Happy New Year from Ajenda!

As we welcome 2025, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible support and readership. I’m so excited for all the exciting things we have in store for Ajenda this year, and I can’t wait to continue this journey with you. Here’s to a year of health and wellness from the inside out!

TODAY’S DOSE OF HONESTY

Dry JENuary: A Medical and Personal Perspective on Alcohol.

It’s that time of year again—Dry JENuary! Every year, I commit to a month-long break from alcohol, and it’s a wellness exercise I’ve found to be both easy and impactful. Over the past year, my alcohol consumption has decreased from several times a week to just several times a month. This intentional moderation reflects my belief in realism over idealism. Even the most health-conscious individuals, myself included, don’t always approach this as an all-or-none practice.  

The Science of Alcohol Metabolism. Understanding how alcohol affects the body begins with its metabolism, and here are some fascinating facts:  

• Women eliminate alcohol faster than men due to differences in size and lean muscle mass.  

• Aging decreases alcohol elimination rates as liver mass and body water content decline.  

• Drinking on an empty stomach slows alcohol metabolism, with reduced enzyme levels and liver blood flow in the fasting state.  

Nutritional and Health Impacts. From a nutritional standpoint, alcohol is an "empty calorie," providing 7 calories per gram without any nutritional value. Moreover, it is classified as a Group 1 Carcinogen by the World Health Organization, meaning it is a known cancer-causing substance.

The health risks of alcohol are influenced by numerous factors, including:

• Genetics, age, and gender: Women generally face greater relative risks than men for the same alcohol consumption.

• Volume and frequency of drinking: Risks follow a dose-response curve—more consumption equals higher risks.  

• Lifestyle factors: Smoking or other high-risk behaviors compound the effects.

As the risks associated with alcohol are significant (especially for women over 50 who already face increased risks of all kinds of things due purely to age), it’s essential to remember that no amount of alcohol is completely safe. However, moderation can mitigate these risks.

Balancing Risks and Rewards. I’ve learned to approach alcohol consumption with a strategy I call “risk stratification.” Some experiences—like a celebratory toast on vacation—may feel worth the small risk, while others might not. This realistic and balanced perspective helps me enjoy life while minimizing harm.  

It’s also worth noting that the “trend” of not drinking at all is one I fully support for anyone who chooses it. From a medical standpoint, abstaining is a low-risk, high-benefit decision. I share more on this topic, including my personal journey with my first Dry January, in my national bestselling book, The Self-Care Solution.

A Judgment-Free Approach to Moderation. Ultimately, alcohol is just one part of the bigger picture of health. Living a life guided by principles of moderation and realism—doing more good than harm—is key. It’s important not to feel guilty about our choices but to strive for balance.  

If you’re trying a Dry January this year, let me know—I’d love to hear about your experience!

SYMPTOM SOLUTIONS

An oral supplement that can help reduce the risk of sunburn???

Here's one I had to share with you as it is something I just learned about!  While recently in Cabo, Mexico, I ran into a friend, whose brother is a Dermatologist.  My friend showed me Heliocare, the supplement that can help lower the risk of sunexposure/sunburn.  I was not familiar with it, and so did some research.  If you are planning a sun-filled trip of any kind in the new year, or if you live in a high sun-exposure region, this is for you.  Here's what I learned:

Heliocare is a dietary supplement designed to enhance the skin's defenses against sun damage. Its benefits stem primarily from its active ingredient, Polypodium leucotomos extract (PLE), a natural antioxidant derived from a tropical fern plant. (On the package, it's called FERNblock.)  Here are some of the key benefits of Heliocare for sunburn prevention and skin health:

• Protection Against UV Damage: it neutralizes free radicals.  PLE is rich in antioxidants that help neutralize harmful free radicals generated by UV exposure, reducing cellular damage.

• Enhances natural skin defenses: Regular use can strengthen the skin’s resilience to UV rays, reducing the risk of sunburn.

• Reduces Sunburn Risk and increases sun tolerance: Studies have shown that PLE can increase the amount of time skin can be exposed to UV light before burning.

• Minimizes redness and inflammation: The supplement helps reduce the inflammatory response associated with sunburn.

There are also 'preventative' effects of PLE that I think are important. 

• Supports Skin Health and can help prevent photoaging: PLE helps protect collagen and elastin from UV-induced degradation, reducing the risk of wrinkles and sagging skin.

• Promotes even skin tone: By mitigating sun damage, Heliocare can help prevent hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

• Complements Sunscreen / Internal protection: While sunscreen shields the skin externally, Heliocare provides an additional layer of internal protection, particularly for areas that may be missed or inadequately covered by sunscreen.

• Consistent defense: Supplements work even when sunscreen wears off or isn’t reapplied regularly.

• *May Reduce Risk of Skin Cancer and limit DNA damage: By reducing UV-induced cellular damage, Heliocare may lower the risk of long-term complications such as skin cancer.

• Supports immune function: PLE has been shown to reduce UV-induced suppression of the skin’s immune response.

Data has shown that PLE in oral supplement form is convenient and safe. As a pill form supplement, it is easy to take, especially for individuals with active lifestyles who may not reapply sunscreen frequently.  It is non-toxic and well-tolerated. Heliocare is generally safe for most people when used as directed.

As you've heard me say before, many times, it's always important to consider the possible risks along with any purported benefits.  While Heliocare can offer significant benefits, it should be viewed as a complement to traditional sun protection measures, not a substitute. It is essential to continue using sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and limiting sun exposure during peak hours.   I am a big fan of very large sun hats, UV protective clothing and UV-designed swimsuits, frequent reapplication of SPF 30-50 sunscreen every 2 hours, and sunscreen on my face, nec, and hands 365 days a year before I leave home.

Who might benefit most? Individuals with sun-sensitive skin or conditions like rosacea or melasma and those at high risk of photoaging or hyperpigmentation.  In addition, people who spend extended time outdoors or in high UV environments (high altitudes, skiing, etc.).  Always consult a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you have underlying conditions or are on any medication.  

COMMUNITY

Month 6 of my 6-Month Experiment

As many of you know, I have just wrapped up my 6 month wellness and fitness experiment with trainer, Korey Rowe. I can tell you, IT WAS INCREDIBLE!

First, I want to thank all of you who followed along both here and on my instagram for all of the words of support and encouragement! It made a huge difference for me! Second, I am excited to tell you that due to the massive and unanticipated interest many of you expressed about doing the same program, I have been working hard at packaging it all together in a way that you can follow, day by day, just like I did.  I will be launching this in mid-late February with Korey Rowe, and I know you will love it!  I kept a diary of sorts of everything I did, every single day of the past 6 months. 

I have Korey's exact workouts that he sent me, that I did with him virtually or in-person, as well as the exercise I did on my own (the cardio).  My off days/ rest days/ travel days/sick days are all in there, as is the nutritional program I followed along the way and then Korey has tweaked it to be done in 4-5 days per week blocks.  You bring the commitment, and we will help you get maximum impact!  Stay tuned for more on this in the next few weeks, as I will keep you posted when it launches! 

As for this last month (month 6): it was quite the final lap! Here's what changed: for month 5 and 6, Korey gave me a LOT of high intensity sprint work of 30-90 seconds built-in to every round of weight training. This. Was. Incredibly, Hard!  What that looked like was 12 sprints of 1 minute all out efforts on either the treadmill, ski-erg, assault bike or erg-rowing machine within my rounds of resistance work.  I was dying. Every single time.  I realized that this was, in fact, the point! As a result, my cardio fitness  dramatically improved and  my body leaned out (as the overall pounds I gained were mostly muscle, but not ALL muscle).  My workouts in the last 2 months were lasting 90 minutes each. If you had told me that I would be training hard for an hour and a half, 6 months ago, I would have laughed. Now, here I am, doing it 5-6 days a week and actually feeling great. 

I know that you may not think you have 90 minutes a day to work out. I would encourage you to be selfish for once. Make the time for YOU. You deserve it.  For me, working out in the morning was a necessity, as I had to get this out of the way with maximum energy, early!  I hit a lot of 'PR's' this month (PR= personal record). I lifted more than I ever had, and I ran faster than I ever had. I was so excited, amazed and very grateful to Korey for his expertise and philosophy.  Trust me, there were times that I would have never worked out that hard or that long or that often if it hadn't been for my 1000% trust in Korey's approach. Boy, did that pay off. 

In month 6 of 6, I also began 16 hour intermittent fasting.  Yes, this is controversial for women, particularly around intense exercising, but it has worked REALLY well for me.  As a nutritionist and a doctor, I do NOT think it would have worked in the first 1-5 months, as that was the building muscle and fueling stage.  As a professional trainer, Korey believes that IF is a very useful tool for women and men, and for me he was correct.  And, it was the proper time in the 6 month experiment to unleash it- month 6!   Most of the data on the cons and pros of IF are done in men, and in premenopausal women.  As a postmenopausal woman, I found it worked very well for preventing the mindless snacking and eating when I wasn't really hungry, and helped me drop 1-2 pounds that was NOT muscle mass gain.  I still met my daily protein target goals of 90 grams on most days, I just did it within an 8 hour window.  I found that I was less hungry and had more energy. 

Soon, I will have a big 'reveal' for you about the 6 month progress, complete with pictures, weight, blood tests, measurements, and heart rate. I am excited to share it all with you and until then,  I encourage you to be curious about what YOU could feel like in 6 month with an intensive fitness experiment!

Celebrating Authenticity: A Message from Dr. Jen

Last week, I made the difficult decision to halt the circulation and distribution of the fourth issue of our magazine, which was scheduled to hit stands December 27th. The reason? I recently discovered that images of me were excessively altered without my knowledge or explicit permission.

As someone who stands firmly against photoshopping, I couldn’t allow this to go unnoticed. Altered images contribute to unrealistic and unattainable standards, especially in health, beauty, and wellness—areas that I’m deeply passionate about. As a doctor and advocate for embracing our authentic selves, I’ve always believed in celebrating real people, real results, and the natural beauty of who we truly are—no extreme edits required.

While the majority of the issues were cancelled, I want to acknowledge that a small number may have been distributed before we could intervene. If you come across one, please know that it does not represent the values we stand for at Ajenda.

That commitment to honesty and transparency is something I’ve always shared with you. Whether it’s posting a no-makeup video, sharing about my eyelash extensions or “faux-pony,” or even being upfront about the not-so-pretty moments, I’ve never been anything but real with you—because that’s what you deserve.

Authenticity is at the heart of everything we do here, and I’m proud to uphold that standard. Thank you for trusting me to be real with you, always.

ABOUT DR. JEN

In her former roles as chief medical correspondent for ABC News and on-air cohost of “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” Dr. Jennifer Ashton—”Dr. Jen”—has shared the latest health news and information with millions of viewers nationwide. As an OB-GYN, nutritionist, and board-certified obesity medicine specialist, she is passionate about promoting optimal health for “the whole woman.” She has authored several books, including the national best-seller, The Self-Care Solution: A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier & Fitter—One Month at a Time. And she has gone through menopause…

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