Welcome to Living Well Daily, the newsletter serving up a daily dose of care designed to support you, cheer you on and remind you, always, just how wonderful you already are.

In Today’s Edition:

Life is made up of many moments.
Each has the opportunity to be beautiful, majestic, and wonderful because you are a part of those moments, and…
You are all those things and more 💖

On the journey to love and care for ourselves, our health, and our well-being, many of us will come face to face with body shame. We live in a world that reinforces narrow and unrealistic standards of beauty, worth, and acceptability. These messages are often so pervasive that they can quietly shape how we see ourselves, sometimes without us even realizing it.

When I feel this happening, I like to revisit a book that I find so darn powerful: Your Body is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor. If you haven’t read it, I’d highly recommend checking it out. The title alone feels like a breath of fresh air and a reminder that our bodies are miraculous homes, in all their shapes, abilities, and differences.

She writes, “Making peace with your body is about awakening to who you have always been: the physical, spiritual, and energetic manifestation of radical self love.” It’s a gorgeous sentence, but where do we start in practice?

Here are five reminders, inspired by her book, that can help disrupt body shame and support a more compassionate relationship with your body:

✅ Action step: Notice one thing your body allowed you to experience today (movement, rest, sensation, connection) and thank it quietly.

^{Love, Lola Graham}

The other day, I highlighted some encouraging research for identifying Alzheimer’s early, but now I want to look at a new study out of UC San Francisco (published in Cell) that may help explain why exercise helps prevent Alzheimer’s.

As you get older, the blood-brain barrier, which acts like a protective shield around your brain, can become “leaky.” That leakiness can allow inflammatory compounds into your brain tissue, which is linked to cognitive decline and conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

Here’s where exercise comes in. Researchers found that physical activity increases a liver enzyme called GPLD1. While this enzyme can’t enter the brain directly, it helps repair the blood vessels surrounding the brain by removing a protein (TNAP) that weakens the barrier over time. In aging mice, lowering TNAP reduced inflammation and improved memory performance.

The big takeaway? Movement doesn’t just strengthen muscles; it also strengthens your brain’s defence system! Which I think is pretty darn neat.

✅Action Step: Move your body today (dance, go for a brisk walk, resistance train, etc.) Even moderate, regular exercise may be protecting your brain!

Source: PMID: 41713415

^{By: Joshua Graham}

^{A mini-care practice for grounding, calming, and nervous system support.}

Imagine placing your worries in a basket for a moment (they’ll still be there later if needed). Let you body, mind, and spirit take a breath unhindered as the weight of worry falls away.

Before you go, let us know what you thought of today’s edition and if there are any subjects you would like us to cover in the future reply to this email and let us know!

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With love and care,

Lola & Joshua | The Living Well Team

^{Living Well Daily is for educational purposes only and is in no way a substitute for professional medical and mental health advice and diagnosis. Please consult a qualified professional for care unique to your needs.}

^{Remember: It’s okay to ask for help. Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (Canada & US).}