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In this episode, Sam meets with Jennifer Salzman, an expert on ADHD and the relationship between ADHD and alcohol. They talk about the emotional side of ADHD (particularly how it affects your relationships and your feelings), why alcohol is especially bad for the ADHD brain, how she quit drinking for good, and how she has overcome rejection sensitivity, cognitive hyperactivity, and self-loathing.

Listen to this episode if you have ADHD, and you're not necessarily sure if you count as an alcoholic, but you sometimes question your drinking habits. (Hi, Sam here. That's the bucket I fall into, and Jennifer validated a lot of my feelings in this convo, which made me feel really seen and empowered. Highly recommend.)

Key moments:

02:27 ADHD in men vs. women

03:18 What it’s like to have ADHD before receiving an official diagnosis

04:39 Do you ever feel like everybody hates you?

05:05 Rejection sensitive dysphoria

06:20 Reading too much into things

06:39 Gen Z self-diagnosing and having access to new language

09:00 How ADHD makes it hard to maintain healthy relationships

10:33 ADHDers are particularly vulnerable to love-bombing (also: moving fast in friendships)

11:50 Having high expectations of people without communicating them

14:43 Resolving the unhealthy patterns

16:06 Practicing mindfulness when we’re so used to living our lives on autopilot

17:35 Common but overlooked symptoms of ADHD (i.e. the emotional piece of it)

18:30 What’s missing from ADHD treatment plans

19:38 Medication as treatment for ADHD

20:11 Drinking while using ADHD medication

21:18 Sam’s first time trying Adderall

24:01 ADHD coping mechanisms (outside of medication)

27:08 Feeling your uncomfortable feelings instead of resisting or repressing them

28:40 Click here if you don’t necessarily identify as an alcoholic, but you sometimes question your drinking habits

31:53 Sam’s current relationship to alcohol

34:18 How the shame and stigma around alcoholism prevented Jennifer from seeking help

35:59 How we worry about the wrong things (aging, fitting in, etc.)

37:50 What alcohol does to people with ADHD

40:07 What it feels like to be unexpectedly diagnosed with ADHD

43:18 Why alcohol is particularly bad for the ADHD brain

45:20 How Jennifer quit drinking (and how she helps other people quit drinking)

52:41 Microdosing for ADHD and Jennifer’s relationship to other substances

56:21 Self-acceptance as a tool for healing

57:55 Peace is not the same as complacency

59:02 Resources for coping with ADHD and substance use disorder

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In this episode, Sam answers a question frequently asked by listeners: is weed bad for us? After giving a full-on history lecture about the origins, importation, regulation, criminalization, and legalization of marijuana in medicinal and recreational capacities, she explores published and peer-reviewed research on the potential risks and health benefits of cannabis and, more specifically, marijuana.

Listen to this episode if you're a health freak who's curious about the impact of marijuana on your wellness journey, or if you sometimes wonder whether you're using weed just a littttttle bit too much.

Key moments:

02:26 Sam’s first time smoking weed lols

07:05 Why we’re doing an episode on weed

09:12 What is marijuana? What’s it made of?

09:29 THC (also known as Delta 9)

10:08 CBD and hemp

11:02 The difference between cannabis and marijuana

11:38 The history of marijuana in medical and recreational applications

12:13 The first recorded use of cannabis

14:55 How cannabis came to the west (as medicine and an intoxicant)

15:41 Early criminalization and regulation of weed in America

17:08 The back and forth between legalization and criminalization between the 1940s and 1960s

18:40 Minimum mandatory sentences are introduced for drug-related offenses, including marijuana

18:59 Counterculture pro-marijuana movements and the Controlled Substances Act

19:38 How weed is classified in the Controlled Substances Act…has legit not changed since the 1970s???

20:59 Decriminalization in medical and recreational applications

22:26 Joe Biden’s effort to reclassify weed

22:59 The debate on marijuana

23:54 How many US adults smoke weed

24:33 Factors that influence how marijuana affects you

25:06 Important for weed users: Major increase in THC potency over the past few years

25:45 The same weed can affect you differently every time

26:07 How long it takes THC to hit (smoking vs. gummies)

26:53 How THC actually affects your brain

27:17 Anandamide, addiction, and behavior reinforcement

27:56 Short-term effects of marijuana

29:58 Long-term effects of marijuana

32:06 Marijuana use during pregnancy

32:25 The “smoking” part of smoking weed lol

33:20 Emerging research about short and long-term effects of marijuana use (good and bad - a lot more good here)

35:03 Is weed addictive? (Bad news lols)

35:19 Surprising rates of cannabis use disorder among adult users (and comparison to alcohol)

36:17 A quick self-test to determine whether you have cannabis use disorder (please still consult a doctor though bc I am not one)

37:56 Marijuana withdrawal

38:25 Can you overdose on weed?

40:05 My personal position on marijuana, after doing all the research

40:33 To legalize or criminalize?

42:33 Benefits (proven and potential) of CBD

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In this episode, Sam sits down with Lindsey Metselaar, host of the popular dating and relationships podcast We Met at Acme. They talk alllll about the state of dating in 2025, from Lindsey's dating "rules," to the impact of technology on dating, to dating while sober, love languages, attachment styles, situationships, and beyond.

Listen to this episode if you are single and dating in 2025, or if you're in a relationship and want to set yourself up for success.

Key moments:
00:01:33 The story of how Sam got her raspy/low voice lol (this went viral on TikTok)

00:03:21 How Sam and Lindsey met

00:05:16 How Lindsey became a dating expert

00:07:48 Lindsey’s rules of dating (don’t text “thank you” after a date!)

00:11:33 How many dates you should wait to sleep with them (according to Lindsey)

00:13:15 Why you should have no more than 2 drinks on a first date

00:13:29 How and why you should try sober dating

00:15:49 The difference between drinking while dating vs. dating sober (Sam and Lindsey’s personal experiences)

00:19:52 Lindsey’s advice for dating sober

00:21:19 Dating and tech (apps, AI, porn, and more)

00:22:01 This Forbes survey showed 98% of people met dates online

00:22:41 How we can build our online profiles and social identities to optimize for dating success

00:24:16 How tech has influenced the dating landscape

00:25:51 Do dating apps actually work?

00:26:42 Hinge origin story (sorta lol)

00:27:29 Is dating tech making people bad at dating/socializing/flirting IRL?

00:28:12 Is technology affecting people’s interest in commitment?

00:30:44 Are you using AI to flirt by text? Click here

00:33:00 The quote that made Lindsey famous

00:33:22 Porn, OnlyFans, Instagram models, and more

00:35:54 The bottom line on tech and dating

00:37:56 The narrative around men online (i.e. man vs. bear)

00:40:09 Incels, incel forums, and Adolescence (spoilers!)

00:45:15 A shift in dating trends between 2024 and 2025

00:47:41 Therapy speak (gaslighting, narcissism, etc.)

00:48:01 Love languages

00:52:01 Attachment styles (anxious attachment and avoidant attachment)

00:54:08 Situationships and how to avoid them/get out of them

00:57:09 Setting yourself up to find The One

00:59:18 Girlfriend and wife (or partner) privileges

01:01:59 How to know if they’re The One

01:04:21 Setting your relationship up for a healthy marriage

01:05:55 What Lindsey wishes she knew when she was 25 and dating

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam...admits she has a problem lol. She explores the root causes of her need for control (which borders on unhealthy)—why we crave it, why it's hard to let go, why we have to, and how to release it. Lots of storytimes in this episode, so if you want to hear about the Cosmo days—this one's for you.

Listen to this episode if you have trouble letting go, if you're the reservations friend who freaks out when someone suggests a walk-in, or if you become insufferable the second you stray from your timestamped itinerary on a vacation.

Key moments:

00:37 Sam’s control freak revelation

05:50 Signs you might be a control freak (and it might be affecting your life)

06:22 Are you a micromanager? Plus a Cosmo storytime lol

09:18 If you have difficulty delegating…

10:14 People who always need to be right (and give unsolicited advice)

10:59 Spoiler alert: if you’re a control freak, you probably aren’t a good team player

11:35 Click here if you’re a “fixer” in relationships

12:06 If minor speed bumps send you into a tailspin (or make you insufferable to be around)…

12:46 Unrealistic expectations of commitment to plans

14:15 Validation and approval from other people

14:54 Do you hate change and rely heavily on routines?

15:14 If you feel excessive guilt or responsibility when things don’t go affording to plan…even if it’s outside of your control

16:59 What you can vs. what you can’t control

17:43 What will happen if you don’t release control

18:20 Unearthing the root cause of your need for control

19:13 Early childhood experiences that might lead to an obsession with control in adulthood

21:26 Identifying your triggers

23:37 Identifying and challenging your limiting beliefs

26:14 A quote that altered my brain chemistry

27:54 My therapist absolutely ate with this one

29:39 How to build your mindset (an ongoing practice)

31:52 You can do hard things

32:52 Learning to trust other people

36:12 Refocusing on your priorities

38:42 Sam’s favorite strategies for creating space when her inner control freak gets triggered

41:45 Upcoming episode topics

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In this episode, Sam shares a timely motivational story before diving into the foundations of gut health (What body parts and systems does your "gut" actually encompass? What is your microbiome? How do you know if yours is healthy and balanced? How can you take care of it at home?) in an attempt to pull back the curtain on a topic that's widely discussed across the internet. Since it's the first installment of a multi-episode series on gut health, it's a solo deep dive—but Sam will bring guests on to discuss the various aspects and rabbit holes of gut health down the line, so drop your questions in the comments!

Listen to this episode if you hear a lot about your gut and microbiome on TikTok, and want to understand it from a basic biological standpoint before falling for some random supplement an influencer is hawking lol.

Key moments:

00:34 Morning motivation (Rory McIlroy and the Masters)

06:51 A message to returning listeners of CAPS LOCK

08:00 Why we are talking about gut health in the first place

10:35 What actually is your gut (gastrointestinal tract), and how does it work?

12:17 The biliary tract (a part of the digestion process that’s talked about way less)

12:37 Which body parts comprise your biliary tract?

13:23 How the biliary tract works

14:54 Other systems in your body that help with digestion

15:12 The gut microbiome

15:54 What makes up the gut microbiome? (Plus a good fun fact about it)

16:27 How your gut microbiome develops

16:59 How new microorganisms are added to your microbiome over time

17:31 What your gut microbiome actually does

18:00 How your gut microbiome affects your digestive system

19:32 How your gut microbiome affects your immune system

20:35 How your gut microbiome affects your heart health

21:07 How your gut microbiome affects your nervous system

21:15 The gut brain axis

22:13 The emotional side of your gut brain axis

22:37 Crazy fact about how your gut controls your emotions

22:49 The correlation between IBS and mood disorders

23:36 How your gut microbiome affects your endocrine system

24:47 How do you know if your gut and microbiome are healthy?

24:53 Characteristics of a healthy gut

25:53 Symptoms of an unhealthy gut

26:33 Mini rant about healthtokkers and gut health

27:24 Sam’s recommendation if you are experiencing unhealthy gut symptoms

27:41 Different tests that evaluate your gut health

28:06 An important warning about gut testing

28:49 Here is where you might want to take notes so grab your notebooks/pens!!

29:00 15 ways to take care of your gut at home

29:05 Natural sources of probiotics

29:21 Two things to limit to improve your gut health

29:35 How chewing and eating speed affects your digestion

30:43 Natural sources of fiber and prebiotics (also: what is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?)

31:08 Examples of anti-inflammatory foods

31:22 What alcohol does to your gut

31:44 How antibiotics affect your gut

32:01 How to offset the negative impact of antibiotics on your gut

32:48 Foods rich in polyphenols (and what they do for your gut)

33:01 Two controversial tips for improving your gut health

33:16 The impact of breastfeeding on gut health

33:27 Elimination diets—why they’re controversial and their intended effects

34:40 Please drop your gut health questions in the comments!!!

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In this episode, Sam meets with Heather Milton and Jason Machowsky, the founders of Master My Run, a training program that provides athletes with the tools they need to unlock their best running performance by leveraging cross-training, nutrition, and individual and group coaching. They touch on all aspects of running, from preparation to form, injury prevention, fueling, recovery, and beyond.

Listen to this episode if you're an aspiring or new runner, aiming to start safely or improve your performance.

Key moments:

00:33 Introduction to guests

01:48 How this episode came about (Sam’s first run ever)

03:31 How they got into running (and how you can too)

06:35 Is running for everybody? Is there anyone who shouldn’t run?

07:44 Is runner’s high real, or is it a myth?

09:28 What kinds of metabolic testing should runners do, and why should they do it?

11:03 Can you improve your metabolic test results?

12:15 What to do BEFORE you start running to set yourself up for success

12:41 What, when, and how much runners should be eating

14:09 How runners should strength train/cross-train

15:49 The mistake a lot of runners make in the gym

17:42 How to determine how heavy you should be lifting

18:03 The best gym exercises for runners

19:02 Heather’s opinion on group fitness classes

20:27 What is plyometric exercise and how should we incorporate it into our workouts?

20:36 How long you should be resting and recovering in between HIIT workouts

22:39 What to wear/how to dress appropriately for your run

24:13 How to pick the right running shoes/sneakers

27:24 Heather and Jason’s favorite running tech (apps, wearables, etc.)

29:35 How to properly warm up for a run

31:20 What is proper running form? Things to keep in mind

33:04 Nutrition and running

33:21 Should we be carb-loading? How and when should we eat our carbs? (And how much??)

34:55 What to eat and drink before a run, and how far in advance you should fuel

37:32 The best things to eat and drink after a run

38:56 A formula for how to properly hydrate before and during a run

41:36 Running with injuries and injury prevention (from both training and nutrition POVs)

45:36 How to build up to faster speeds and longer endurance in your runs

46:48 Rapid fire round!!! Best part of the episode IMO

46:57 Heather and Jason’s marathon non-negotiables

47:10 The biggest mistake people make when they first start running

47:25 The biggest waste of money in the running world

47:49 The best investment for runners

48:08 Current favorite song to listen to while running

48:34 Favorite race they’ve ever run

49:05 Heather and Jason’s running PRs

50:32 Their next running goals

50:57 The best running advice they’ve ever gotten

51:05 The worst running advice they’ve ever gotten

51:19 Their favorite post-race meals/foods

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In this episode, Sam recalls the first time she felt imposter syndrome at work, which leads her into a deep dive. Why do we feel imposter syndrome? Can you feel imposter syndrome in your personal and romantic relationships? How can we overcome it? What could life look like if we don't—or if we do—overcome it? Then, she outlines actionable strategies for conquering it and taking back control of your life.

Listen to this episode if you've ever felt imposter syndrome, and share it with anyone who you think is selling themselves short.

Key moments:

01:52 What is imposter syndrome?

04:02 Why the first imposter syndrome research only studied women

04:37 A popular quote/statistic that really resonates

05:34 The first time Sam ever felt imposter syndrome

06:29 How Sam’s influencer career started

07:43 The most valuable thing Sam learned in the early days of becoming an influencer

09:38 How Sam started working for herself

11:48 Women feel imposter syndrome more than men

12:01 The social, cultural, and psychological factors that influence who experiences imposter syndrome

12:13 The types of people who are most likely to feel imposter syndrome

13:05 Why we have imposter syndrome

13:35 Are the stakes actually that high? Or are you projecting?

14:18 Feeling like you don’t belong

14:24 I AM CRYYYYIIINNNGGGGG LMAOOO

15:36 Reframing your thoughts (I ate with this tbh)

15:54 Perfectionism and imposter syndrome

16:47 Returning to the failure vs. judgment spiral

17:53 Masking behaviors and how they fuel imposter syndrome

18:48 Subjective fields of work (this is for the creatives)

19:42 Comparison is the thief of joy (sorry for the cliché)

20:27 Achievement-based validation in childhood

21:46 Imposter syndrome in your personal and romantic relationships (also see: anxious attachment style)

23:01 Catastrophizing and the imposter phenomenon

26:35 The impact imposter syndrome can have on our lives if it goes unchecked

28:44 How to overcome imposter syndrome

29:09 How to reframe your thoughts (with examples)

29:33 Stop saying “I got lucky” when you accomplish or achieve something

30:20 How to make a wins log (Sam reads hers aloud lol)

32:45 Flip the script (best possible outcome exercise)

34:06 A counterintuitive exercise (worst possible outcome exercise?)

35:51 Something all women need to start doing IMMEDIATELY

38:40 A mind-blowing twist on “feel the fear and do it anyway"

39:42 Act like an imposter to overcome imposter syndrome?

41:37 Distinguish between facts vs. feelings

43:40 The bottom line

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Sam starts this episode by talking about her experience with hormonal birth control, which has resulted in her fully feeling each phase of her cycle for the first time in her life. On a mission to manage her hormones and mitigate her PMS symptoms through dietary and lifestyle changes, she explores the best (doctor and dietician-approved) ways to eat, exercise, sleep, socialize, and take care of yourself during the four phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal.

Listen to this episode if you're considering going off of hormonal birth control for the first time in a long time, if you're interested in supporting your reproductive health in line with your body's natural rhythms, or if you think cycle-syncing is BS and want to hear about Sam's journey getting started.

Key moments:

00:36 Sam’s personal journey (prob TMI lol)

04:48 Major upcoming episode about going off birth control

07:32 The surprising thing Sam started experiencing in her cycle

07:49 How we arrived at this episode

08:35 The tiny change in Sam’s routine that changed everything

09:36 Results Sam saw in just 6 weeks of cycle syncing

12:25 Who should try cycle syncing?

13:11 A refresher on the menstrual cycle

15:17 The length of your menstrual cycle and the four different phases

15:59 Menstrual cycle vs. 24-hour cycle (both hormonal)

17:00 Different ways to track your cycle

17:55 This is a good time to start taking notes (plus a simple layout/format)

19:09 Phase 1 - menstruation

19:12 How to eat during menstruation

23:46 Sam’s take on cravings during your period

24:40 How to exercise during menstruation

26:09 Other tips and tricks for managing the menstrual phase (socializing, sleep, sex, etc.)

27:52 Phase 2 - follicular

28:48 How to eat during your follicular phase

30:15 How to exercise during follicular

31:19 Other tips and tricks for managing the follicular phase (mood, making plans with your friends, hormones, etc.)

32:08 Phase 3 - ovulation

33:10 Hormonal changes during your ovulatory phase

33:42 How to eat during ovulation

34:17 Eating to support your reproductive health if you’re trying to get pregnant

34:51 How to exercise during ovulation

35:53 Other tips and tricks for your ovulatory phase (trying to conceive, social battery levels, etc.)

36:42 Phase 4 - luteal (most closely associated with PMS)

37:15 How to eat during your luteal phase (anti-inflammatory diet, healthy fats, etc.)

38:31 How to exercise during luteal

39:22 We should be doing this more during luteal

40:00 Mini feminist rant lol

41:01 Other tips and tricks for luteal (listen to your body!)

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM ET, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam meets with Charlotte Cruze and Lindsay Goodstein, the founders of Alice Mushrooms. They discuss what notable supplement companies are doing wrong, the impact and varying applications of functional mushrooms, their major career pivots, and the future of food as medicine.

Listen to this episode if you need inspiration to pivot in your career, if you're curious about functional medicine and mushrooms, or if you want to pee your pants laughing when Lindsay tells us about the time she took 6 sex chocolates before a massage.

Key moments:

00:33 Introduction to guests

02:04 Why they started Alice Mushrooms (hello functional medicine)

03:53 How they found each other and teamed up

04:33 Both of their major career pivots and entrepreneurship advice

07:49 The efficacy efficacy of functional mushrooms (and how they’re different from pharmaceuticals)

09:28 How and why they made their product hit instantly

11:18 How fast will you feel the effects of the mushrooms?

12:06 Are there any long-term effects? And how long does it take to feel those?

14:45 What *actually* are adaptogens and nootropics?

15:39 Adaptogens: What they are and what they do

17:28 Nootropics: What they are and what they do

18:58 The most common misconceptions about functional mushrooms

21:27 Why did they put the mushrooms in chocolate instead of capsules?

21:35 Food as medicine and nutrient absorption

25:25 How Lindsay went Breaking Bad to make the initial product in her kitchen lol

25:59 How they developed the product to make sure it tasted good AND was effective

27:25 Other active ingredients that interact with the mushrooms for optimal efficacy

27:58 A deep dive on all the ingredients

29:58 Types of mushrooms that are replacing drugs in early clinical trials for Alzheimer’s and ADD/ADHD

31:50 The mushroom sourcing process and what most big shroom companies are doing wrong

34:53 The extraction process (sooo interesting)

38:05 The hard-hitting question: Do they work? Lol

42:10 What each type of chocolate does

44:11 HILARIOUS story about how well the sex chocolates work

49:18 How did they make something that balances your hormones?

52:07 Let’s talk about psychedelics (we haddd to)

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam discovers that her favorite workout routine has stopped giving her the results she’s looking for. On a journey to figure out why (and how to fix it), she explores the impact of high intensity training on cortisol levels, and how cortisol creates inflammation in the brain and body, leading to a wide range of mental and physical dysfunction.

Listen to this episode if you think you’ve “plateaued” in your workouts, if you’re going hard at the gym but not making progress, or if you’re a HIIT or weightlifting girly who's interested in learning more about the benefits low-impact exercise.

Key moments:

00:35 Quick trigger warning (body image, eating/exercise disorders)

01:37 History of Sam’s HIIT workout obsession

02:55 Origin of Sam’s weird relationship to food and exercise

04:47 A time when Sam literally didn’t work out at all (off-brand lol)

05:43 The downside of having a good metabolism in college

06:03 How Sam established a solid workout routine for the first time

07:35 How Sam’s love affair with Rumble Boxing began

09:03 What changed

10:17 Feeling bloated, puffy, and exhausted from HIIT workouts

11:17 HIIT/weightlifting ego bias against low-impact workouts

11:35 The Pilates girlies might be onto something

11:57 What if your go-to workout has simply…stopped working?

12:20 The relationship between high-intensity workouts and cortisol

12:52 How cortisol can be good for you

13:05 What happens when you produce too much cortisol

13:49 How you can become desensitized to anti-inflammatory responses

14:23 How cortisol affects your thyroid and your metabolism

17:00 Why recovery after a workout is actually effective for reducing bloating and puffiness

17:15 Vasodilation—one reason you’re feeling inflamed after high-intensity exercise

18:52 How high-intensity training can mess with your sleep

19:56 How sleep-related inflammation affects your brain (not just your body)

20:32 The vicious sleep-cortisol cycle

21:05 How high-intensity workouts make your body retain fluids (leading to puffiness)

23:16 Why HIIT isn’t always the best for fat burning (low-intensity might make you lose more weight)

23:57 “Toning” your muscles is a myth—here’s the truth and how to achieve it

25:46 The bottom line on cortisol in workouts

26:14 The importance of moderation (in everything)

27:35 Upcoming episode topics

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