Ailsa Cowell

Boulder

Health Editor at MindBodyGreen

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mindbodygreen.com

Articles

Why Powering Up Your Bedtime Snack Will Help You Catch Some Z's

1 week ago | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

Image by Ivan Ozerov / StocksyJune 19, 2025This article is from our sleep-focused newsletter, Sleep School, where we break down the latest research, expert-backed strategies, and practical tips to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed. For weekly insights delivered straight to your inbox, you can subscribe right here. I love food, and I love sleep, so naturally, I’m intrigued when I read something that links the two together.
How Much Anxiety Is Normal & When Is It Time To Talk To Someone?

1 month ago | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

May 28, 2025We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. Anxiety is a universal experience. Who hasn’t felt anxious over a big presentation, an upcoming date, or something silly said at a dinner party on the trip home? While anxiousness is a very natural part of the human condition, that’s not to say it’s always benign.
I’m A Busy Mom - Here's How Creatine Enhanced My Fitness Routine*

Mar 3, 2025 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

Image by Ailsa Cowell / mbg creativeMarch 03, 2025I have a confession to make: Despite having over a decade of experience in health and well-being, a nutrition degree, and a love of fitness, I was late to the creatine party. I tried a couple of brands of creatine over the past several years (albeit inconsistently) and didn’t notice any big changes other than feeling bloated.
Post-Pregnancy, Perimenopause & Managing The Great In-Between

Dec 2, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

December 03, 2024We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. Perimenopause—the mysterious phase that every woman will go through, yet a term that . There is a changing tide in women’s health, though, and these years are demanding increased attention. Women are tired of being left out of scientific research and medical education.
Our Bodies Have Important Things To Say About Mental Health (& We’re Listening)

Dec 2, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

December 03, 2024We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. It’s been a rough day. Your heart feels like it’s going to jump out of your chest, your palms are sweaty, and your stomach hurts. You feel tired but also completely wound up. This is the mind-body connection at work, and while unpleasant, it’s the body’s way of signaling your mental load.
Let’s Talk About The Vaginal Microbiome: Here’s What You Need to Know

Nov 7, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

Image by Studio Set Apart / StocksyNovember 08, 2024Flowers, fruit, seashells… and bacteria? Of all the ways vaginas are depicted, we don’t hear much about the latter. Half the population has one, yet we know so little about the dynamic and finely tuned ecosystem so subtly positioned between our legs. We’re increasingly hearing more about the gut microbiome, so why is it that the bacterial community most intertwined with reproductive health is often left out of the conversation?
This Nightly Habit Could Lead To Muscle Loss, According To Research

Oct 8, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

Image by Marija Savic / StocksyOctober 09, 2024We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. This story appears in the 2024 digital issue of Game On.It’s no secret that sleep is a foundational piece of mental and physical health, but if asked, most people wouldn’t be able to answer why that is.
The Recovery Protocols Experts Use To Stay On Top Of Their Game

Oct 8, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

Image by Malquerida-Studio / StocksyOctober 09, 2024We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. This story appears in the 2024 digital issue of Game On.We live in a time of doing more, going bigger, lifting heavier. Gains feel great and reflect our progress, but much of the magic happens when we’re not doing the actual work. This is the realm of recovery.
6 Reasons Women Should Care About VO2 Max (& Improve Yours Without Running)

Sep 17, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

September 17, 2024We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links. VO2 max used to be a metric that only elite athletes or endurance runners were familiar with—which makes sense. It's the gold standard to evaluate stamina as it measures how efficiently the body consumes and uses oxygen during exercise (a higher number equals a higher level of fitness).
Yes, VO2 Max Is Different For Women: Here's The Latest Research

Aug 14, 2024 | mindbodygreen.com | Ailsa Cowell

Image by Pedro Merino / StocksyAugust 14, 2024Who wouldn't want to prioritize a key longevity metric when all it takes is your own body? That's the beauty of VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise and a leading factor for accurately predicting life span.