Ash Read
Co-founder of Meadow.
Ash is co-founder of Meadow, a habit and movement tracking app that turns small acts of self-care into a growing wildflower meadow.
The benefits of walking barefoot, and how to start safely
What barefoot walking does for foot strength and balance, why the grounding claims are shaky, who should avoid it, how long to do it for, and how to start without hurting your feet.
The benefits of walking backwards, and how to try it safely
What retro walking is, what the evidence supports for knee pain, quads, balance and calorie burn, how long to do it for, and how to try walking backwards without risking a fall.
Benefits of walking a mile a day
A mile a day is about 2,000 steps and 15 to 20 minutes. Here's what that small dose does for your heart, mood and blood sugar, how many calories it burns, and how to make it stick.
What walking 30 minutes a day does, and how to fit it in
Half an hour of walking a day is close to the daily version of the 150 weekly minutes most guidelines suggest. Here is what it does for your heart, blood sugar, mood, joints and sleep, what it won't do alone, and how to make it stick.
Benefits of stretching before bed (and an honest look at the evidence)
Stretching before bed won't knock you out, but it's a pleasant way to wind down. Here's what the evidence shows, a gentle six-stretch floor routine, the stretches that help night-time leg cramps, what to avoid, and how to make it a habit.
Pilates vs yoga: an honest comparison to help you choose
Pilates and yoga overlap more than the studios suggest. Here is the honest split, where the evidence favours each for core strength, flexibility, back pain, stress, sleep and balance, which is harder, and how to choose or combine them.
Benefits of reformer Pilates: an honest, evidence-led guide
What reformer Pilates is, how it differs from mat, and the benefits the research supports: core strength, flexibility, balance, rehab and modest body-composition changes. Plus belly fat and body shape, whether it's enough on its own, UK costs, safety and what your first class looks like.
Benefits of Pilates: an honest, evidence-led guide
What Pilates does for your body and mind, and how strongly the research backs it: core strength, posture, flexibility, balance, back pain, mood and sleep, plus the honest caveats on weight loss and bone density, who it suits, and how to start.