Learning to Glow: Tips for Women's Health, Optimal Wellness in Midlife and Aging Gracefully
Welcome to Learning to Glow, a podcast about Women's Health, our skin health and wellness optimization. Join us as we learn together and explore ways to live our best lives and personal growth. Whether you're looking to improve your physical health, cultivate a positive mindset or explore topics important to women, we've got you covered. If you have ever found yourself googling: *How come I can't lose weight? *Why am I always so tired? *How do I set up my morning routine for success?*What is a healthy way to eat without restricting or beating myself up*How do I mana...
200: Belly Fat, Meal Timing, and Stress: What’s the Connection? with Yvonne Abdi
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For the 200th episode of Learning to Glow, Yvonne Abdi returns for a practical conversation about stress and the ways it can ripple through everyday health. We discuss how ongoing stress may influence sleep, digestion, energy, eating patterns, and body composition.
Rather than chasing a quick fix for belly fat, Yvonne shares foundational habits to support the body through stressful seasons: eating consistently in a way that fits your life, prioritizing protein and fiber, drinking water, and finding ways to move throughout the day.
In this episode...
199: Negative Self-Talk Is a Physical Health Problem with Dr. Meg Mill
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Our guest Dr. Meg Mill and I talk about how stress and recurring thoughts may affect the way we feel in our bodies, while also looking at the foundations of health one step at a time.
Dr. Meg is a former clinical pharmacist, functional medicine practitioner, author, and founder of the Women’s Functional Health Institute. She shares how her own experience with digestive issues, anxiety, and insomnia led her to functional medicine, and why she now trains practitioners to support women’s health.
We get into the connection betw...
198: The Feel Good 2026 Holiday Gift Guide for Wellness, Fitness and Skincare
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This year, I wanted my holiday gift guide to include more than things to buy. I’m sharing products I enjoy, experiences I would love to give, and ideas for wellness, movement and skincare. Below I will list the products I mention in the episode and if you have any questions let me know!
WELLNESS
Live It Up electrolyte powder, pomegranate mango
Link: Vital Minerals
Libre Daily Vitality
Link: Libre Daily Vitality
Chemical Free Body Gre...
197: Everyday Ways to Support Your Lymphatic System and WHY It Matters with John Ossipinsky
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Have you been feeling more bloated, puffy, or inflamed lately and wondering why your body doesn’t seem to respond the way it used to? Today, we’re talking about a system that often gets overlooked: the lymphatic system.
I’m joined by John Ossipinsky, also known as LymphMan, to break down what the lymphatic system does and how everyday habits like sitting for long stretches, slouching, and not getting enough movement may affect lymph flow. We’ll talk about signs people often associate with congestion, why movement and deep breathing matter...
196: The small habit that sparked a 100-pound weight loss with Megan Gaul
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In this conversation, I talk with Megan Gaul about her experience with emotional eating and the small, gradual habits that helped her change her relationship with food. Megan shares how a therapist's simple suggestion to drink an extra glass of water each day helped her see that she could follow through on a commitment to herself. That first step became a starting point for food journaling, movement, and lasting changes.
We discuss responding to stress without relying on food alone, making room for favorite foods, finding activities that bring fulfillment, and...
195: Plant Medicine & Healing Through Science and Ceremony with Dr. Jeff McNairy
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Our guest is Dr. Jeff McNairy Psy.D., M.P.H. a pioneer in the mental health revolution and Chief Medical Officer at Rythmia, the world’s first and only medically licensed ayahuasca retreat. Today we talk about plant medicine, trauma recovery, and the work of building a medically guided retreat center in Costa Rica. How unresolved trauma can shape addiction and mental health, what guests can expect during a retreat, and why screening, safety, and integration matter.
In this episode:
Dr. McNairy’s background in psychology, public healt...194: Whole30 Results After 30 Days: What I Ate, What I Avoided, and Is It Worth It?
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Whole30 Favorites: Sugar Supplement Sugar Shield Click HERE Use Code GLOW for a discount!
I recently completed my second Whole30, and in this episode I’m sharing my honest experience, what I ate, what I missed, the results I noticed, and whether I think it was worth it.
I explain what Whole30 is, why it’s considered an elimination program rather than a long term diet and how the reintroduction phase can help you identify food sensitivities or reactions. I also cover the foods you can and cannot...
193: How to Tell If Mold Is Hiding Behind Your Chronic Symptom with Jason Richards
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Our guest Jason Richards, lead inspector and co-founder of PureHealth Mold Inspections shares some valuable information with us today about mold.
We have been talking with guests over the past weeks that have suffered from chronic illness that have also been affected by mold in the home so I was so excited to talk to Jason from his point of view. Because we know mold can wreak havoc on our health but what do we do about it and what can we do to protect ourselves.
Today we talk ab...
192: The Smart Midlife Workout Formula for Strength, Energy and Longevity with Lindsey Mathews
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Episode Mentioned 183 How to Decrease Sugar Cravings with Chris Mearns: CLICK HERE Sugar Shield Code GLOW for 15% off check out Supplement HERE
Today our guest Lindsey shares her experience of gaining 50 pounds after years of bodybuilding preparation, what her lab work revealed and how she rebuilt her health with a different approach to training, nutrition and recovery.
We talk about what midlife women can focus on instead of endless cardio and aggressive calorie cuts. Lindsey also explains how to approach fat loss, maintenance and strength training i...
191: Creating Energy and Reclaiming Your Health with Tim James
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In this episode, I’m talking with Tim James, host of Tim Talks Energy and founder of Chemical Free Body.
Tim shares the health crisis that changed the direction of his life, including severe digestive issues, painful skin problems, low energy, and an emergency appendectomy while traveling in Peru. We talk about how processed foods, poor nutrition, and chronic stress affected his health and what inspired him to take a more active role in his healing journey.
We also talk about creating more energy in midlife, becoming mo...
190: Getting to the Root Cause for Gut Healing, Mold Toxicity and Peptides with Amanda Soukoulis
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Amanda Soukoulis shares her personal health collapse in her 20's and how it led her into helping others with functional medicine and nutrition. This conversation focuses on why symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, and poor sleep often trace back to deeper root causes rather than willpower.
Amanda also shares the importance of testing in the right order, how gut health connects to hormones and detoxification, and why peptides can be a useful tool when the body is ready for them.
Key topics
Amanda shares...189: How Your Emotional State Affects Your Physical Health with Dr. Colette Sinclair
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Today, we’re joined by Dr. Colette Sinclair to explore the powerful connection between our emotions, stress, and overall health. Dr. Sinclair explains why physical wellness alone may not be enough when emotional and mental patterns are left unaddressed. She shares how stress, nervous system dysregulation, and negative thought patterns can affect everything from immunity and hormones to cardiovascular health.
She also offers practical tools for shifting your emotional state, including awareness, breathwork, and intentional state training. We had such a wonderful conversation that we ended up talking longer than usual!
...188: Walk Your Way to Vitality with Tai Chi, Breath Work & Mindful Walking with Dr. Kim and Dr. MoraMarco
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We have guests Dr. Jacques MoraMarco and Dr. Yun Kim on the podcast talking about their book: Walking Your Way to Vitality. Dr. MoraMarco is a fourth-generation lineage holder of Sun Tai Chi, a pioneer in East Asian medicine in California, and Dean Emeritus of Emperor’s College of Traditional East Asian Medicine. Dr. Yun Kim is a fifth-generation student of Sun Tai Chi and founder of Emperor’s Wellness. Together they share their practical approach to walking, breath work, Tai Chi principles and Qigong, mindfulness, healthy aging and nervous-system wellbeing.
In...
187: PCOS Is Now PMOS: Hormones, Metabolism, and What Women Need to Know with Bria Gadd
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Today’s guest is Bria Gadd, also known as “The Period Whisperer.” Bria is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, speaker, and host of the top 1% wellness podcast, The Period Whisperer.
In this episode, we’re talking about the recent name change from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) what the new name means, why this shift is so important, and how it may help women better understand the condition.
I invited Bria back to share her insight...
186: My Wellness Reset Before 50: What I am Adding, Keeping and Ditching
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Today I am talking about my game plan for the next year of my life as I just turned 49 and want to prepare for my 50's!
As far as my health and wellness go, I will be sharing what I am keeping, adding and ditching. I will be sharing my journey this upcoming year, when it comes to my health, my weight loss and my overall wellness so make sure you are subscribed because I am sharing some great things.
See below for links to each section of the p...
185: Why You Can’t Stop Emotional Eating and How to Break the Cycle with Michelle Murphy
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Today I’m joined by Michelle Murphy, a licensed therapist and holistic wellness coach who helps women take control of their weight and stop obsessing over food.
* If you enjoy this episode, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who may need to hear it!
In this conversation, we talk about emotional eating and why knowing what to do does not always make it easy to follow through. Michelle explains how stress, the nervous system, shame and old emotional patterns can shape our relationship wi...
184: Getting to the Root of Your Symptoms: A Roadmap to Feeling Better with Marina Moiseyeva
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So excited to share this episode with Marina Moiseyeva, she brings such a grounded, practical perspective to wellness! We talk about why so many women still feel tired, off, or frustrated even when they’ve been told everything looks normal, and why the basics matter more than most of us want to admit.
We get into things like sleep, stress, hormones, nutrition, energy, and how certain “healthy” habits can actually work against you depending on your age, life stage, and what your body truly needs. We also talk about why wellness is nev...
183: The Real Reason You Can’t Stop Craving Sugar with Chris Mearns
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Today we have guest Chris Mearns, a metabolic researcher and founder of LIV3 Health.
Chris breaks down a part of the sugar conversation that I honestly had never thought much about: fructose. He explains how fructose doesn’t just act like a calorie in the body. It can also act as a survival signal, telling the body to conserve energy and store fat.
We talk about cellular energy, mitochondrial health, and why so many of us can feel tired, hungry, and stuck even when we feel like we’re doing...
182: The Truth About Parasites and Other Toxins with Kim Rogers, the Worm Queen
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Today's guest is Kim Rogers, founder of RogersHood, a company helping so many people dealing with chronic illness through herbs, education, and support.
The main focus of our conversation is parasites, worms, mold, heavy metals and other toxins that may be impacting our bodies and our health. Kim shares so much knowledge around what these things are, why they matter and what we can do to support the body in clearing them.
We also talk about mold poisoning and chronic illness and how herbs can be such a powerful...
181: Healing Lyme Disease and How to Thrive After Any Illness with Alayna Bellquist
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Today's guest Alayna Bellquist talks about her powerful healing journey after a severe case of Lyme disease. Lyme is the number one vector-borne illness in the United States. Because symptoms can often look like stress, hormone imbalance, fatigue, or other chronic conditions, many people go years without clear answers.
Alayna shares what it was like to go from being completely bedridden to fully healing and how her recovery required more than just physical treatment. Her biggest breakthrough came when she began looking at the deeper mental and emotional patterns connected to...
180: Nervous System Reset: How to Regulate Stress, Build Muscle and Thrive in Your 40s with Daffney Allwein
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In this episode I sit down with Daffney Allwein, a 20-year exercise physiologist who works with high-performing, type-A CEOs and professionals. We talk about making fitness feel doable again without spending hours at the gym. And how small, intentional habits that support your energy, nervous system, strength, and longevity are the key to success.
Why “I’m too busy” is often really a prioritization issueHow phone use and overstimulation drain the energy we need for our healthThe power of a simple 20-minute walk and finding movement you actually enjoyBuilding functional muscle in your 40...179: The Six Domains That Shape Your Health, Purpose, and Vitality with Dr. Alan Rozanski
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In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Alan Rozanski, an internationally recognized cardiologist, researcher, and educator. I absolutely loved this conversation. Dr. Rozanski has connected the dots between our emotional health, stress levels, sense of purpose, and physical well-being.
He shares the six domains of health and vitality and breaks each one down in a way that feels practical, inspiring, and easy to understand. We talk about how his work first began in practice with his own patients, when he saw firsthand how stress, depression, and la...
178: Sleep Like Your Health Depends on It: 5 Nightly Habits That Took My Sleep Score to 99
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I am sharing my top five tips for the best sleep! I recently got a 99 sleep score and my sleep has been so good.
Since tracking my sleep, I have really been able to figure out what is working, what keeps my score high, and what has been tanking it.
This is such an important topic for our health. Because so much regeneration and repair happens while we sleep, I thought sleep deserved its own episode!
Let me know if you have any questions or feedback. As a...
177: The Korean Superfood Secret for Hormones, Gut Health & Glowing Skin with Yondje Choi
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In this episode of Learning to Glow, I sit down with Yondje Choi, founder of OMA, to talk about the power of seaweed, warm foods, Korean wellness traditions, and simple daily rituals that support digestion, skin, energy, and overall health.
She shares the beautiful story behind OMA and how her mom inspired the company after showing up at the hospital with homemade Korean seaweed soup, just one day after giving birth. That moment of nourishment became the heart of the brand.
What we talked about:
• Why seaweed is...
176: The Real Reason You're Exhausted, Foggy, and Gaining Weight with Miguel Bautista
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"You're only one mind shift away"
In this episode of Learning to Glow, I sit down with Miguel Bautista, founder of CFS Recovery, to uncover what may really be behind the exhaustion, brain fog, crashes, and burnout so many women are experiencing.
I loved chatting with Miguel because he shares such helpful insight into how an overwhelmed nervous system can impact women’s health, weight loss goals, energy, and overall well being. We also talk about where to start if you feel stuck, depleted, or like your body just is...
175: Functional Nutrition for Women: Blood Sugar Balance, Digestion, and Sleep with Katie Kirklin
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In this episode, I sit down with Katie, a registered nurse turned functional nutrition counselor, to talk about what it really means to support women’s health from a root cause perspective.
We talk about how functional nutrition for women can help connect the dots between common symptoms like energy crashes, weight loss resistance, anxiety, eczema, bloating, reflux, PMS, perimenopause symptoms, menopause symptoms, and hormone-related changes.
What We Talk About in This Episode
Functional nutrition for women and why Katie focuses on root causes instead of ch...174: The Hormone Connection Behind Perimenopause Symptoms, Weight Gain and Energy with Robin Nielson
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Today I’m joined by hormone expert Robin Nielsen to talk about how hormones can have a huge impact on perimenopause weight gain and so much more.
Robin shares her own hormone healing journey after years of symptoms like acne, fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, mood struggles, and even things you might not immediately connect to hormones, like dry, cracked heels, rough elbows, varicose veins, and gum and enamel issues.
What I loved about this conversation is how Robin explains hormone balance in a way that feels simple and do...
173: 3 Takeaways From My Costa Rica Yoga Retreat!
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In this solo Learning to Glow episode, I’m recapping my five day Costa Rica yoga retreat and why it convinced me to make this a yearly priority.
The biggest takeaways:
Deeper connection: with friends, an amazing group of women, nature, and my own body
Time and space to actually be present with yoga, meditation, and workshops
The reset that comes from stepping out of your routine and comfort zone
We also got into powerful workshops on “side quests” (aka saying...
172: Hair Growth, Scalp Health and How to Heal Your Stress with Simi Khanna
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Our Guest is Simi Khanna with Simi Beauty, and we’re talking about Ayurvedic hair practices, scalp health, and why everything really starts at the root.
But we also go deeper into her personal story, including a five year experience with blurry vision that was ultimately tied to stress and her nervous system. She shares how that completely shifted her approach to healing and what she actually did to achieve that.
If you struggle with hair loss or unhealthy scalp stay to the end as she shares a...
171: The Missing Piece to Hormones, Mood and Energy with Dr. Catherine Clinton
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In this episode, I’m talking with Dr. Catherine Clinton, a licensed naturopathic physician and author of Optimize, about a completely different way to look at health.
After being diagnosed with autoimmune conditions, Lyme disease, and multiple infections during medical school, she started asking deeper questions and found her way into quantum biology.
We talk about how your body responds to things you can’t even see like light, sound, and electromagnetic fields and why those signals actually guide your biology before chemistry ever does.
We also...
170: If You Care About Aging Well, Don’t Wait on These 3 Pilars with Kristin Kirkpatrick
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If you’re in your 30s or 40s and starting to think about things like brain health, muscle loss, or bone density… this episode is one you want to listen to.
In this episode, I’m talking with registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick from the Cleveland Clinic about what actually matters when it comes to protecting your brain, maintaining muscle, and supporting your bones especially as estrogen starts to decline.
We talk about Alzheimer’s risk starting decades before symptoms, what kind of nutrition actually supports your brain long term, and the...
169: Clean Beauty Is Confusing…Here’s What Actually Matters with Oni Auer
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Today’s episode is such a good reminder that beauty doesn’t have to be complicated.
I’m talking with Oni Auer, founder of ITP Beauty, about what clean beauty really means and how to approach skincare in a simpler, more grounded way.
We get into how confusing “clean beauty” has become, why education matters more than labels, and how to make safer choices without feeling overwhelmed. Oni shares her story of dealing with a skin issue that led her to completely rethink her routine and eventually create her own line.<...
168: Fragrance and Health, What You Need to Know with Sarah Griffith
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We’re talking all about fragrance and how it can impact your health in ways most of us don’t even realize.
I’m joined by Sarah Griffith, founder of Treo Organics, and she shares her personal health journey, what led her to start questioning everyday products, and how she began cleaning up her environment in a realistic way.
If you’ve ever wondered about things like candles, perfumes, cleaning products, or even “clean” labels, this conversation is going to open your eyes a bit. Not in an overwhelming way, just in...
167: My Current Wellness Routine That’s Making a Difference!
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Wellness Update: Iron, Fitness, Supplements, Skincare, Sleep and Nutrition
This is a real life wellness update with what I’ve been focusing on lately and what’s been making a difference. I’m sharing a mix of shifts in my routine, things I’ve added in, and a few habits I’ve been more consistent with.
We talk through my iron journey and energy, a more structured approach to workouts and daily movement, and some of the supplements I’ve been testing and keeping in.
If you’ve be...
166: Is Iron Deficiency Being Misunderstood with Samantha Chandler
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In this episode of Learning to Glow, I’m joined by Samantha Chandler to explore a completely different perspective on iron, heavy periods, and women’s health.
Samantha shares how a “low iron” blood test during pregnancy led her down a path of iron supplementation, postpartum complications, and eventually a deeper investigation into how iron actually functions in the body. We talk about the difference between iron levels in the blood versus how iron moves through tissues, why ferritin levels can be misunderstood, and why many women with heavy periods may actually...
165: De-Mucking Your Life and Rebuilding Confidence with Cortney McDermott
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In this episode of Learning to Glow, I’m joined by Cortney McDermott, author of Give Yourself Permission. We talk about confidence, intuition, and how to reconnect with your inner knowing when life starts to feel rigid or overly structured. Cortney shares the idea of “de mucking” your life and explains how simple practices like movement, walking, journaling, and gratitude can help clear mental noise so you can trust yourself more fully.
• Why real confidence starts with learning to trust yourself
• What it means to “de-muck” your life and...
164: Modern Unwinding: How to Feel Calm in a Busy Season of Life with Emily Bennett
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In today’s episode of Learning to Glow, we’re talking about modern unwinding, better sleep, and what calm can actually look like in real life. I’m joined by Emily Bennett as we chat about how our relationship with stress, rest, and evening routines can shift as life seasons change, especially during motherhood and busy, high demand years.
We talk about how stepping away from old wind down habits can improve sleep quality, reduce racing thoughts, and create more intentional evenings. Emily shares practical ways to build simple nightt...
163: Metabolism, Midlife Weight Gain & Fatigue with Dr. Aleksandra Gajer, MD
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After a decade in emergency medicine, Dr. Gajer shifted her focus to proactive, root-cause care centered on metabolic health, habit change, and improving healthspan. We talk about what’s missing in modern medicine, why being told “it’s just genetic” is rarely the full story, and how insulin resistance quietly drives many midlife symptoms.
We dive into fatigue, weight gain, poor sleep, and loss of vitality, especially during perimenopause, and how insulin resistance, muscle loss, inflammation, gut health, thyroid and cortisol imbalance, and hormone shifts all connect. Dr. Gajer explains insulin resistan...
162: The 4 Pillars of Women’s Health That Matter Most in Perimenopause with Bria Gadd
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I’m joined by Bria Gadd, a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner who specializes in hormones and women’s health. Bria breaks down what is actually happening in perimenopause, why so many women feel dismissed or confused during this phase, and how years of stress and survival mode create what she calls health debt. Also how unexpected weight gain happens and what to do about it!
We talk about the foundations every woman needs before chasing the next supplement or protocol, including the four key pillars of health.
In th...
161: Lunar New Year 2026: A Fire Horse Forecast with Letao Wang
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I’m joined by Letao Wang, a professional counseling astrologist and spiritual counselor based in Hong Kong, for a grounded and eye opening conversation on Chinese astrology and the energetic shift ahead as we move into the Year of the Fire Horse in 2026.
We begin by reflecting on the Year of the Wood Snake and the slower, more introspective energy that defined this cycle. Letao explains how the transition into the Fire Horse year marks a powerful change in pace, bringing faster movement, heightened intensity, and opportunities for rapid tr...
