, I had a patient whose daughter she was maybe six years old, was struggling with sleep. So this patient used the binaural beats with her and she said it was really helpful and it's so simple.

Alicia 22:23

so for this, you actually have to have headphones, right?

Nicole 22:27

It is better.

Alicia 22:29

a sound. You should really just have the headphones so you can hear the sounds

Nicole 22:32

Yes, exactly. Because binaural beats means that there's different frequencies, so you're actually gonna be hearing a different frequency in each ear. So you do wanna use earphones when you're doing this, ideally. Great question. So this is definitely hot and free and definitely worth it. It's easy.

Alicia 22:52

We like easy around here. Okay. Let's move on to detox and circulation. The ritual side of wellness, those cozy sensory tools we love, or maybe we don't. let's see.

Nicole 23:03

We'll find out. Let's start with dry brushing. It improves lymph flow, exfoliates the skin and supports circulation, making it great for the immune system and detoxification. I love this one in the morning because it feels like it wakes up your whole body.

Alicia 23:18

Same. It's energizing and it's great before a shower. Hot and super easy. And if you don't know how to do it, we do have a YouTube video where we kind of go through, well Nicole is the teacher. I am also the student at that time learning how to properly do dry brushing. So go check that out. We'll link it below.

Nicole 23:36

Yep. And then we've got castor oil packs. These have been used for centuries to support liver health, lymph drainage, and inflammation. Research is still catching up, but anecdotally, they're great for digestion, hormone support, and they also stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, getting you into that relaxation mode.

Alicia 23:54

Yeah and I've heard it's important to go slow and work your way up when using the castor packs.

Nicole 23:59

Yeah, definitely. I've used these over my liver and abdomen and they feel really great and grounding and soothing. But definitely wanna work your way up. You know, there's a number of different ways you can do it. You can use a flannel pack that you make yourself, or they actually make castor oil packs and that's what I have and I've used, and you just, you know, put a couple teaspoons on the pack the first time you do it, put it around your abdomen. The first time I did it, I wanna say I only had it on for an hour, and I actually did feel a little bit nauseous afterwards. So definitely has more of an impact than you would think. You know, it's something that you're like, oh, it's no big deal. I'm just putting castor oil on my body. Like how could this? But, and it actually did have quite a, a significant impact, even just a, small dose for a short period of time for me. And I do a lot for my health as it is. So you definitely wanna work your way up. You can, as you do, work your way up, you can sleep with it. I know a lot of people do. So, that would be another thing. But yeah, I would say,

Alicia 25:01

there's these like belly button patches So you know, kind of with that, it's

Nicole 25:07

mm-hmm.

Alicia 25:08

I don't know if you put the castor castor oil in your belly button and then you put this like belly button, castor oil patch thing over it. Um, not quite sure. I haven't dug too deep into that, but I have seen them.

Nicole 25:23

Yeah, I'm not familiar with that, but I would bet it works very much in the same, in a similar way to the, to the regular packs. Just another way to apply it, I guess.

Alicia 25:33

also where you are focusing the packs on, you know,

Nicole 25:40

over your liver, over

Alicia 25:41

you know, whatever

Nicole 25:42

Right.

Alicia 25:43

down there.

Nicole 25:44

Mm-hmm. Yeah, definitely. So, yeah, I would say this one's definitely hot and worth trying if you're struggling with things like digestive issues, hormone imbalance, or are super stressed because it does have that calming impact on your nervous system.

Alicia 25:59

Okay. Next step, let's talk about cupping

Nicole 26:01

yeah cupping is another great one for circulation and recovery. It increases blood flow, helps release fascia and speeds muscle repair.

Alicia 26:10

Yeah. I've never personally done cupping. But my sons have, you know, after they tweak something in a hockey game or practice or something. And, you know, I do see a lot of people with the, you know, cupping, bruises,

Nicole 26:22

you know, kinda looks

Alicia 26:23

like a hickey. but

Nicole 26:24

they're round

Alicia 26:25

circular, spots on your back or, you know, I think you can actually do cupping on your face. Uh, but that's a little bit different cupping, I think.'cause you are not gonna wanna leave

Nicole 26:34

Yeah. Those bruises on your face. Yeah.

Alicia 26:37

but def and they have said it helps. So,

Nicole 26:40

Yeah, there's other techniques that basically are very similar to cupping. I used to do something called guha, which essentially uses a spoon to affect a similar result we'll say. So yeah, definitely hot, especially for anyone who works out or holds tension.

Alicia 26:57

and then we have tongue scraping and oil pulling. Two Ayurvedic practices that are having a major comeback.

Nicole 27:03

Yeah. Both support oral microbiome health, which is huge for inflammation. Tongue scraping removes bacteria buildup and oil Pulling with coconut or sesame oil can reduce plaque and bad bacteria.

Alicia 27:15

But with the oil pulling, I think you need to spit it in your garbage and not

Nicole 27:20

yes.

Alicia 27:22

or you know, other

Nicole 27:23

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 27:23

that can kind of clog up your drains or whatever. So definitely spit that in the garbage.

Nicole 27:28

Yeah.

Alicia 27:29

tongue scraping I think is so great because it's like, I don't know, I feel like it's removing all of the bad breath,

Nicole 27:36

Right. Yeah.

Alicia 27:37

Get rid of it.

Nicole 27:38

Right

Alicia 27:39

But

Nicole 27:39

that

Alicia 27:40

is, you wanna make sure you have copper or stainless steel tongue

Nicole 27:43

mm-hmm.

Alicia 27:44

You don't

Nicole 27:44

Yeah.

Alicia 27:45

plastic, you know, we

Nicole 27:46

Right. Mm-hmm.

Alicia 27:50

copper or stainless steel.

Nicole 27:52

For the tongue scraping, definitely, for the oil pulling I had actually done, I haven't done it in a while, it's not a, a regular practice that I use, but I have done oil pulling before and one of the things that I noticed,'cause you're supposed to swish you know, with the oil for like 10 minutes, so you're swishing for a long time and it was like actually a workout for my mouth. So, you know, if you wanna get a little facial sculpting and some neck exercises and things of that nature, um, oil pulling might be a good fit for you.

Alicia 28:26

like a dual purpose, uh, technique.

Nicole 28:29

That's right. So yeah, we're gonna put it in the hot and easy daily win category.

Alicia 28:34

Okay so one of our favorite wellness trends that's actually worth keeping, is the mineral mocktail. You've probably seen these all over TikTok. People mixing up their electrolyte powders, trace minerals, or sea salts in fancy glasses with water.

Nicole 28:49

And the reason this one's so popular is because most women, especially in midlife, are walking around low in minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Especially if you're stressed, sweating more, drinking coffee, or just not replenishing what your body's using.

Alicia 29:04

So think of it as a hydration and nervous system support drink. It's giving your body the minerals, it's actually craving,

Nicole 29:10

you can make it super simple, filtered water, a pinch of high quality sea salt, a squeeze of citrus, and maybe a splash of coconut water for potassium. If you wanna get fancy, add a few drops of liquid minerals or a packet of electrolytes that aren't loaded with sugar.

Alicia 29:25

and you can download the daily glow rituals guide to check out a simple recipe for a mineral mocktail we use. So this one is definitely hot and worth it.

Nicole 29:34

Yes.

Alicia 29:35

Okay. And we didn't talk about this one beforehand, but I'm gonna throw this one at Nicole.

Nicole 29:41

I

Alicia 29:41

think I know the answer. Uh, but it's one I keep on seeing over and over again, and it's juice cleanses.

Nicole 29:49

Oh, I'm so glad you brought this up. Um, no, so I'm giving that one a big fat no, and the reason is, okay, here's the thing, I like the idea of the benefits of vegetables and fruits and things like that. Plant food, yes, wonderful. Love it. But when you juice something, you are removing the fiber. Okay. So you're removing a major beneficial part of the food. Fiber is so fantastic for our gastrointestinal system for supporting blood sugar stability. So removing that I actually don't think is a plus. I don't think that's a benefit to us. So instead of doing juices, I actually prefer people blend or just eat the, the food itself and you're getting the full benefit of that food, right? So I mean, if you're doing something like a wheatgrass shot or something like that, no big deal every now and again. But when people do these full juice cleanses, I'm actually, that's a hard no for me, from a blood sugar standpoint, from getting other beneficial nutrients and plant ingredients like fiber in along with it to support your body. Now, you know, a lot of times people will say, oh, it feel so much better. That's because they're not eating all of the other crap that they normally are eating, right? Sugar, trans fats, excess, refined carbohydrates, right? All of those ultra processed foods have such a negative impact on the body. So yeah, when you cut them out and replace them with fruits and vegetables, you're, you're gonna feel better. Unless you have significant blood sugar dysregulation and you do something like a juice fast, you, you might not feel super great. So, yeah, I would say that's a hard no for me. Thanks for bringing that one up.

Alicia 31:42

I knew you were gonna say that. Alright, let's switch gears and hit a few others quickly. Aromatherapy, hydrogen water, and olive oil shots.

Nicole 31:53

Yeah. So aromatherapy is backed by research. Essential oils like lavender, bergamot, and orange can reduce anxiety and promote calm by activating the limbic system in your brain. So, totally hot, totally worth it. If you use high quality oils, we'll make sure to link to the oils that we use in the show notes. Quality matters when it comes to essential oils, supplements, herbs, things like that. You gotta go with high quality options.

Alicia 32:18

Definitely I can say as someone who uses aromatherapy regularly, Oh my gosh I love it. You know, it's, I like to set up my diffuser the night before, so in the morning I can just go and turn on the diffuser. It makes such a difference like that scent.

Nicole 32:35

Yeah.

Alicia 32:37

Another energetic boost or you

Nicole 32:39

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 32:40

or whatever, you know, whatever oils you use. But, oh my gosh, I love it. But I am somebody that loves scents. You know, I've always been a big scent person, but I don't like the extra chemicals and toxins and hormone disruptors that some scents can have. So I love essential oils for that.

Nicole 32:58

Yeah. I mean, it basically sets the stage for what mood you want, right? Like it sets the environment, so yeah, love it. And so many healing benefits, healing properties in essential oils. They can have really powerful effects. Again, a lot of things people might be skeptical of, oh, is this really doing much for me? You know, but they can have a big, a big impact.

Alicia 33:20

I mean, think about when you go to the spa, like you're surrounded

Nicole 33:23

Oh, yeah.

Alicia 33:25

and that just sets you up for like

Nicole 33:27

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 33:29

calming experience. So yeah, for

Nicole 33:31

Yeah.

Alicia 33:32

Love it. Okay. Hydrogen water. This one's interesting. The claim is that molecular hydrogen acts as a selective antioxidant, reducing oxidative stress.

Nicole 33:43

Yeah, there's early research supporting it, especially for exercise recovery and inflammation. But more studies are needed definitely. One of the cool things is that the molecules are so small that they can cross the blood brain barrier. So as a potential for being a brain antioxidant. And I think that could be really helpful, especially if brain health is something that you're actively focusing on. So we're gonna list this one as warm, but promising. And actually one that I do personally use daily.

Alicia 34:11

Okay, next up olive oil shots. And I know this one's trending, but I have to say it gives me a little bit of the ick.

Nicole 34:19

Yeah. Uh, people are taking shots of high polyphenol olive oil for heart health and longevity. The benefits of olive oil are clear, but you can get them by drizzling it on salads or veggies too. So there's really no need to shoot it. So we're giving this one a warm too. This is not a hot one. We're gonna say, this one's warm. Because you don't have to do a shooter of olive oil. You can just put it on your food and it will still have amazing benefits. And actually, if you put it on your food, then you're also getting the beneficial co-factors of the food that you're eating it with. And, you know, these food-based nutrients all work synergistically together. So doing it as part of your meal, I think is a better strategy.

Alicia 35:02

I don't

Nicole 35:02

Yeah.

Alicia 35:03

shooting back olive oil, just, ugh. No

Nicole 35:06

Yeah. Actually, you know, I, I shared with you earlier that before I knew better in college, I did one of those gallbladder cleanses where I literally drank a half a cup of olive oil and lemon juice together. And, you know, the idea is that you, in one sitting, it's horrendous. You do, it's like this whole thing, like you drink this magnesium drink, I think, or I don't even remember what was involved in it. This was like, you know, must have been 20 something years ago. But it was a long time ago. The idea is that you basically purge all the stuff from your gallbladder. But after going to chiropractic school and learning all of these things about how the body works and what's good for the body and what's maybe not, you could actually do some major damage in something like that if you have, like, you could lodge a gallstone and end up being in an emergency situation

Alicia 36:01

Yikes.

Nicole 36:01

You would need to have a gallstone removed from your bile duct, and that would be horrible. And it was a terrible experience anyway. I felt so terrible. I mean, the idea is that afterwards then you feel good. And I did feel after I recovered from the experience, I felt good, but maybe it was because, uh, you know, I finally didn't feel so horrible from my gallbladder, basically spasming from all the liquid fat that I had just consumed. So, yeah, not a, it's, that's a no. Mm-hmm.

Alicia 36:33

someone who had to get their gallbladder removed, you know, I've had many a gallbladder attacks in my days to do that willingly? No way. Like that was awful.

Nicole 36:47

Yeah.

Alicia 36:48

we're gonna

Nicole 36:48

Ooh,

Alicia 36:48

on that one. Just have it with your salad people like, no thanks. Okay. All right let's talk about the big ticket trends, NAD infusions, IV therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen.

Nicole 37:01

Yeah, these are the heavy hitters of modern wellness.

Alicia 37:04

starting with the NAD plus infusions. I keep seeing these pop up everywhere and I gotta say, I'm very intrigued.

Nicole 37:10

Mm-hmm. Yeah. NAD is a coenzyme that supports cellular repair and mitochondrial function. Levels decline with age and replenishing it may support energy and longevity. So it's considered an anti-aging nutrient, which is why it's so popular.

Alicia 37:27

Definitely speaking my language.

Nicole 37:29

absolutely same. The evidence is early, but exciting, so it's hot, but only if it fits in with your goals and your budget.

Alicia 37:36

I want it to fit in with my goals and my budget.

Nicole 37:39

I know.

Alicia 37:40

And speaking of having the budget, this is one that I hear is very popular with the celebrities and

Nicole 37:46

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 37:47

to be able to,

Nicole 37:48

Right.

Alicia 37:49

it. And also I've been seeing IV nutrient therapy.

Nicole 37:53

Yeah. It's great for, depending on what you're getting infused. It's great for hydration and short-term nutrient boosts also good for certain medical conditions, depending on which nutrients are being used. But as with all of the rest of these, it's not a substitute for foundational health. Right? So this one is warm, but used as the need arises.

Alicia 38:14

This is actually something I looked into. I had a trip that I was gonna be going on, and of course I got sick right before, and I'm like, oh no. You know, I was doing all the things, you know, taking my vitamins, doing all the things, but I'm like, oh my gosh. I wish we had something around here that I could do. Um, and it

Nicole 38:33

Yeah

Alicia 38:34

But I didn't end up doing it. But that is definitely a time when I like really truly considered doing it because, you

Nicole 38:40

Mm-hmm.

Alicia 38:41

an airplane, I was gonna be at this event and I didn't wanna be sick for, unfortunately I was still sick for the entire trip. But, I could really see this being something that you'd wanna do, you know, if you're starting to feel sick or you have a big event

Nicole 38:54

Yeah.

Alicia 38:54

and you wanna kind of protect yourself against getting anything.

Nicole 38:58

Yeah, absolutely. And you know, great for recovery as you mentioned. I think I had shared with you that I had a patient that I had recommended, I can't remember if she did the Myers cocktail, which is a common IV nutrient infusion or just glutathione. But she did some IV infusions and she had an autoimmune condition and it worked fantastically for her. So it made a humongous difference in her quality of life. So depending on what your goals are and what you're wanting to use it for, it can be really effective and really helpful.

Alicia 39:30

Okay, let's move on to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I've seen people use it for recovery and brain health.

Nicole 39:37

So hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases oxygen delivery to tissues, supporting healing and cognitive function. It's used medically for wounds and now for recovery and longevity too. So, it's also used to treat altitude sickness interestingly. Chris and I are planning on going to Peru this next year. And one of the things that I had looked at was, how can we prevent altitude sickness? And they actually have specifically in the place that we're going in Cousco, they have hyperbaric oxygen therapy clinics to support people that are dealing with this kind of thing. So I would say it's hot, but very high end if you plan on either getting your own or using them frequently.

Alicia 40:19

Now this is something that kind of like reminds me like a, a, a tanning bed, but enclosed, right?

Nicole 40:27

Yeah, you're enclosed.

Alicia 40:29

that could be a little bit tricky for anyone that's claustrophobic. I have never done this. I'm interested in doing it, but also have a fear that I'm not gonna be able to handle it. Okay. So here's what I love about this whole conversation. So many of these tools can support your health, but the foundation is still the basics.

Nicole 40:48

Yeah. If you're not sleeping, moving, hydrating, and managing stress, none of the fancy stuff will stick

Alicia 40:55

Uh, that's so true. And the most powerful wellness trend will always be consistency. Daily care, not necessarily expensive gadgets.

Nicole 41:03

a hundred percent. But once those foundations are in place, these tools can really enhance how you feel. And I will say too, the other thing to think of is that you don't need to use all of the tools because many of them have benefits that overlap. So you can use them all, but you don't need to. For example, if you're doing sauna therapy and red light therapy and PEMF, do you also need to do a vibration plate? Maybe not. You know, the benefits that you would gain from a vibration plate might already be covered in your red light therapy, PEMF, sauna, you know, those types of things. So it really depends on what your current lifestyle is, what your goals are, what your budget is, right? Like how much do you wanna spend on the different tools that you use and where in your health you need support, right? Like is it inflammation, is it bone density, is it nervous system support? Kind of take a look at what your goals are to determine what might be effective for you. And just know that it's not one of those things where you have to do all of the things.'Cause many of these have similar benefits.

Alicia 42:11

Right. Okay. So if we had to give quick takes, here's how we categorize it. Hot and worth it. Red light therapy, infrared saunas, PEMF, minerals, aroma therapy, dry brushing, castor oil packs, tongue scraping, and vagus nerve tools. And then warm maybe would be hydrogen water, IV therapy, olive oil shots and NAD infusions. And then not necessary, anything that feels extreme, promises overnight results or drains your bank account or energy. And then a big no would be

Nicole 42:49

Juice cleanses.

Alicia 42:50

uhhuh.

Nicole 42:51

I mean, I know we have olive oil shots in the warm or maybe category, because olive oil is fantastic. You just don't need to shoot it. That's just our point there.

Alicia 43:00

Okay, so the takeaway is wellness isn't about doing everything. It's about finding what feels aligned with your body, your budget, and your goals.

Nicole 43:08

Yes, because what's hot is whatever supports your health in a sustainable way.

Alicia 43:14

And I think midlife is the perfect time to experiment, but also to trust your intuition. You know your body better than anyone else.

Nicole 43:21

Because at the end of the day, it's not about chasing the next thing. It's about creating the routines and rituals that help you glow from the inside out.

Alicia 43:29

And that my friends, is the real wellness trend that never goes outta style.

Nicole 43:34

Thanks for tuning in. We hope this episode helped you cut through the noise and focus on what actually matters.

Alicia 43:39

And if you try any of these tools or trends, tag us on TikTok or YouTube. We'd love to hear what's working for you.