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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.