The Daily Check-In 8.21

Probiotics promote gut diversity, but regularly swapping your go-to supplement for a new one will optimize the effects. Follow the three-to-one rule, says Deanna Minich, Ph.D., Seattle-based Equinox Health Advisory Board member and author of The Rainbow Diet: Take one probiotic for three weeks, break for one week to bring your body back to equilibrium, then switch to another strain for three weeks, and so on.

Choose supplements with 20 billion or more colony-forming units (CFUs) that have an NSF, Informed Sport, or Consumer Lab certification on the box, recommends Brian St. Pierre, RD, director of performance nutrition at Precision Nutrition in Scarborough, Maine.

Waxing pulls hairs from their follicles, which creates micro-wounds in the skin. If you exercise in the hours after you wax, your sweat can transfer bacteria from the skin into these lesions. Once that happens, you're at risk of developing pimples and folliculitis, in which the hair follicles become infected. On top of that, the chafing and friction from the constant movement of exercise can lead to ingrown hairs.

Experts at The Spa recommend leaving at least 24 hours between your wax and your next intense workout. If you exercise before then, stick to low-intensity activities that require minimal movement, like mobility work or restorative yoga.

A virtual happy hour is the obvious choice if you’re not yet ready for an IRL socially-distanced date. “But they can also leave us feeling underwhelmed, as pandemic-related stresses can easily dominate the conversation,” says Sarah Hunter Murray, Ph.D., sex expert and marriage and family therapist based in Manitoba, Canada. She recommends skipping the screen component, throwing in your earbuds, and talking on the phone while you both go for a walk or hike.

“Being outside and stepping away from your screen can put you in a different headspace to facilitate conversation, and, if you're hiking or exploring, you can share what you're noticing in nature or around your city.”