My oh my. Can you believe that we're already halfway into 2019? Yeah, me neither. If you're anything like I am, you probably told yourself somewhere before Valentine's Day that you were gonna do (or not do) certain things to get your body together, just in time for the summer season. But spring seems to be flying by and now, here you are—trying to figure out what you can do to be, at least a little health conscious, before Thanksgiving.
Luckily, when it comes to the current health trends that are specifically aimed at women, I did some of the research for the both of us. The good news is a lot of them are affordable and not super stressful to implement into your daily routine.
Whether you want to shed a couple of pounds, desire to have more mental or emotional tranquility or you simply want to find a relatively simple habit that will improve your immunity and make you feel better overall, here are some proven and popular things that will definitely help you to reach your goal(s).
Mindful Eating
Mindfulness is a word that's used so much right now that I think it's important to take a step back and think about what it truly means. To be mindful is simply to be aware of what you're doing, preferably before you do it. How it fits in when it comes to food is it's all about avoiding being an emotional eater, thinking about what will and what won't benefit your health before consuming it and even meditating, if need be, before preparing or purchasing a meal.
What are the benefits of eating this way? From what I've read, not only can mindful eating help you to maintain your preferred weight, it can also reduce stress, anxiety, depression, insomniaand reduce the urge to binge eating. In short, mindful eating is not a diet; it's a way of life.
Oat Milk
GiphyA couple of weeks ago, I was craving a milkshake. After eagerly downing about half of it, I started to feel stomach cramps. I know what it was too. Other than a scoop or two of ice cream from time to time, I can't tell you the last time I've had cow's milk; I'm avoiding it on purpose. If you're still on the fence about why you should wean off of it yourself, check out "12 Reasons to Stop Drinking Cow's Milk", "Why We Shouldn't Be Drinking Cow Milk, According to a Gastroenterologist" and "12 Frightening Facts About Milk".
If after reading those pieces, you're a bit freaked out but you're not sure what moves to make next, no worries—there are all kinds of great milk alternatives including hemp milk, rice milk, coconut milk, hazelnut milk and, of course, almond milk. But guess what kind of milk is turning out to be even better than all of these? Oat milk.
The health benefits of oat milk include that it will give you 50 percent of the daily requirement of Vitamin B12 per serving. Oat milk also contains a high amount of riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A and D. Some other great things about oat milk is it's soy-free (leave soy alone, y'all!), lactose-free and nut-free, it lowers blood cholesterol, it fights off common allergens and even boosts skin health. All of this definitely explains why it's one of the hottest women's health trends.
Probiotic Foods
Do you currently take a probiotic supplement? If you don't, you definitely should. Whether you take it in capsule or liquid form, probiotics are live microorganisms that introduce friendly bacteria into your body; especially your gut. Probiotics can do everything from boost your mood and relieve eczema to strengthen your immune system and help you to lose weight.
If for some reason you'd prefer to not take a supplement, there are fermented foods that can give you the probiotic surge that you need as well. Some of them include yogurt, pickles, sauerkraut, miso and gouda, mozzarella, cheddar and cottage cheese.
Online Workouts
Fitness Workout GIF by socialbynmGiphyIf you've been saying ever since New Year's Day that you're going to start a workout regimen but you've yet to begin, take some of the pressure off of saving up for a gym membership and sign up for an online workout class instead. It's affordable, it's convenient and it's private too.
If you're interested but you're not sure where to begin, Gaia has some great yoga courses, Booya Fitness has a cool cardio class and Ballet Beautiful will let you get your Misty Copeland on from the comfort of your own house.
Cashews
Apparently nuts have trends just like everything else. While the "top nut" has been almonds for a while now, cashews are what's currently all the rage. For starters, they are high in copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamins C, E and K, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. If you snack on them regularly, they are the kind of nut that is good for your heart; can help to prevent diabetes; will strengthen your immune system; can fight premature greying (thanks to the copper that's in them); will lower the risk of amnesia, can help to prevent gallstones and, if you or someone that you know is currently undergoing chemotherapy, cashews are able to lessen the side effects associated with that too.
Cashews are dope. No wonder they now come in the form of milk, dips and even ice cream. Just make sure that if you'd prefer to eat them straight out of a container that you go the no or lightly salted route and that you consume no more than 16-18 nuts each day. Since they pack 160 calories per ounce, snacking on them is a really easy way to pack on the pounds, if you're not careful.
Food Sensitivity Testing
Dietary Restrictions Food GIF by Hyper RPGGiphyIf you've been experiencing bloating, migraines, a runny nose, coughing or hives, while on the surface it might seem that all of those things point to seasonal allergies, it could actually mean that you've got some sort of food sensitivity going on.
There are all kinds of things that can trigger a food allergy in your system—histamines, chemicals and/or toxins in the food, missing enzymes in your body or a few other underlying causes. The only way you can get to the root of what's making you sick is to get a skin prick or blood test from your doctor. Make the time; it's worth it.
Tongue Scraping
When we were first learning how to brush our teeth, we were told about how important it is to brush our tongues. Be honest—do you still do it, though? If you don't (or you don't as much as you should), let's first talk about what could happen. For starters, your breath could wreak. Not only that but your taste buds could become dull. If those two things aren't enough, you could end up with oral thrush (which is basically a yeast infection in your mouth) or worse, a "black and hairy tongue" which comes as the result of leftover particles of food giving your tongue a dark and hair-like appearance (GROSS). Another problem that arises from not brushing your tongue is it creates a biofilm of bacteria on it; the kind that doesn't go away with water or even mouthwash.
So yeah, if you want to avoid having a "yuck mouth", brushing and flossing after every meal isn't good enough. You also need to scrape that tongue of yours. (A brush is cool, but an actual tongue scraper is so much better!)
Less Alcohol
No Way Omg GIF by E!GiphyIt seems like ever since the beginning of time, there has been conflicting information on whether alcohol and coffee are good for you or not. On the alcohol tip, let's look at red wine as an example. It's loaded with antioxidants. It raises the level of omega-3 fatty acids in your system. It helps to prevent cavities, fights allergies and is a great libido booster. Red wine even strengthens your heart and keeps your blood sugar levels under control. Shoot, even the Good Book sings wine's praises (Ecclesiastes 9:7, I Timothy 5:23). But then there are articles like the one that was published on NPR's site a couple of years back—"No Amount of Alcohol Is Good for Your Health, Global Study Says".
I've never been a big drinker, but I am known to have a shot of honey whiskey or a cocktail from time to time. I see absolutely nothing wrong with it. But, as far as current health trends go, if you want to be "trendy", a lot of health experts are recommending that you ditch the alcohol and go with a mocktail (a fake cocktail) instead. (If you want to read about how excessive amounts of alcohol affects our health as women, click here.)
Transformational Travel
The xoTribe is such a big fan of travel that there's an entire section on our site that's entirely devoted to it! Traveling with your boo is romantic, traveling with your girls is fun, but there is something very powerful and yes transformative, about traveling solo. You're able to get some much-needed downtime, you're able to meet new people and try new things, you can rest for as long as you want and it's a great way to take your self-confidence up a notch as well.
Now that I've done my little commercial for what you should put travel on your annual itinerary, does it surprise you that transformative travel is also on the women's health trend list this year? What the heck is transformative travel all about? It literally consists of planning a trip for the sole purpose of changing your life for the better. Y'all, it's so serious that there's even an official The Transformational Travel Council to help get you started.
Out of all the trends I shared, try and not let this one fade. Make it a part of your life now and for the long-term foreseeable future.
Being a Sovereign
Family Vacation Fox GIF by GrandfatheredGiphyOut of all the women's trends that I checked out, to me, this one exceeds them all. As you probably well know, being healthy isn't just about what you do physically, it consists of being proactive as it relates to mental and emotional well-being too. That said, something that's a really big trend right now is not putting everyone and their grandma's needs before your own. This year is all about being what is known as a "sovereign".
What exactly is that? In the context of relationships, being a sovereign is all about being highly-selective about the people you surround yourself with, spend time with and share your resources with. It's about honoring your time, your heart and your energy. It's about creating boundaries and cultivating the kind of relationships that will truly benefit you.
A sovereign is a monarch. A sovereign takes authority. A sovereign reigns supreme. BE ONE.
Featured image by Getty Images
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
10 Things Your Vagina Wishes You Would Do More Often
5 Women Share Their Secrets To Achieving A Healthy Work-Life Balance
RELATED
So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
Then there were those who gave up their zip code altogether and found a permanent home in the skies. After years spent recruiting students for a university, Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare became a full-time travel influencer and founded her travel company, Shakespeare Agency. And she's not alone.
These stories mirror the experiences of women across the world. For millions, the pandemic induced a seismic shift in priorities and desires. Corporate careers that were once hailed as the ultimate “I made it” moment in one's career were pushed to the back burner as women quit their jobs in search of a more self-fulfilling purpose.
xoNecole spoke to these three Black women who used the pandemic as a springboard to make their wildest dreams a reality, the lessons they learned, and posed the question of whether they’ll ever return to cubicle life.
Answers have been edited for context and length.
xoNecole: How did the pandemic lead to you leaving the cubicle?
Randi: I was becoming stagnant. I was working in mortgage and banking but I felt like my personality was too big for that job! From there, I transitioned to radio but was laid off during the pandemic. That’s what made me go full throttle with entrepreneurship.
Gabrielle: I moved around a lot for work. Five times over a span of seven years. I knew I needed a break because I had experienced so much. So, I just quit one day. Effective immediately. I didn’t know what I was going to do, I just knew I needed a break and to just regroup.
Lisa-Gaye: I was working in recruiting at a university and my dream job just kind of fell into my lap! But, I never got to fully enjoy it before the world shut down in March [2020] and I was laid off. On top of that, I was stuck in Miami because Jamaica had closed its borders due to the pandemic before I was able to return.
Randi O
xoN: Tell us about your journey after leaving Corporate America.
Randi: I do it all now! I have a podcast, I’m an on-air talent, I act, and I own a public relations company that focuses on social media engagement. It’s all from my network. When you go out and start a business, you can’t just say, “Okay I’m done with Corporate America,” and “Let me do my own thing.” If you don’t build community, if you don’t build a network it's going to be very hard to sustain.
Gabrielle: I realized in New York, there was not a lot to do for Black lesbians and queer folks. We don’t really have dedicated bars and spaces so I started doing events and it took off. I started focusing on my brand, Raw Honey. I opened a co-working space, and I was able to host an NYC Pride event in front of 100,000 people. I hit the ground running with Raw Honey. My events were all women coming to find community and come together with other lesbians and queer folks. I found my purpose in that.
Lisa-Gaye: After being laid off, I wrote out all of my passions and that’s how I came up with [my company] Shakespeare Agency. It was all of the things that I loved to do under one umbrella. The pandemic pulled that out of me. I had a very large social media following, so I pitched to hotels that I would feature them on my blog and social media. This reignited my passion for travel. I took the rest of the year to refocus my brand to focus solely on being a content creator within the travel space.
Gabrielle
xoN: What have you learned about yourself during your time as an entrepreneur?
Randi: [I learned] the importance of my network and community that I created. When I was laid off I was still keeping those relationships with people that I used to work with. So it was easy for me to transition into social media management and I didn’t have to start from scratch.
Gabrielle: The biggest thing I learned about myself was my own personal identity as a Black lesbian and how much I had assimilated into straight and corporate culture and not being myself. Now, I feel comfortable and confident being my authentic self. Now, I'm not sacrificing anything else for my career. I have a full life. I have friends. I have a social life. And when you are happy and have a full quality of life, I feel like [I] can have more longevity in my career.
Lisa-Gaye: [I'm doing] the best that I've ever done. The discipline that I’m building within myself. Nobody is saying, ‘Oh you have to be at work at this time.’ There’s no boss saying, ‘Why are you late?’ But, if I’m laying in bed at 10 a.m. then it's me saying [to myself], 'Okay, Lisa, get up, it's time for you to start working!’ That’s all on me.
xoNecole: What mistakes do you want to help people avoid when leaving Corporate America?
Randi: You have to learn about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. You have a fast season and a slow season and I started to learn that when you're self-employed the latter season hits hard. Don't get caught up on the lows, just keep going and don't stop. I’m glad I did.
Gabrielle: I think everyone should quit their job and just figure it out for a second. You will discover so much about yourself when you take a second to just focus on you. Your skill set will always be there. You can’t be afraid of what will happen when you bet on yourself.
Lisa-Gaye: When it comes to being an influencer the field is saturated and a lot of people suffer from imposter syndrome. There is nothing wrong with being an imposter but find out how to make it yours, how to make it better. If you go to the store, you see 10 million different brands of bread! But you are choosing the brand that you like because you like that particular flavor.
So be an imposter, but be the best imposter of yourself and add your own flair, your own flavor. Make the better bread. The bread that you want.
Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare
xoNecole: Will you ever return to your 9 to 5?
Randi: I wouldn’t go back to Corporate America. But I don’t mind working under someone. A lot of people try to get into this business saying, “I can't work under anyone.” That’s not necessarily the reason to start a business because you're always going to answer to somebody. Clients, brands, there’s always someone else involved.
Gabrielle: I went back! I really needed a break and I gave myself that. But, I realized I’m a corporate girl, [and] I enjoy the work that I do. I’m good at it and I really missed that side of myself. I have different sides of me and my whole identity is not Raw Honey or my queerness. A big side of me is business and that’s why I love having my career. Now I feel like my best self.
Lisa-Gaye: I really don’t. For right now, I love working for myself. It's gratifying, it's challenging, it's exciting. It’s a big deal for me to say I own my own business. That I am my own boss, and I'm a Black woman doing it.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image courtesy of Lisa-Gaye Shakespeare
Originally published on February 6, 2023