What’s COMING from Are You Okay? in 2025 🥂

Fun new content, perks, plus an announcement! 📣

Jan 28, 2025

ICYMI 👉

Dear friends,

Welcome to 2025! Whether you’re a longtime subscriber or new to this community, I’m thrilled to have you here. Are You Okay? has always been about more than just health tips or medical updates—it’s a space where we redefine what health really means, centering evidence-based medicine, your unique story, and your personal goals. Together, we’re building a community that goes beyond the broken healthcare system and the noise of wellness culture to help you reclaim true agency over your health.

At its heart, this newsletter is about shifting the balance of power in health. Too often, the power lies outside of us: in doctors, wearable devices, wellness influencers, or Google. I want to flip that script. I want to help you reclaim the power to define what health means for you—centered on your medical facts, your story, and your goals. Health isn’t something handed down from a pedestal; it’s something you co-create through awareness, acceptance, and agency.

A NEW CHAPTER: WRITING A BOOK WITH YOU

I’m thrilled to share that I’m writing a book with Simon & Schuster. 🥳 Slated to be released in 2026, this book is about transferring the balance of power from black-box medical and wellness systems to YOU, the owner of your unique medical data, so you can be in the driver’s seat of your health.

The book is not a plea for doctor-less medicine or “DIY” health; it is designed to help people navigate the medical system and the ever-expanding wellness industry to become the CEO of their own health. It’s based on everything I’ve learned over 25 years as a primary care doctor and the incredible insights you’ve shared with me through this newsletter.

One of my biggest revelations as a doctor is how disconnected people feel—from their own bodies, their mental and emotional health, and the healthcare system itself. My mission with this book is to rebuild and nurture those relationships: between your body, mind, and spirit; between you and the medical system; and between you and the swirling world of health information (or misinformation). You don’t need to rely on wellness gurus or Google searches—the answers often lie within you.

This community has been my inspiration. Your stories, comments, and questions have fueled not just this newsletter, but the entire book. And I’d love to involve you in the final stages of writing it! The first draft is nearly done, but your feedback will help shape the message. What needs or deficiencies or key points resonate with you? What’s missing? Your input will make this book as impactful as it can be.

MORE ACCESS, MORE CONNECTION

My biggest beef with the medical and wellness industries is the lack of access to fact-based, nuanced information. Whether it’s a 15-minute doctor’s appointment or a guru peddling expensive supplements, people are often left feeling confused and powerless. I want to help change that. That’s why, starting this year, I’m removing the paywall from my Friday Q&As. These will now be free and accessible for everyone.

But don’t worry, paid subscribers—you’re still getting special perks! This year, I’m kicking off paid-subscriber-only chats. (See the bottom of this post for details.) Substack’s chat feature is an amazing way for us to connect in real time. It’s a space where we can discuss the topics on your mind, dive into health questions, and share ideas as a community. For example, I’d love to engage directly with you about navigating our healthcare system, finding a good doctor, knowing when to worry about your symptoms. Think of it as a giant group chat just for us!

I’m also launching a new feature called “The Doctor Is In.” Every week, I’ll host a live Q&A where all subscribers can join but only paid subscribers can ask me questions—either in the chat or live on the call. The first one is Friday, January 31, at 3 PM ET. Join me!

These live sessions are about creating a dynamic space where we tackle the issues that matter most to you in real time.

GOALS FOR 2025: LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER

This year, we’ll continue to explore how to make sense of the medical and wellness industries, how to build a relationship with your body that feels empowering, and how to integrate your mental, physical, and emotional health. We’ll dive into topics like stress, resilience, weight management, alcohol, and the traps of overthinking—and always through the lens of evidence-based medicine and real-life practicality.

I’m so excited about what’s ahead for Are You Okay? in 2025. Thank you for inspiring me—not just in this newsletter, but in the book and in everything I do. I’m honored to grow this community with you, and I can’t wait to see where we go together.

With gratitude and excitement,

Lucy

📣 How to get started on CHAT 📣

An invitation for paid subscribers

Download the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. Substack Chat is now available on both iOS and Android.

Get app

Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

Join chat

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are entirely my own. They do not reflect those of my employer, nor are they a substitute for advice from your personal physician.