Things We Love
Honest recommendations. Nothing more.
Great health doesn't come from one supplement or one skincare product. It's built through small, consistent choices over time. Here you'll find some of our favorite books, podcasts, foods, skincare, supplements, exercise equipment, and local businesses that support that journey. Every recommendation reflects what we actually use, recommend, or believe delivers real value.
01
Skincare Products We Recommend
From affordable everyday staples to medical-grade skincare, these are products we trust because we personally use them—not marketing.
Tretinoin
If we could prescribe one skincare product to almost everyone, it would be tretinoin. Backed by decades of research, it remains one of the most effective treatments for improving fine lines, skin texture, pigmentation, acne, and overall skin quality. Like strength training, the benefits come with consistency — not speed. Start gradually, use sunscreen every day, and trust the process.
Trader Joe's Vitamin C Serum
A brightening, antioxidant-boosting serum that pairs beautifully with sunscreen in the morning. An accessible option for anyone starting to build a real skincare routine around proven actives.
Trader Joe's Dewy Skin Serum
A lightweight, hydrating serum that supports the skin barrier and gives a softer, plumper look without a complicated routine. A simple add-on for morning or night.
Trader Joe's Daily Facial Sunscreen SPF 40
A lightweight, broad-spectrum facial sunscreen that layers well under makeup and over serum. Daily SPF is non-negotiable with any active skincare routine.
Neocutis Neo Firm
An intensive anti-aging cream designed to firm, tighten, and hydrate the delicate skin on your neck and décolleté. It reduces fine lines and wrinkles by boosting collagen and elastin production, and helps fade dark spots and uneven skin tone.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
One of the best budget-friendly skincare products we recommend for redness, rosacea, acne, and uneven skin tone. Start here, and if your skin needs more, we can prescribe higher-strength azelaic acid to help you reach your goals.
Hydroquinone
A powerful option for stubborn hyperpigmentation, melasma, and dark spots — available by prescription only. We’ll help you decide if it’s appropriate for your skin and how to use it safely as part of a complete plan.
02
Supplements Worth the Shelf Space
Not everyone needs supplements, and more isn't always better. We recommend them thoughtfully, using your symptoms, health goals, and laboratory results to guide what may actually be helpful.
Magnesium glycinate
Sleep, muscle recovery, and bowel-friendly. The form most patients tolerate best.
Vitamin D3 + K2
Dosed off your actual 25-OH vitamin D level — not a guess. We retest at 8–12 weeks.
Creatine monohydrate (5 g daily)
Boring, cheap, well-studied. Strength, lean mass, and increasingly compelling data for cognition in midlife women.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)
Quality matters. We recommend high-quality, third-party tested omega-3 supplements that clearly state their EPA and DHA content so you know what you’re actually getting.
03
Books that changed our perspective
We believe great clinicians never stop learning. These are some of the books that have challenged our thinking and continue to shape how we care for patients.
The Obesity Code — Dr. Jason Fung
A sharp reframe of weight gain as a hormonal, not simply caloric, problem. Helpful for understanding insulin, fasting, and why plateaus happen.
The Ozempic Revolution — Alexandra Sowa, MD
A balanced, clinician-written guide to GLP-1 medications: what they can do, how to use them safely, and how to protect muscle and metabolic health along the way.
Metabolical — Robert H. Lustig, MD
A clear-eyed takedown of processed food and the metabolic diseases it drives — and why real food is still the most powerful medicine.
Ultra-Processed People — Chris van Tulleken, MD
A sharp, readable exposé on ultra-processed food: how it's engineered, what it does to the body, and why it's so hard to stop eating.
Salt Sugar Fat — Michael Moss
An investigative look at how the food industry uses salt, sugar, and fat to engineer products that override our natural satiety signals.
Hooked — Michael Moss
A deeper dive into how processed food is designed to bypass choice and exploit the brain's reward circuitry — and what that means for free will.
Food Intelligence — Julia Belluz & Kevin Hall, PhD
A clear-eyed look at how nutrition science actually works, why so much food research is misleading, and how to make sense of claims that both nourish and harm us.
Detoxify — Aly Cohen, MD
A practical guide to everyday environmental toxins and the small, high-impact changes that lower your body's burden over time.
Rethinking Diabetes — Gary Taubes
A deep, evidence-based look at the relationship between diet, insulin, and diabetes treatment — and why the standard advice doesn't work for everyone.
Brain Energy — Christopher M. Palmer, MD
A psychiatrist's framework connecting mental health to mitochondrial and metabolic function — offering a fresh, biology-based lens for anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and more.
Blind Spots — Marty Makary, MD
A surgeon's unflinching look at how medicine can be slow to change, why dogma persists, and what it means for patients navigating their own care.
04
Movement & Strength
You don’t need a home gym to get stronger. These are the simple tools—and daily habits—we recommend to build muscle, improve balance, and stay active for life.
Walking
Never underestimate the power of a walk. Regular walking is one of the most effective ways to improve metabolic health, protect your heart, maintain mobility, support mental well-being, and age well. You don’t need expensive equipment or a gym membership—just a comfortable pair of shoes and the consistency to keep showing up.
Kettlebells
Strength doesn't require a room full of equipment. A kettlebell is one of the most versatile tools you can own, allowing you to build muscle, improve balance, protect bone health, and move with confidence. Simple, effective, and practical for almost every stage of life — from beginners to experienced lifters.
Resistance Bands
Portable, joint-friendly, and surprisingly versatile. Resistance bands make it easy to add strength work anywhere — at home, while traveling, or as a complement to heavier lifting.
Dumbbells
A foundational tool for building strength, improving muscle tone, and progressing at your own pace. A simple set of dumbbells opens the door to hundreds of effective exercises for every fitness level.
Weighted Vest
An easy way to add load to walks, bodyweight exercises, and everyday movement. Weighted vests can help build bone density, improve balance, and make simple activities more metabolically demanding.
05
Everyday Essentials
From pantry staples to hydration tools, these are the little things that make healthy living more convenient.
Trader Joe's Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup
A shelf-stable, protein-forward pantry staple for quick lunches. Lentils, vegetables, and no overcomplicated label — an easy way to eat like an adult when time is short.
Trader Joe's Shelled Edamame with Sea Salt
Frozen, ready in minutes, and one of the simplest ways to add plant protein and fiber to a meal. A go-to for filling out a plate without cooking from scratch.
Ulla — Smart Hydration Reminder
A small bottle attachment that gently blinks when it's time to drink. For anyone who knows they should hydrate more but forgets between tasks.
06
Local Favorites — Vancouver & Clark County
We're fortunate to work alongside some incredible professionals in our community. Whether you're looking for specialized healthcare, movement coaching, or aesthetic services, these are people and businesses we've come to know and trust.
Embrace Sexual Health & Gynecology
Natalie Mohler, WHNP, provides compassionate, evidence-based care for women’s health, menopause, sexual health, vulvar conditions, and gynecology. We confidently recommend Embrace to patients looking for longer appointments, trauma-informed care, and a provider who takes the time to listen and create personalized treatment plans. Phone: +1 (360) 845-1388. Address: 1309 NE 134th St Ste B, Vancouver, WA 98685.
Steady State Health
We proudly recommend Steady State Health for patients seeking thoughtful, personalized care for women’s health, hormones, ADHD, metabolism, and healthy aging. Josie Cowburn, DNP, FNP-C, shares our belief that patients deserve to be heard, with longer visits, evidence-based care, and treatment plans built around the whole person—not just a diagnosis. Phone: +1 (360) 609-7334. Address: 1309 NE 134th St Ste B, Vancouver, WA 98685.
Bella Rene Brows
We love recommending Bella Rene Brows for beautifully shaped, natural-looking brows that enhance your features without looking overdone. Anna Derkacht specializes in brow staining, lamination, waxing, and other brow services, taking a personalized approach to help every client achieve polished, effortless results.
Lashed by Ash
Ashley Mason specializes in customized lash extensions, lash lifts and tints, and spray tanning designed to help you look polished without feeling overdone. We love her thoughtful approach, attention to detail, and focus on creating results that feel effortless and natural.
Uptown Sports Medicine
Personalized exercise and medical fitness in Vancouver, led by licensed athletic trainer Adrian Cagigas. Corrective exercise, biomechanical evaluations, injury recovery, and one-on-one training programs that bridge the gap between healthcare and long-term performance.
07
Podcasts We Listen To
Evidence-based discussions on obesity medicine, metabolic health, nutrition, and behavior change. Perfect for your commute, a walk, or anytime you want to learn something new.
The Obesity Guide with Matthea Rentea, MD
Board-certified internal medicine and obesity medicine physician Dr. Matthea Rentea leads practical discussions on obesity, chronic weight management, and the many fields that intersect with metabolic health.
Fat Science Podcast with Dr. Emily Cooper
Fat Science explains where our fat really comes from and why it won't go (and stay) away — no diets, no agendas, just science that makes you feel better.
Docs Who Lift
Drs. Spencer and Karl Nadolsky talk about nutrition, medicine, and fitness through the lens of two physicians who lift weights. Honest, evidence-based conversations on training, nutrition, and body composition.
Binge Eating Breakthrough
For anyone looking to break through the cycle of binge eating, compulsive overeating, emotional eating, and food addiction. Trauma-informed, brain-and-body focused strategies with compassion — no shame, no diets.
Obesity: A Disease
The official Obesity Medicine Association podcast exploring the many facets of obesity as a disease. Clinical conversations and evidence-based insights for clinicians and patients alike.
A Pound of Cure Weight Loss Podcast
Practical, straight-talk guidance on weight loss, metabolic surgery, and obesity medicine from a bariatric surgeon's perspective — focused on sustainable tools, not quick fixes.
A Note on Our Recommendations
“We recommend these products the same way we care for our patients: thoughtfully and individually.”
Nothing on this page is sponsored or included because of a paid partnership. Every recommendation reflects our clinical experience, personal use, or both—and we'll always tailor advice to your unique health goals and needs.