Alexandra Bless

What Triggers Addiction? Addiction manifests in many shapes and forms: drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, exercise, or even scrolling on social media. But what do they all have in common? Humans inherently seek pleasurable experiences, so it is natural to engage in behaviors that are enjoyable. Pleasure arises through the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates the “reward center” of the brain. This reward system is evolutionarily valuable, as it reinforces behaviors that aid in...

To Lift or Not to Lift? Strength training, also known as resistance training, has historically been undervalued as a form of exercise for women due to outdated cultural stereotypes surrounding femininity. However, resistance training has since become widely recognized as one of the most beneficial activities for women of all ages and is particularly important in preventing age-related physical decline. Women naturally start losing muscle mass around age 30, which declines at a rate of 3-5%...