🎥 ‘Train Dreams’ on Netflix: Based on the novella of the same name by Denis Johnson, this movie follows the quiet life of a train laborer in the early 20th century. Similar in tone to last year’s ‘Small Things Like These,’ it speaks to the quiet, beautiful, devasting moments in even the simplest or least remarkable life.

🎧 “Zero to Well-Read” Podcast: Over the past week, I read Wuthering Heights, a novel I somehow have never read, but grew curious about after seeing the movie ‘Emily’ last year (my review: I feel like a lot of torment could have been avoided, had therapy been a thing in 18th century England). It’s also got me thinking about how many classics I’ve never read, despite majoring in English, a problem this smart new podcast is dedicated to fixing! Which book would you start with??

📺 “Plur1bus,” on Apple TV+: It’s been months since I’ve come across a show I love as much as this one. The concept and execution are just so good! In it, Carol, a romance writer out of Albuquerque is one of thirteen people on earth immune to a virus that links everyone in a collective consciousness, and—by her assessment—unnatural, forced happiness. Can’t wait for the latest episode to come out Wednesday! Are you watching it??

My favorite influencer, for the past decade-plus, has been my friend Betsy. From the moment we met twelve years ago (!), as neighbors in Los Angeles, she shaped my concept of “healthy eating” from notions based in restriction (this was the early 2010s) to additions I can make to my existing enjoyment of food. It’s hilarious to think back now that she blew my mind when she recommended I eat three eggs every morning. At the time, I was eating a slice of avocado toast and wondering why I was starving again by mid-morning. Now, breakfast is often my biggest meal of the day, packed with eggs, vegetables, starches, plus a calorie- and fat-rich matcha.

As the Nutrition Director at an in-demand functional medicine clinic in Santa Monica, Betsy is constantly sourcing and testing products for her clients. Her pantry, as a result, feels straight out of an Erewhon aisle. During my recent stay with her in Taos, I spent the entire week quizzing her on the powder she drinks every morning, and the hot chocolate and supplements she takes before bed. By the end of the trip, I had replaced a few of my go-tos with hers and even ordered a few products to take on the road with me. Here are a few stand-outs (most of which are currently on sale!), including:

The gut-health beverage she drinks first-thing every morning
An insanely effective bedtime wind-down gummy
A protein powder pre-natal (!)

Issue #222: 12+ Wellness Products I'm…

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