Immune support can be best achieved through a holistic approach. Foundational nutrition is a great way to contribute to your overall immune health practice, and it promotes balance — the immune system thrives with nutrient replenishment, optimal gut health, and a diverse microbiome, all of which are at the core of foundational nutrition. It’s at the intersection of whole foods, adequate rest, exercise, stress management, and a variety of vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and antioxidants that the immune system can respond to the diverse factors that have an impact on your immune health. Want to feel good and have vitality? Well, the key lies in micronutrients, including vitamins A, C, D, E and others that are essential for immune health.

Essentially, the immune system is a network made up of cells, tissues, and molecules that work together to defend the body against environmental stressors like toxins, pollution, chemicals, and other pathogens that can be harmful. Our immune system is made of three main lines of defense: physical barriers like skin and mucus and “first and second responders,” also known as our innate and adaptive immune systems. Identification and memory are a few key ways the immune system functions to support the body — identifying and eliminating potential threats and retaining a memory of past exposures to better respond in the future.

Our immune system is made of three main lines of defense: physical barriers like skin and mucus and “first and second responders,” also known as our innate and adaptive immune systems.

Because the immune system has many working parts, the need for balance becomes crucial in understanding immune health and the beneficial steps needed to cultivate it. Our bodies send signals when something is out of balance, which is why it’s necessary to reimagine how we look at immune support and what may be helpful for overall immune health.

There's nuance, individuality, and responsiveness to account for when thinking about immune health. Targeting specifics as they relate to immune support may seem effective, but it’s important to recognize that at the baseline, many of us are still deficient in key nutrients that are important for a well-functioning immune system. Many key factors can contribute to comprehensive immune health:

: Strengthens the immune system and teaches it to react better under stress for longevity, restful sleep, improved mood, and more. Too much exercise without proper recovery can also produce too much of an immune response. It is about balance.

: Helps to clear toxins and waste from the body.

: A natural Vitamin D source that strengthens the immune system, regulates our circadian rhythm for a healthy stress response, and brightens your day (literally and neurologically).

: Nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, provide antioxidants, phytonutrients, and fiber to support a strong immune system.

Several micronutrients are needed to maintain a well-functioning immune system, including A, C, D, E, and Zinc. In a 2020 study, 45% of US adults didn’t consume enough of these nutrients on a daily basis through food consumption alone.1

There are alternative ways to think about immune health other than targeting specific symptoms or boosting. If there’s curiosity around what you do for support and if the steps you’re taking are enough to make a difference — it’s important to not look for a quick fix and consider steps that add balance to the body. The good news is that when it comes to the immune system, adopting a holistic perspective can prove to be best so that your immune health is set to ready mode.

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Many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals play an active role in providing immune support. As vital components of a responsive immune system, they function synergistically as building blocks for protection. AG1 ingredients like vitamin C defend our cells against oxidative stress and work collectively with vitamin E, another robust antioxidant, which supplies immune support and defends our cells from environmental damage. Together, we see there’s power in vitamins and minerals, as they aid in immune responsiveness, which is an essential factor in whole body health.

Meeting your body at its baseline by integrating regular exercise, restful sleep, and balanced eating can yield the full potential fundamental vitamins and minerals provide. Zinc, the standout mineral in AG1, supports how the immune system functions, and bioflavonoids, a phytonutrient derived from whole foods, namely orange and lemon, provides environmental stress defense.*

Our bodies are functioning ecosystems, much like things found in nature — all dependent on the well-being of each other. The healthy habits we practice daily may seem small or insignificant, but they have positive compounding effects when we consider how interconnected each part is. Tapping into all aspects of whole body health means making the daily choice to support the system that supports you.

Well-rested resiliency is a thing, and it’s important that you know that elevating your sleep quality means elevating your immune health.

Did you know that a lack of sleep can make you sick? Well-rested resiliency is a thing, and it’s important that you know that elevating your sleep quality means elevating your immune health. There is a significant link between immune health and sleep — they have a bidirectional bond, meaning consistent sleep strengthens the immune system, ensuring balance and effective immune function. When we are sleep deprived, it interferes with the normal functioning of our immune system.

This is because we produce immune cells while we sleep, and studies reveal that adequate sleep improves the ability of our immune cells to remove threats from the body. In addition to sufficient sleep, it’s necessary for us to get quality sleep, a slow wave sleep which is believed to be the most restorative stage of sleep.

During this stage, a growth hormone is released to promote physical recovery, restoration, and immune strengthening. Optimization doesn’t have to come in the form of a boost, a consistent sleep schedule, monitoring how you feel, and curating a comfortable sleep environment is another building block towards a holistic approach to immune health.

Stress spells trouble for immune health, but adaptogens are here to help with that. Adaptogens are herbs and botanicals that aid in the body’s ability to adapt and manage with stress. When adaptogens come in contact with our body’s stress-response system, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), it can have a stabilizing effect on the body, helping it maintain a healthy response to stressors. Resiliency is the goal, and lowering our reactivity to stress promotes it — a process called stress adaptation.

An adapted stress response leads to the ability to sustain our energy, attention, and performance when things get stressful, hence the importance of adaptogens. AG1 has a powerhouse of adaptogens like rhodiola, ashwagandha, and eleuthero that, combined, help to promote resilience to mental and physical stressors to improve mental clarity, focus, and mood.* Together, they harmonize to support the various facets of stress and the immune response in the body.*

We can’t talk about immune health without talking about gut-health — they’re more connected than you may think. Seventy percent of the immune system resides in the gut and what we eat provides essential nutrients that support the wholeness of our gut lining. These nutrients influence the make up of our gut microbiota which is responsible for balancing immune responses for proper immune function. A strong gut is able to help our bodies absorb the right nutrients and better withstand permeability — and introducing probiotics can help support the immune system by increasing the diversity of gut microbiomes to encourage a healthy intestinal barrier, protecting our gut from environmental stressors that can have an affect on our metabolism and hormones.

Immune health is essentially a daily practice with many components contributing to your overall well-being. Replacing the “boost” with “balance” and focusing on whole body health is the AG1 way. Daily habits lead to big improvements that amount to you feeling your best, consistently. So if you’re already taking the steps, celebrate yourself and your efforts, and if you find that you can add one more practice towards supporting your immune health, remember to start at the foundation with AG1.*

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Reider CA, Chung RY, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients: Intakes in US Adults, the 2005-2016 NHANES. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 10;12(6):1735. doi: 10.3390/nu12061735. PMID: 32531972; PMCID: PMC7352522.

Sources

Meet our experts

For optimal immune support, forget the boost — the power is in maintenance

Your ticket to immune health? Try taking an approach focused on whole-body health. With daily habits that prioritize balance, you can support every facet of your body. 

Most people observe a casual "in one end and out the other'' interpretation of gut health. They eat and, a while later, deal with their bathroom business, giving little thought to what happens in the intervening hours. The cycle may go: Eating, noting digestion complaints ("lunch did not agree with me!"), downing an antacid chaser, feeling irritable. Rarely do we stop and wonder about the teeming universe within our bodies and its around-the-clock effects on our energy, immune health, mental clarity, and mood. If we could peer under our hoods, we'd make vastly different choices about what we're putting into the tank.1

Because gut health is way, way more than digestion. Getting straight on terminology will show how.

 is the ecosystem of microbes that reside along the digestive tract, predominantly in the colon.

 is the barrier between the inside of the body and your digestive tract.

 is the process of breaking down food as it moves through the digestive tract. It includes enzymes in your saliva, stomach, and intestines, gut motility, and pooping. It’s what most people imagine gut health is, but only a sliver of the action.

, refers to digestion, your gut microbiome function, and the structural integrity of your gut lining. This is where we begin.

If you think your gut’s only jobs are clairvoyance and doing something mysterious with food, you’re only partially correct. A healthy gut is also essential for:

Breaking down food so nutrients are more easily absorbed

Absorbing nutrients, water, and electrolytes

Surveilling of the immune system for environmental aggressors

Making hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin

Supporting stress and mood through the gut-brain axis

Housing trillions of beneficial bacteria that make up our gut microbiome and connect to the rest of our healthy systems

And yes, pooping — eliminating what our bodies don’t need

Your gut lining is a barrier between the outside world and your body. As such, it acts as a gatekeeper, absorbing essential nutrients from the diet and preventing harmful substances, like toxins and bacteria, from entering and causing you harm.

If your gut is humming along smoothly, it’s easy to forget. But boy, do you notice it when it’s not. Signs of poor gut health may be bloating, indigestion, occasional constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn. But you could feel it elsewhere, too, with brain fog, skin conditions, headaches, fatigue, or irritability.

Your microbiome has 100 times more unique genes than the human genome, so it has a huge influence over your metabolism — maybe even more than your own body.

It is impossible to overstate the influence your microbiome has on the health of your whole body. The microbes lining your gut are the link to your good health, even helping to regulate blood sugar and appetite. Your microbiome has 100 times more unique genes than the human genome, so it has a huge influence over your metabolic processes — maybe even more than your own body. Sit with that for a minute.

It’s a good thing there are hundreds of trillions of microbes because those guys have a lot going on. Here are the main ways your microbiome keeps you ticking:

Your microbiome makes vitamins, particularly B vitamins, which your body uses to produce energy.

The smaller a nutrient, the better it absorbs. Your microbiome breaks down phytonutrients, like the citrus bioflavonoids in AG1, into more absorbable forms — meaning more health benefits.

It produces healthy compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which support the overall health of cells in our gut and body, including your metabolism.

Your gut houses a significant part of your body's immune system (a whopping 70%). When healthy, the gut microbiome constantly communicates with the immune system, strengthening it, building immune tolerance, and even fighting unwanted bacteria.

While you’re settling in to watch Yellowstone after dinner, your microbiome is working away at a genuinely remarkable, life-giving process to which we give little thought. Put simply — although there’s nothing simple about the marvels of your microbiome — highly processed meals lead to dysbiosis, and fiber-rich foods lead to a diverse microbiome. And more diversity means better health.

You’ve probably felt your insides do flips before a big test, job interview, or race. We all know it: Feeling stressed can affect your digestion. It’s a prime example of the direct link between your body and mind known as the gut-brain axis. Communication via nerves, hormones, and neurotransmitters plays a crucial role in how we feel physically and mentally, influencing our mood, brain function, and cognition.

Your gut has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system, also known as the “little brain” (relative to your actual big brain). It is the only organ system outside the central nervous system with an extensive neural circuit system that functions independently outside the brain. So when you feel something in your gut, it's real.

The primary producer of your body’s serotonin is your gut. In your brain, serotonin is the "feel good" neurotransmitter, affecting your mood and memory. In the body, serotonin is connected to how quickly food passes or doesn’t — (hello, constipation) and can be responsible for nausea. So, it seems to be the "feel good" neurotransmitter everywhere.

You’re probably already doing things to improve your gut health. Maybe you’ve added probiotics to your diet or have noticed that getting enough sleep or exercise helps you feel “regular.” Here are a few suggestions for building healthy daily habits and taking care of your gut health so your gut can adequately take care of you.

Limit intake of processed foods: These foods can negatively impact the gut microbiome and nutrient absorption. Eat them sparingly.
Diversify your diet: Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins to ensure a range of nutrients and fiber.

Eat prebiotics: Prebiotics are a specialized group of dietary fibers that bypass digestion to serve as “microbiome fertilizers” for healthy bacteria in your colon. Many plants are good sources: asparagus, avocado, cabbage, apples, and artichokes.

Eat fermented foods: Things like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi contain probiotics, which support gut health.

AG1 has pre- and probiotics to bolster digestion and nutrient absorption and support your microbiome. Its adaptogens help you manage stress — a known trigger of an unhealthy gut.*

An extensive clinical review showed that exercise is generally good for microbial diversity in the gut.3 And another study proved what we already suspected: Inactivity can lead to constipation.4 However, high-intensity activity can impact the gut barrier, affecting nutrition and the immune system.5 If you must go hard, ensure you get the proper nutrition for recovery.

Drinking enough water helps to maintain hydration, aids digestion, and supports optimal gut function.

The relationship goes both ways, meaning poor gut health can disrupt your slumber, and inadequate sleep can negatively impact your gut health.6 Getting enough rest regulates this communication pathway, affecting mood, stress, and cognitive function.7 Do yourself a favor and hit the sack.

Challenge yourself to make one change today to support your gut health: A scoop of AG1 once daily supports your overall gut health with pre- and probiotics and digestive enzymes, which help aid the breakdown of nutrients in the digestive tract and support a healthy gut lining.* The changes you feel might motivate you to make more changes in the coming weeks.

Once you’ve gotten into the habit of drinking AG1, you should start to feel improved digestion, regular bowel movements, and fewer cravings thanks to pre- and probiotics. The variety of nutrients you’ll be getting will soothe and calm your uneasy stomach while helping the transit time of ingredients throughout the digestive tract. The pre- and probiotics will promote the diversity of your gut’s microbiome, which helps increase the absorption of nutrients.*

After continuous support of the gut, you may notice a balanced metabolism, calm mood, skin health, and more. As the body is supported with a variety of nutrients, you may experience benefits like balanced functioning of hormones and the immune system. Foundational vitamins and minerals absorbed through the gut act as substrates for hormone production, while the gut microbiome contributes to overall immune health. The immune system can actively support other areas in the body for vitality, energy, and clear skin, which all ties back to the gut.*

Gut health is complex. Support it with good food and sleep. Your gut will do the rest.

Jeremy R. Townsend, Trevor O. Kirby, Tess M. Marshall, David D. Church , Adam R. Jajtner, Ralph Esposito. Foundational Nutrition: Implications for Human Health. Nutrients. June 22, 2023.

Alexander N. Boytar, Tina L. Skinner, Ruby E. Wallen, David G. Jenkins, Marloes Dekker Nitert. The Effect of Exercise Prescription on the Human Gut Microbiota and Comparison between Clinical and Apparently Healthy Populations: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. March 15, 2023.

Yeon Soo Kim, Bong Kil Song, Ji Sun Oh, Seung Seok Woo. Aerobic exercise improves gastrointestinal motility in psychiatric inpatients. World J Gastroenterol. August 14, 2014.

Matthieu Clauss, Philippe Gérard, Alexis Mosca, Marion Leclerc. Interplay Between Exercise and Gut Microbiome in the Context of Human Health and Performance. Frontiers in Nutrition. June 10, 2021.

Robert P. Smith, Cole Easson, Sarah M. Lyle, Ritishka Kapoor, Chase P. Donnelly, Eileen J. Davidson, Esha Parikh, Jose V. Lopez, Jaime L. Tartar. Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. PLoS One. October 7, 2019.

Yuanyuan Li, Yanli Hao, Fang Fan, Bin Zhang. The Role of Microbiome in Insomnia, Circadian Disturbance and Depression. Front Psychiatry. December 5, 2018.

Ruth E. Ley, Daniel A. Peterson, Jeffrey I. Gordon. Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine. National Library of Medicine. February 24, 2006.

Go with your gut: A healthy body starts with a robust microbiome

What does your gut have to do with being healthy? From sleeping right to feeling happy, the answer is: Just about everything.

Navigating the world of individual supplements can be a juggling act, especially when you’re managing doctor visits, gym membership, meal planning and a host of other priorities related to your overall health. When walking the vitamin aisle at any health food store, you can easily stumble into decision fatigue — weighing the nutritional benefits, cost, and convenience of all the available options. You may find a few to get you started, but have you covered your nutritional bases? How much did you spend? Is the quality there?

These are all questions that come to mind, and maybe the answer lies in taking an innovative path towards getting what you need. You could significantly change the way you’ve been getting your daily nutritional needs met with a comprehensive supplement that bridges quality and convenience.

You could significantly change the way you’ve been getting your daily nutritional needs met with a comprehensive supplement that bridges quality and convenience. 

Many supplement products are made to target specific benefits, not address the underlying needs of the body. It can be difficult and time consuming to find products that provide you with what you really need, resulting in unnecessary products and waste. A great first step in discovering what may be best for you is prioritizing the foundation of your wellbeing. Recognizing the need for foundational nutrients that nourish the systems within your body can be the starting point in your journey. When selecting supplements, consider how comprehensive they are in supplying the nutrients needed to support your baseline health.

All bodies have the same foundation that requires support. We need daily nutrient replenishment, optimal digestion, stress management, and a well-functioning immune system for the body to work cooperatively as a unit. Nutritional needs are unique and can vary from person to person, but it’s important to acknowledge that all bodies need foundational nutrients. Foundational nutrition is science-driven with a body-first approach to supplementation that places emphasis on supplying comprehensive nutrition to support whole body health. It’s an alternative to single supplements that are created to address individual benefits and do little in providing adequate nutrition benefits that meet your body at its baseline.

Many of us opt for single function supplement use, and often find ourselves ticking boxes to address a variety of needs and goals — in many cases, it results in tons of supplements lining our cabinets and a never-ending game of mixing and matching to achieve our daily health goals.

It may appear to be a great way to establish a fix-for-all strategy, but stacking supplements this way isn’t always sustainable and can be confusing, expensive, and wasteful. It’s about building a stronger foundation versus a short-term fix. Many important factors are overlooked when we choose to supplement stack. When combining supplements, we have to account for interactions and safe consumption, absorption, research, production, and quality — all of which are not easy to decipher and put into practice. There’s also costs to weigh, but we’ll get to that later.

As mentioned before, person-to-person nutritional needs can vary, but at the core, whole body support at the base is universal. To provide a more helpful breakdown, let’s go back to prioritizing your wellbeing. What does prioritizing your wellbeing mean in the context of supplement stacking and what makes Foundational Nutrition different from it? AG1 is a Foundational Nutrition Supplement that begins with science-driven and expert-led research and is formulated to ensure nutrient synergy for effectiveness.* AG1’s comprehensive blend of nutrients work together to support the brain, gut, and immune systems — providing a much simpler way to get what you need at the foundation.

AG1 is designed with nutrient synergy for maximum impact in the body. Synergy refers to how multiple nutrients interact in the body, where the combined effect of these nutrients is greater than the sum of their individual effects. AG1 integrates a variety of nutrients by pairing them to allow them to work cohesively, never isolating them or using them in forms that are hard for the body to access.

Nutrient synergy ultimately supports every facet of you. Nutrients work together in intricate ways to support optimal health and function. Every vitamin, mineral, probiotic, and phytonutrient in AG1 is not only chosen for its specific effect on a system in your body, but also how it amplifies the benefits of other nutrients in the formula. These ingredient pairings mimic how nutrients are found in nature — to more effectively elevate your baseline health.

When deciding what to spend on supplements, it can be easy to assume that more is more — more supplements mean more benefits. With this approach it could appear like you’re cutting costs, avoiding unwanted ingredients, and that there’s a level of product tailoring involved, but realistically, streamlining your supplements may prove to be better.

Multivitamins alone provide a combination of essential vitamins and minerals to support our bodies each day, but are they addressing poor nutrient absorption? A more comprehensive approach would be to add prebiotics and probiotics to strengthen the gut barrier for better absorption. AG1 is formulated to support the systems that contribute to your overall health — in doing so, you gain individual benefits as well as overall effectiveness for better focus and energy, enhanced digestion, microbiome diversity in the gut, immune support, and a boosting of stress resiliency and mood balance among other benefits.

If you’re able to spend a hundred dollars or more on supplements, would you focus your spending on a variety of areas that you want to improve, or would you want to elevate your health overall? Targeted supplements only tackle their target. It takes science, research, and intentional sourcing to create the right balance of nutrients that help to reduce the risk of imbalances.

“Focus on buffering and enhancing foundational nutrition with adaptogens, probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes. It raises the tide on the biological and organ systems, leading to enhanced mental health, physical health, and performance, including sleep.”  - Huberman

As counterintuitive as it may feel to swap your slew of supplements, starting at the foundation and identifying what you need to support your body at the baseline is what makes a difference. Nutrients are only as useful as they are available and with AG1 two words rest at the core: Bioavailability optimization. The ingredients in AG1 are carefully considered and selected for maximum bioavailability. Each vitamin and mineral is sourced for optimal absorption, digestion, and processing within the body to have the greatest effect.

Which supplements you consume and the manner in which you consume them matter just as much as the ingredients and formulation. The nutritional content of AG1’s seventy-five ingredients are comprehensive and high-quality which is why a single scoop delivers more than just greens. There’s a diverse and colorful range of phytonutrients from superfoods, antioxidants — all selected at their peak harvest to offer more nutrient density than you can get from just greens.

The added value is that instead of taking six to eight supplements, AG1 covers your bases with multivitamins, multiminerals, prebiotics, probiotics, daily immune support, stress adaptogens, energy boosters, green/superfood blends, mushroom complex, and digestive aids — in the right concentrations and ratios.

The investments you make towards elevating your health at the foundation grow over time — and they start with daily habits. It is possible to narrow your supplements down to one without compromise and simplify the path to your health goals. With AG1, folded into your daily routine, you reap comprehensive support for your gut, brain, and immune health with Foundational Nutrition, making your efforts toward whole body health an easier journey.

Complexity to clarity: The foundation of your wellbeing could start with simplified supplementation 

It’s possible to streamline both your health routine and get the comprehensive nutrients needed to elevate your health.

Ravie B is an AG community member, photographer, and philanthropist, born and raised in the Bronx. Tasked with bringing the theme, Foundations, to life, she created an intimate and vivid photographic exploration of the foundations that everything is built on — from our internal health to our external world. 

One of the many things we love about Ravie B? She gives back to the community. Check out The Best Side Foundation, her nonprofit with a mission to inspire and foster the development of low-income youth in photography through creative programs and hands-on experiences at Title 1 public schools.

Hey mate! I hope this letter finds you better than ever. 



Very excited to be releasing the first issue of our quarterly publication, AG Edition. The theme of this issue is: Foundations. 

Read on to gain insights from the likes of Dr. Andrew Huberman and writer Jedidiah Jenkins into how to bring more focus to the foundations of your life. 

You can define the foundations as the non- negotiables; the things you commit to first, and then build upon, the daily habits that make you who you are. The makers of dreams. 

For me, it all starts with health. Key relationships with friends and family come next, followed by living with purpose, and making an impact in the world. These are my key ideas and where I focus my foundations for a spectacular life. Everyone is different, but I’ve never met someone who got healthier, and didn’t also get happier. 

As we move into fall and settle into routines of school drop-offs, morningruns, and more, I hope this zine prompts you to reflect on your foundations. 

What is most important to you? How can your foundational behaviors, beliefs, and habits better enable your own spectacular life? What do you want to be different or better?I hope the content that follows empowers you on your health ownership journey. 

Please sit back, mix up an AG1, and enjoy! 

Chris Ashenden, 
CEO and Founder of AG1

Sun up to sundown with everyone's favorite neuroscientist

Outdoor light exposure causes a (healthy) cortisol peak early in the morning, increases energy and alertness, and can help me fall asleep more easily at night. 




Drinking around 32 ounces (1 liter) of water during this morning period and adding electrolytes, such as a pinch of sea salt, helps with proper hydration.

Skipping rope, ideally while outside facing the sun, further assists with (healthy) cortisol release and helps clear lingering adenosine, which inhibits arousal and causes sleepiness. 




Immersion up to the neck in 45°F water for 1 to 3 minutes. The key is to aim for a temperature that evokes the thought, “This is really cold (!), and I want to get out, BUT I can safely stay in.” This temperature could be 60°F for some, and 35°F for others.

Deliberate cold exposure causes a significant release of epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), both neurochemicals that make us feel alert, in the brain and body. With deliberate cold exposure, their levels stay elevated for some time, resulting in an increase in levels of energy and focus. 




Delaying caffeine intake by 90 to 120 minutes after waking helps increase alertness while avoiding the afternoon crash. I prefer unsmoked yerba mate tea as my source of caffeine.The best time in the morning to do hard mental work is typically 2 to 4 hours after waking. Try to schedule these bouts in 90-minute ultradian cycles to match your brain’s natural ebb and flow of focus. 




Cardio or resistance workout for 45 to 60 minutes. 




Eating a lower-carbohydrate lunch helps avoid an afternoon crash.

Walking for just 5 to 30 minutes after lunch can help reduce any potential glucose spike following the meal, and further calibrates the circadian rhythm with light exposure. 




Using an NSDR protocol for 15 to 30 minutes can help recharge by increasing dopamine and mental energy. 




Tending to emails, calls, less intensive podcast research, social media posts, etc. 




Getting light exposure around sunset helps reduce the negative effects of light exposure later in the night.

Eating dinner with higher-carbohydrate foods and protein helps promote relaxation and sleep. 




Brainstorming around podcast topics or other projects, writing of some sort.

Spending time with family and/or friends. 




Targeting 7 to 8 hours of high-quality sleep. Sleep is the foundation of mental health, physical health, and performance, so it needs to be a priority.

How our community is optimizing their health this fall

 I’m leaning into meal prepping. I pick a day of the week to plan out, cook, and organize all of the family meals in containers. It’s a lot of work, but the payoff after a long, busy day is worth it.



 I’m doing my best to prioritize my rest. I’m trying to stick to an earlier bedtime, so I’m shutting off devices and focusing on getting deep, restorative sleep.



 I’m enjoying doing new things. I’m continuing to take tennis lessons in LA, although learning something new as an adult is humbling. I’m finding so much joy in this new way of moving my body. I’m also doing hikes with my family in our neighborhood, enjoying all of the beauty around us.



This fall, we will continue our family tradition of going to our favorite cider mill in Michigan. We love the fresh cider, incredible donuts, and the beautiful apple orchards.

 My brother-in-law and his family started HEAL Farms, so all of my animal protein comes directly from there. Everything is 100% organic, pasture-raised, and they donate to HEAL, a non-profit that helps impoverished communities develop agriculture systems.



After overcoming adrenal fatigue, I have made it my mission to prioritize sleep. When I need a reset, I take a page out of my Joy of Missing Out handbook, say no to any plans, and do a weekend getaway with my wife to Bedford, PA.



Since Pittsburgh can be cold, I workout in my basement so I can always get in my daily movement before or after work, followed by a sauna session. When temperatures are at their best, Frick Park is the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature.



We have multiple acres in the woods outside of Pittsburgh, so we love to host weekly bonfires for our amazing community. I’ve found that it is less about going “all out,” and more about just being there and making a safe space for people to feel loved.

I live for smoothies, bowls, and salads, which I usually just make at home, but other- wise grab from Kahuku Farms or Raised by the Waves. Waimea Valley Farmers Market is great for locally grown food. Without being biased, our Sevenbrothers food truck has a good vibe.



 I’m working on eating dinner earlier, less screen time before bed, and winding down with my core ball and meditation app.



 For me, movement looks like more surfing, long beach walks, runs along the North Shore bike path, hiking, outdoor weights at home, and pilates. The Ehukai Pillbox hike is always a fave. For a longer, more challenging hike, the Kuliouou Ridge on the South Shore is incredible with 360° views!



My son is always involved in something — fall season is soccer. And I love to dance so we do Polynesiana dance classes weekly, which is a cool way to feel culturally connected. There are also some awesome volunteer opportunities on the island like the garden at the Kokua Foundation Farm or beach cleanups through Sustainable Coastlines.

Now that I’m in my 50s, I am more focused on eating well. I use an app for getting my caloric intake right and dialing in my macros. We’re blessed to have healthy restaurants here, including Bungalow Kitchen, Malibu Farm, and Petit Left Bank. And I have a weakness for sourdough from RizeUp Bakery.



The older I get, the more important it is to get a good night’s sleep and the harder it is to sleep well! After much experimentation, we settled on a temperature-controlled mattress system. I also use a sleep tracker to track strain and recovery for sleep consistency and quality.



 I tend to be very active – my wife says I can’t sit still. After incurring a series of minor injuries, I decided to invest time into bettering my fitness. I’m learning wing foiling and head out on the water whenever I can. Every morning I take our two rescue dogs for a walk or hike.



I just joined the volunteer board of our homeowners association. I am looking forward to the fall group bike rides organized by our Coyotes Cycling Club. Professionally, I am an active contributor to the Ethereum ecosystem.

I love enjoying the local produce and supporting local farmers around NYC. I subscribe to a Farm CSA box that the Hudson Valley CSA coalition delivers. When I’m not cooking deliciously spiced food, my favorite farm to table restaurant is ABC Kitchen. Their salmon with a side of charred broccoli dusted with the dukkah spice blend is next-level good. Contrary to what many believe, healthy food can be delicious!



I wear blue light blockers starting at 7 pm, take a hot shower or warm bath, and enjoy a hot cup of rose tea, both of which cool my core body temperature, and practice deep breathing with my favorite app before I drift off. Also, I take magnesium glycinate before sleep.



I am obsessed with movement. I run in Prospect Park to enjoy the fall foliage, resistance train between mom duties, and train my mobility, balance, and flexibility at a studio in NYC, which combines yogic philosophy with challenging yoga classes.



 I have started doing temperature contrast sessions with three rounds of sauna and a cold plunge. There is an unexpected but welcome community aspect to this practice that I love! I’ve met so many great people in the sauna who have shared great wisdom and tips around healthy habits and life, in general. I’m hooked.

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Have you seen those old photos of men posing next to felled redwood trees? The trees are enormous, ancient gods of the coast. And these men, in their top hats and suspenders, pose in front of their victims with pride. I look at those photos, and I am enraged. How could they see a redwood and chop it to the ground?

They could because of what they believed, the foundation of how they saw the world.

Let me explain. The concept of “nature” did not always exist. It was invented as the opposite of human control. We moved from forests to cities. We no longer traveled with seasons. We wore shoes to never touch the earth. We decided that we were separate from all that. And so, we created a dangerous foundational belief: there is nature, and there is us.

A few generations later, I look at a redwood tree and I’m emotional that it made it. That it survived the human slaughter.
What changed? And how can we understand those men posing with the trees they’d killed?

They could pose because they had different beliefs about what nature was and our relationship to it. They believed nature to be indomitable — beautiful but theirs for the taking.

This realization shifted something in me. Those men are no different than me. They are human. They taught me that the foundation of your worldview becomes how you treat everything. And I don’t just mean on a global scale like saving the forests and saving the oceans, I mean about our relationship to ourselves.

If you believe you are worthless, a commodity to be tossed aside, you will treat yourself accordingly. I’ve heard it said, “we accept the love we think we deserve.” What you believe becomes your reality.
I see that my love of nature permeates my life. I feel connected to the larger web of the world around me. I am part of the grand ecosystem. This ingratiates me to my days, and provides the sheen of gratitude and friendship over everything. I guess it isn’t just a love of nature, but a love of being a part of this planet. Of being in relationship to everything else. Of belonging.

Of course I don’t mean I’m floating through life smiling and loving everything. No one is a caricature. But no matter how frustrating or angry I can get, I feel the foundational floor of affection for this world. So, I urge you to find that foundation — to believe you are worthy and on this planet on purpose and with a purpose, so you’ll treat your body differently. You’ll see your day- to-day life with a main-character effect.

There’s a Thomas Merton quote I love, “We are made in the image of that which we desire.” I think that ties into belief as well. Those foundational beliefs that hum below the surface, animating everything. Do you love yourself and the world you’re in? Do you cherish yourself? I think if you did, a lot would change. You’d begin by protecting and preserving your old- tree spirit, and know you are worthy of a thousand years.

Fall is a transitional time. Following the adventures of summer, it’s a season of purpose and a moment to make the changes that fell by the wayside. Whether you aim to cultivate a morning routine or reestablish a friendship or hobby, fall is the perfect opportunity to rebuild foundations that lay the groundwork for a full life. So, start the season off right with these easy-to-adopt tips:



Prioritize hydration even when the weather is cooler. It’s essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, and regulating your body temperature. Keep a glass or water bottle refilled throughout the day.

Pick a day for meal-planning and prep. Indulge in buying the best of the season and try new recipes as regularly as you can.



If travel has thrown off your sleep, now’s the time to recalibrate. Stick to a regular bedtime and aim for 7-9 hours of sleep as often as possible.

Create the sleep environment of your dreams. Keep your room cool, play soothing sounds, and ditch the screens in bed.



Find small moments for movement throughout the day like taking the stairs, parking further away, or having a walking meeting.

Find an activity that brings you so much joy no change in season can stop you from doing it.



Take the time to identify some activities you enjoy and connect with like-minded people.

Make time to give back. Volunteering at a local organization can help you stay connected and grounded at the same time.

We tapped Michelin-starred Chef Phillip Frankland Lee for fall's freshest produce: 



Sweet corn
Beets
Sweet potato
Apples
Kohlrabi
Carrots
Figs
Radish
Cabbage
Sweet peppers
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Watermelon
Pumpkin
Butternut squash

Like many things in life, walking is more enjoyable with a close friend. Pairing strolling with chatting provides benefits beyond the physical, nourishing your soul and fostering a sense of community.
This season, phone a friend, and set a meeting spot and time. Embrace candid conversations and a fully present mind, appreciating each step and syllable.



An outward mindset can make even a neighborhood walk awe-inspiring. Researchers calls these “awe” walks and say they can greatly benefit your health. To experience awe, start small:

Wherever you are, find a cloud and watch its choreography. Or look down and take in the scents of nearby flowers.

Let the ordinary become extraordinary.



Sometimes the best walk demands no more than a deep breath and a step forward. Research says it’s these types of walks that can inspire creativity. The way here is simple: Leave your phone at home. Give yourself no agenda. The purpose is to cultivate boredom.

Let the discomfort of an empty mind make room for new ideas, big or small, genius or insignificant.

Foundations

Maybe it’s instigated by a life event: A sick family member, a child’s birth (or grandchild!), your knees hurt when you get up, your first gray hair. So many things in body and mind remind us we’re not teenagers anymore. But our curiosity about aging begins way before the signs. Chances are, no matter how old you are, you’re already doing something to thwart aging — like meditating, using sunscreen, or staying physically or socially active. Physiological aging begins as early as our late 20s. It’s time to acknowledge that if you’re living, you’re aging. And it’s never too early to start doing it healthfully.

But first: We have to stop thinking about healthy aging as being for older people, because foundational nutrition holds the key to feeling strong, vital, and energetic for everyone, regardless of age. In fact, why think about aging at all when we could consider your health span? Health span is about enhancing your quality of life over your whole life. Aside from eking out more time for adventures, experiences, and joy, you hope to feel strong, vibrant, and energetic while you’re at it. And that applies to now, not just your latter years.

This article will explain the steps you can take to support the everyday needs of your body, and the key to supporting your health span — now, and for decades to come.

We have to stop thinking about healthy aging as being for older people because foundational nutrition holds the key to feeling strong, vital, and energetic for everyone.

There’s aging, which every living person does, and there’s supporting your health span, which can help you feel more vibrant now. To get started you’ll need to examine your nutrition, your environment, stress, and gut health.

Those aspects can compound as cumulative “stressors.” The factors that influence aging don’t only affect certain parts of the body — they interconnect and have a head-to-toe impact

Poor gut health can weaken your immune system, and hinder your body’s ability to protect itself.

Emotional stress can affect your hormone levels — thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone — which can impact your mental well-being and energy levels.

Environmental exposures cause stress in your immune system and create disruptions in cellular repair throughout your whole body, including your heart and brain.

Supporting your gut, hormones, heart, and brain with nutrition helps. Antioxidants from citrus fruits, and essential fatty acids like omegas are great for the structural integrity of your brain. Metabolism and normal blood sugar ranges are supported with superfoods like spirulina. And folate and B12 support how your body processes amino acids. Get those nutrients in your diet every day, and you’ll be off to a good start.

As you may suspect, there is no quick fix or hack. But starting immediately doesn’t only improve your outcomes later in life, it also helps you feel more energetic today.

The best way to support your health span is through Foundational Nutrition, a plan for whole-body health with support for your circulation, metabolic balance, gut health, immune defenses, cognitive support, and energy.



Supporting circulation and metabolic balance

: Circulation and metabolism support are integral to maintaining quality of life. But only one in eight people are metabolically well2. For the other seven of eight, upping your daily intake of B vitamins, superfoods like spirulina, vitamin C, and magnesium will give you the support you need.

It also helps to stay physically active. Cardio, strength training, and stretching trains the body to respond better, regulates metabolism, and maintains strength in muscles and bones. And if you’re already active? Plus it up with daily nutrient replenishment, as it supports your body under physical stress.

: Wondering how to live to 100? The answers could be multiplying in a centenarian’s gut. Compared to younger groups, centenarians showed increased diversity of gut microbiota, the “good” bacteria that influence metabolism and balance the immune system3.

Scientists are still determining why people with a more favorable gut microbiome outlive those without. Until they figure it out, we must emphasize the importance of prioritizing gut health. Enrich your diet with fiber and antioxidants to help cultivate a healthy gut environment. And you don’t have to wait until you’re 100 to reap the benefits. As a bonus, you’ll enjoy a better immune and inflammatory response throughout the whole body.



: Your immune defenses are critical for showing up and participating in daily activities. Our immune systems are constantly taxed by our lifestyles and environment, requiring ongoing support to maintain vitality.



: Keep your brain agile by solving puzzles and problems: Our control center is responsible for decision-making, thinking, feeling, and even our ability to move. Support cognitive function with omega-3 fatty acids and phospholipids, a type of fatty acid found in eggs and fish.

: The body is made up of trillions of cells that are constantly turning over into new healthy cells. A third travels through our bloodstream, bringing nutrients and oxygen to other cells supporting our essential functions. Some of these cells line our gut, which is responsible for absorbing and transferring nutrients into the body from the gut lumen. The lifespan of these cells lasts between 7–120 days before our body naturally recycles them and produces new cells.

Truly, you are what you eat. Balanced nutrition supports your cells for turnover, as many vitamins and minerals, like B12 and Folate, are some of the building blocks in the process. Adequate nutrition supports the cellular turnover process and impacts the quality of cell repair via the immune system. As the body ages, it becomes more difficult for cells to keep up with “fixing” damaged cells. As cellular stress builds up in the body, cells become "zombie cells,” leading to accelerated aging, called cellular senescence.4

Every day, new cells are replacing old ones. To get enough energy to keep the cellular turnover process running smoothly, your body needs a constant infusion of vitamins and minerals.

Every day new cells are replacing old ones. To keep the cellular turnover process running smoothly, your body needs a constant infusion of vitamins and minerals. 

By using what you have in the present, you can start to build a healthy foundation to help your future self feel their best.

AG1 provides powerfully convenient support for your mental and physical health with ingredients optimized for bioavailability, meaning they work with your body’s natural processes to help you face the future feeling strong, vital, and energetic.

By using what you have in the present, you can start to build a healthy foundation to help your future self feel their best.

AG1 provides powerfully convenient support for your mental and physical health with ingredients optimized for bioavailability, meaning they work with your body’s natural processes to help you face the future feeling strong, vital, and energetic.

The benefits of AG1 compound over time, so each step toward a healthier future takes you farther than the last. It feels great to know you’ve laid the foundation for a better day tomorrow. AG1 makes it powerfully simple to start today.*

Now, picture yourself in the distant future. You’ve taken care of yourself with balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and the support of good friends. If that person could reach through time to this moment, and see you planning for decades of a healthy, energetic life, what would they say?

Bronson Flint; Prasanna Tadi. Physiology, Aging. StatPearls. January 4, 2023.

Joana Araújo, Jianwen Cai, June Stevens. Prevalence of Optimal Metabolic Health in American Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2016. Metab Syndr Relat Disord. November 27, 2018.

 Jingjing Wang, Jinlong Qie, Danrong Zhu, Xuemei Zhang, Qingqing Zhang, Yuyu Xu, Yipeng Wang, Kai Mi, Yang Pei, Yang Liu, Guozhong Ji, and Xingyin Liu. The landscape in the gut microbiome of long-lived families reveals new insights on longevity and aging - relevant neural and immune function. Gut Microbes. August 8, 2022. 

Cayetano von Kobbe. Targeting senescent cells: approaches, opportunities, challenges. Aging (Albany, NY). November 20, 2019.

Aging with intention: A smart strategy for your health span starts early

Once we start to see and feel the effects of aging, there’s no going back. But we've learned with the right nutrition and habits, our bodies give us a lot to look forward to.

Information on the Athletic Greens site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical advice from your physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Carefully read all product documentation. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your regular health care provider.

Insider info and real talk from experts

Aging with intention: A smart strategy for your health span starts early

For optimal immune support, forget the boost — the power is in maintenance

Go with your gut: A healthy body starts with a robust microbiome

Complexity to clarity: The foundation of your wellbeing could start with simplified supplementation

Foundations

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