Shrooms are the new Cali sober →

Is more support the new aperol spritz? I’d noticed many of the women in my life were skipping alcohol for microdoses of mushrooms, so I decided to write about it for ELLE magazine.

According to the Global Drug Survey, magic mushroom use doubled from 2015 to 2020. But most aren’t tripping out; rather, they’re using shrooms to lift their mood and energy levels—and see it as a healthier vice than booze. (See: no hangovers.)

“They just make you happy and you have a good time—it’s not like alcohol where you’re always needing more and chasing the buzz,” says a West coast hair stylist who started selling mushrooms about a year ago. “Most of my customers are young, female, working professionals like me,” she adds.

Scientific research on the efficacy of microsdosing is limited, but the therapeutic benefits of large doses of psilocybin (the hallucinogenic compound in magic mushrooms) are showing promising results in clinical trials ranging from depression and PSTD to addiction. (Maybe the little doses have perks too?)

Loved falling down the research rabbit hole for this story. Read the full story in the April issue of ELLE.

The Ultimate Postpartum Guide

Nearly 90 percent of women will have a child. Yet for an event so common—and dramatically life-altering—it’s striking how rarely we discuss what happens to us. Forget diapers and pacifiers. We want to talk about how motherhood transforms our minds, our bodies, and our health. (And why talking about it just might save our lives.) Here, my ASME nominated unfiltered reality guide to motherhood for Women’s Health Magazine.

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Is Your Doc Getting It Wrong?

Every American will be misdiagnosed at least once in their lifetime and research shows women may be the most vulnerable. Why? This investigative feature for Glamour explores how implicit sexism is putting our health at risk.

PHOTO: EDIE NADELHAFT/CHRISTOPHER DAWSON

PHOTO: EDIE NADELHAFT/CHRISTOPHER DAWSON

The Truth About Sex Ed

You already know sex isn't shameful. Duh. But millions of American students are still being taught that it is—if they're being taught anything at all. Fewer than half of U.S. States require public schools to teach sex ed. Of those states, just 20 mandate that the info given be medically, factually, or technically accurate. WTF? As a result, when it comes to basics like birth control, nearly 40 percent of teenage girls and 45 percent of teenage boys say they've never received any instruction.

So far the government has been little help, spending more than $2 billion on abstinence-only sex ed since the 1980's. President Obama cut this funding for the first time in favor of evidence based-programs, but President Trump and the Republican-lead congress seem eager to reverse course.

Sigh. America's teen pregnancy rate is already among the highest of any developed nation. STIs are running rampant and abysmal sex ed maybe play a role in sexual assault incidents—many young people leave school never having learned a thing about consent. 

But it's never to late to be empowered about your sexuality and reproductive rights. Pick up my new story in the April issue of Cosmopolitan and use it as your ultimate sex ed course. Your health and satisfaction could depend on it. 

Body Trips

New wellness bootcamps are making for an unusual kind of vacation. There are no lazy mornings or sipping umbrella drinks by the pool. Instead of standard vacation vices, daily indulgences consist of kale smoothies and five-hour hikes in exotic locales to satisfy your wanderlust and your workout goals. Get the full story at Vogue.com.

Photo: Courtesy of Amansala

Photo: Courtesy of Amansala

The gender gap you haven't heard about

Our fast-paced world has made us all too familiar with stress—and when I say "us," I mean women. That's not to say our brothers, boyfriends and guy friends don't feel the pressure too, but a number of major anxiety inducers disproportionately affect women. Find out why in my latest for Refinery29.

Illustrated by Anna Sudit

Illustrated by Anna Sudit

Why You're So Sneezy All The Time

Blue skies, trees in bloom, park picnics, happy hour al fresco—sandal season has officially arrived. Unfortunately, these sunny days don't feel so welcoming if you're one of the 50 million people in the U.S. who suffer from seasonal allergies. To get the scoop on what's causing your sniffles—plus, simple strategies to breathe easier, check out my new story for Refinery 29 here.