Hi lovely,

Summer can be a strange mix of full-on and flat-out. Between the heat (yes, even in the UK this year!), the juggle, and the kind of “fun” that sometimes just feels like more to manage — it’s no wonder so many of us are moving through the season feeling stretched. And for women especially, it can be a time when our own needs quietly get shelved… again.

That’s why this week’s Wellness Wire is anchored in something close to our hearts: women’s health — finally being treated with the nuance and care it deserves.

From smart sleep tech that actually helps with hot flashes, to at-home postpartum testing that makes real recovery possible — there’s a noticeable shift happening. One that says: you matter, your body matters, your phase of life matters, and brands are (at last) recognising that real wellness means showing up for women at every stage — not just slapping pink packaging on a multivitamin.

And that shift? It’s overdue — but deeply welcome. Because for too long, wellness has felt like something other people do. Too glossy, too prescriptive, too out of touch.

That’s why this note we received this week meant the world to us:

“I just wanted to say thank you for such a great newsletter. I hate ‘wellness’. I find it too pretentious, too elitist and too confusing. I’m a normal 44-year-old menopausal woman who hates the BS. But your newsletters are so engaging, straightforward and warm. I don’t feel told off or too unfit to join your club. Thank you! Seriously.”

This is exactly what The Wellness Drop is here for — real talk, smart tools, and gentle nudges to support you as you are. No pressure. No perfect routines. Just wellness that makes space for real life — especially in the busiest, sweatiest, and most overstimulating weeks of the year.

Let’s get into it — this week’s drop is a good one.👇

With love (and a slightly suspicious side eye at my glass water bottle),

Harriet & Katie 

XOXO

📍 Shimis Yoga Studio, Alserkal Avenue

One of the best yoga studios in Dubai — with a fabulous reputation, excellent instructors, and the kind of zen energy that keeps you coming back.

We’re both regulars at the Warm Deep Stretch class (those twinkling lights in the dark studio get us every time), but Shimis truly has something for everyone — from Vinyasa Flow to Prenatal Yoga, Candlelit Yin, and now even Barre.

The space is a dream: think beach house feel with natural textures, soft neutral tones, and lush green foliage spilling from the walls. The cosy wicker chairs and ambient welcome area make it the kind of place you’ll want to linger in long after your class ends.

And the smoothie bar? Easily one of our top 3 in Dubai.

Whether you’re here to stretch, sweat, or simply slow down — Shimis is a forever fave.

Who else has been? And who’s joining us for a stretch soon?

This week is all about portals, possibility, and powerful inner work.
From floating sound journeys to Full Moon visioning, here’s where to soften, expand, and receive 🌕.

🧸 Inner Child Healing & Floating Sound
Monday 4th August, 7:00–8:30pm
Soul Side Wellness
Float into deep calm and reconnect with your inner child in this unique blend of healing and sound.
Book here

🔮 Lion’s Gate Portal Ceremony: Cacao & Sound Journey
Friday 8th August, 7:30pm arrival, 7:45–10:00pm
Motion Trading, Al Quoz 3
Step into the ‘Portal of Infinite Possibility’ with ceremonial cacao, crystal grids, and immersive sound. A powerful evening led by 4 facilitators to help you activate your inner divinity.
Book here

🌕 Lion’s Gate Portal: Somatic Unwinding & Full Moon Circle
Saturday 9th August, 11:00am–1:30pm
Achievher Studio
A mid-summer recalibration where nervous system repair meets energetic clarity. Expect yin, journaling, guided visioning and a powerful group circle.
Book here

Your weekly whip-smart scroll through what’s hot (and not) in the world of wellness.

🏛️ INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

🛏️ Hot Flashes? There’s (Finally) a Feature for That
Eight Sleep (the personalised smart cooling mattress) just launched Hot Flash Mode, a real-time cooling function designed to tackle one of menopause’s most brutal symptoms - and it’s a game changer. It’s part of their new Women’s Sleep Initiative, aimed at closing the gender sleep gap with actual tech that understands female bodies. 8 in 10 testers felt relief in under 10 minutes. All of them said they’d hate to lose it.
Wellness Bestie Verdict: Menopause has been sidelined for way too long. Smart sleep support that actually gets it? More of this, please.
📖 Read more

🩸 Postpartum, Finally Taken Seriously (At Least in the U.S.)
Trellis Health just launched the first at-home postpartum lab test — and it’s about time. With 1 in 3 women facing serious complications post-birth (often with just one six-week checkup), this test offers real data on hormones, thyroid, inflammation, nutrients, and more — all from your sofa, while the baby naps. Currently U.S. only, with no plans for expansion just yet — but a huge win in a system where postpartum care has long been an afterthought.
Our take:  “Just push through” has been the default recovery plan for new mums for too long. But birth isn’t the end of the maternal health journey — it’s often just the beginning. This is the future: personalized, proactive care that meets women where they are, not where the system leaves them. Great to see the U.S. catching up — and makes us extra grateful for what we do have access to here in the UAE.
📖 Read more

💍 Oura x Progyny = Smarter Care, Finally Built Around Women
Big news in femtech: ŌURA is teaming up with Progyny to integrate smart ring data into real care plans — giving women and their providers deeper insight from preconception through menopause. Sleep patterns, stress levels, cycle trends, and cardiovascular health? All tracked in real time and used to tailor care, spot risks earlier, and support everything from fertility to perimenopause. Launching in early 2026, the Oura Ring + membership will be available to Progyny clients through employers and health plans — marking a big leap in personalised, proactive support.
What We’re Thinking: We are so here for this shift. Women's health deserves more than one-size-fits-all — and this is a step toward care that’s finally built around our real, shifting biology.
📖 Read more

👟 Japanese Walking: The TikTok Trend That’s Actually Good for You
Three minutes fast, three minutes slow — repeat. That’s the secret behind Japanese walking, a now-viral interval method backed by decades of research. Originally developed in 2007, it’s now resurfacing on #FitTok as an easy, low-lift way to boost strength, endurance, blood pressure, sleep, and even mood.
But lets be real..Not every viral fitness trend deserves a standing ovation — although does have legs (sorry!). Walking in intervals is backed by science, and even short bursts of movement can make a real difference to your health. But calling it “Japanese walking”? That’s a bit reductive. The method has merit, but the name’s more of a TikTok-ism than a national phenomenon.
Bottom line? You don’t need a rebrand or a hashtag to make walking work for you. If a catchy name helps get you moving, great. But vigorous strolls, shorter efforts, or just showing up consistently — it all counts.
📖 Read more

🩰 Dance Isn’t a Sport? Lululemon’s in the Hot Seat (Again)
Lululemon is catching heat online after allegedly removing dancers from its Sweat Collective — the discount program that gives athletes 25% off. While the brand hasn’t confirmed the change, dancers across social media are calling it a snub, questioning why their movement discipline doesn’t count as athletic.
Calling It Like We See It: If true, it’s giving big “who gets to be called an athlete?” energy — and we get the outrage. Dance is one of the highest forms of athleticism: strength, stamina, skill, discipline - it’s all there. And at the end of the day, whether you lift weights or leap en pointe, sweat is sweat.
Read More

🥤 PepsiCo Launches a Prebiotic Fizzy Drink (Yes, Really)
Meet Fizz & Fibre (not its real name lol) — PepsiCo’s new prebiotic soda, aimed at gut health lovers who also… love soda? The new Pepsi Prebiotic Cola comes in cola and cherry vanilla, with 5g of cane sugar, 3g of prebiotic fibre, and zero artificial sweeteners. Just 30 calories a can, and positioned as “functional fizz” for the wellness-curious. It comes just months after Pepsi acquired Poppi, the TikTok-loved prebiotic soda brand known for ACV, celeb fans, and millennial-friendly branding. Now, they’re merging “classic cola taste” with a sprinkle of health halo — and hoping the fibre offsets the fizzy guilt.
Our take: We’re not mad at fizzy drinks going soft on our microbiomes — but this ones feel a bit oxymoronic if we’re honest. Can something ultra processed really be wellness-adjacent?  We’re all for gut health going mainstream - but fibre in a can of Pepsi? Feels a bit like putting chia seeds in a donut.
📖 Read more

🧪 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

🧬 Glass Bottles, More Microplastics? WTF….
A peer‑reviewed study by France’s food safety agency (ANSES) found that drinks in glass bottles - especially those sealed with painted metal caps - contained significantly more microplastics than plastic bottles or cans. Beer, lemonade, iced tea, and water in glass bottles averaged up to 100 microplastic particles per litre, around 5 to 50 times higher than their plastic or canned counterparts. Surprisingly, the microplastics weren’t from the glass, but from flakes of polyester-based paint on the caps. Cleaning or rinsing the caps helped reduce levels by up to 60%.
Science Meets Sanity: We know - it’s a lot. You try to make the better choice, and now even your fancy sparkling water is working against you? But let’s not panic. This is one study, not the gospel. Wellness doesn’t need more fear - it needs context. Glass isn’t the villain, and plastic’s no saint either. The truth is, both come with trade-offs.
So yes, filtered water in a BPA-free reusable bottle is still your best bet. And if you’ve ever thought about drinking rainwater at this point… you’re not alone.
Bottom line? Let’s be evidence-informed, not evidence-enslaved. Stay curious, stay kind to yourself, and remember: you’re doing your best — and that’s more than enough.
📖 Read More

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

🧠 The Creatine Train Isn’t Slowing Down
Once the domain of bodybuilders, creatine is now having a full-on brain health moment. High-dose creatine (we’re talking 20–30g) is being used by some to combat mental fatigue from stress, jet lag, or sleep deprivation — with actual research showing it can reverse cognitive impairment caused by total sleep loss.
How? It ramps up brain energy stores, giving neurons the boost they need to stay sharp under pressure. Some biohackers are now taking 10g daily and bumping to 20g when running on empty.
Our take: Cant lie.. The science here is promising - and growing. We expect to see wider research funding in this space soon, especially as cognitive health becomes a bigger focus in longevity and performance circles. But before you start scooping like it’s collagen circa 2021, know this: high doses can cause GI issues in some, and long-term data on brain-specific use is still limited. Translation: proceed with curiosity (and maybe a glass of water - just maybe not from a bottle with a flaky cap lol).
📖 Watch more

📩 SHARE IT, SAVE IT, SEND IT

💾 Save it — for brain fog days, wellness rants, or when your glass bottle starts looking shady.
📲 Share it — with the friend who’s tracking cycles, sipping Poppi, and side-eyeing Lululemon.
📤 Send it — to someone who needs reminding: wellness can be real and a little ridiculous.