Living Well (or Trying To) with Janet

June is Infertility Awareness Month. Around this time last year, I was just beginning my egg-freezing journey. How did I prepare for the experience? Did I take supplements? How did I exercise? Who was my support system? In this episode, I offer a high-level checklist of the key ways that I prepared myself for this significant endeavor. If you're interested in my full story with extensive details,...

This episode is not about trying to convince anyone to meditate, if they aren’t somewhat interested already. I think most people I’ve spoken to don’t need to be sold on meditation and would like to start meditating, but the common hang-ups I hear are: "How do you meditate? Like what is going on when your eyes are closed? What am I supposed to be doing?" and "I've tried meditating before - I've dow...

Whether it's a struggle to hold in or a struggle to push out, there are few things in life as uncomfortable as abnormal poops. On my recent travels abroad to Japan, I faced this very special kind of discomfort > < Listen in as I share my personal experiences, what I learned from research, and also tips from other listeners. What is considered healthy poop? How long should it take for you to go? Is...

We’re killing the environment, we’re not recycling enough, stop driving your cars, why aren’t you composting?! The world is ending! It seems like every news article, publication, title, and post nowadays is about how the world is getting worse. Yes, humanity is at a pretty critical point in history - things have been, and continue to be, dire. But we don’t hear enough about the improvements, the p...

It is probably one of the most elusive things pursued by humankind. When people ask: “what do you hope to achieve in life?” “what is your ultimate goal?” or “what is the meaning of life?” – you’ll often hear the answer: I just want to be happy. But what does that really mean? Is it a state of being? Is it the same for everyone? Is it even achievable? March 20th is the UN International Day of Happi...

You've heard of early birds and night owls, but what about bears, wolves, lions, and dolphins? According to sleep specialist and clinical psychologist Michael J. Breus, Ph. D., there are four unique sleep chronotypes, each with different characteristics and ideal sleep and wake times. In this episode, I share some of my personal struggles with sleep, what I found when I researched sleep types, and...

I believe that Wellness is holistic. Beyond food, sleep, and exercise, it’s also about the relationships in our lives, and key among these relationships is the one we have with our life partner. At 37 and 44, my current partner and I are just beginning our journey together about a decade past the average person in the US. So what does that mean for us? How do we go about committing to and reaching...

Given the aftermath of the last few years, I’d say that many of us have Dry Jan sitting pretty high up on our new year’s resolutions lists. But WAIT - before you empty those glasses COMPLETELY, I want to share an alternative approach to Dry Jan. Not to be discouraging, but research shows that ⅓ of people who attempt Dry Jan fail to make it the whole month. Instead of going ‘Dry’ this year - there...

Some healthy habits are harder to adopt than others - eating your veggies, exercising regularly, maintaining a consistent sleep routine - these may all take some convincing and effort. But what if I told you that some pleasurable activities, like having sex regularly, is also critical to your health? Here with me to talk about sex for health is Anna Lee, Cofounder of Lioness, the women-led sexual...

Have you ever heard of “energy healing”, “Reiki”, or phrases like “balancing your chakras”? As someone who started my interest in wellness rooted more in traditional Western concepts of nutrition and health, energy healing is something I might have rolled my eyes at a decade ago. But since that time, I have been more curious about this modality of wellness, of healing. If you’re in the same boat a...

Those of you who have listened to some of our earlier episodes at ABG know that I have switched careers many times. I started out at one of the Big 4s working in global transfer pricing, then in social enterprise, before switching to strategy in advertising, and finally landing in UX design before going full time on ABG. However, between my stint in Advertising and my time in UX design, I actually...

Plant-based or plant-forward eating has been lauded as a healthy lifestyle habit for years now. If you’re a meat-eater who is plant curious, this episode is for you! What exactly is a plant-based/forward way of eating? How do you start the transition? Where do you get your protein? How do you feel full? I’m also here to share how a plant-based diet has affected my lifestyle: How do I eat out with...

Hi, it’s Janet! Most of you know that I’m an avid yogi, meditator, plant-based eater and all-around wellness enthusiast. As a 2nd generation Asian American woman, I often find myself experimenting with Western health trends against the context of the Eastern philosophies I was raised with. I’ve shared parts of my wellness journey in various ABG episodes, but there are pieces I have yet to reveal....