4 Chicago Wellness Gurus Share Their Daily Rituals

From mindfulness apps to diet hacks, Chicago's grounded gurus have a wealth of wellness knowledge to share.

GUDRUN SN SNYDER, D.AC., MSAC, LAC
Founder, Moon Rabbit Acupuncture

Born into a family of doctors (and with a grandmother who practiced traditional Chinese holistic healing), Snyder is forging her own path in the field.

The pandemic has inspired many a career pivot, and Gudrun Snyder’s is a doozy: The Massachusetts native ditched a Hollywood gig at the William Morris Agency to pursue a career in medicine in Chicago. Now, the doctor of East Asian acupuncture is the proud owner of Moon Rabbit Acupuncture, a buzzy West Loop wellness destination that offers a range of services from acupuncture and cupping to gua sha, massage therapy and reiki. Here, the entrepreneur, breast cancer survivor, wife and mother of two shares the habits that keep her healthy.

Snyder specializes in acupuncture at Moon Rabbit.

BREAKFAST: One egg, Green Mountain Gringo hot salsa, a half avocado and green tea

WAKE-UP TIME: 5:30AM

DIET: Eastern and Mediterranean; I focus on an anti-inflammatory diet. No desserts—even on birthdays!

DOPPELGÄNGER: Maggie Oh

ESCAPE: L.A. I used to live there and try to get back at least once or twice a year.

WEAKNESS: My love for Champagne

UNIFORM: Caftans and crop tops

HOTEL: Soho House

WORKOUT: Tai chi

LAST MEAL: Hamachi crudo

SUPPLEMENTS: Curcumin phytosome—I prefer this turmeric supplement to others on the market because it is paired with a phytosome instead of black pepper. Also iron, vitamin D and MyCommunity Host Defense mushroom complex.

WELLNESS APP: Calm

MENTOR: I’ve been influenced by so many people: my grandmother Roselin Lowenhaupt, MD, and grandfather Bill "The Tiger” Lyons; my acupuncture mentor, Marie France Collin; and I really look up to Indra Nooyi for what she has done as a minority woman business leader and mother.

WORKOUT SHOES: Bright orange Adidas by Stella McCartney

WORKOUT PLAYLIST: Dean Evenson, Tao of Healing

BEST ADVICE: "Pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.” –Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

PHILANTHROPY: Twist Out Cancer—I got involved after my diagnosis with breast cancer at the age of 32. They pair artists with people who have been touched by cancer to create a unique piece of artwork based on their journey.

EMILY GRODEN
Founder and CEO, Evergreen

Former Alinea general counsel Groden has turned her energies to creating the ultimate in clean frozen waffles.

Everybody wants to eat clean, but when you have small mouths to feed, it’s a whole lot easier to grab something fast and convenient—and, all too often, highly processed. Kudos, then, to North Shore resident Emily Groden for breaking the chain. Driven to find a way to feed her daughters a healthier breakfast than the hyperprocessed products that clog grocery store aisles, the Harvard Law grad and former general counsel for The Alinea Group has created the cleanest frozen waffle brand on the market—think 100% wholewheat flour plus real fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices, all without refined sugar, dairy or preservatives. As Evergreen’s reach expands into more than 600 retail stores and counting (including Whole Foods and Sprouts), we do a deep dive into what keeps Groden—also an Ironman finisher and former Division I collegiate swimmer—staying healthy and happy.

Groden’s diet features plenty of roasted vegetables

BREAKFAST: Eggs, avocado and berries

WAKE-UP TIME: 5:30AM

DIET: Everything (in moderation)!

DOPPELGÄNGER: My 20-month-old daughter, Tyler

ESCAPE: Family time

WEAKNESS: I never get enough sleep.

UNIFORM: Comfy sweater, jeans and white sneakers

HOTEL: I love racking up my Marriott Bonvoy points while traveling for work.

WORKOUT: Tracy Anderson

LAST MEAL: Smoked ribs and chicken drumsticks, roasted veggies and salad

SUPPLEMENTS: Seed probiotic

MENTOR: My dad

WORKOUT OUTFIT: Fourlaps leggings and sports bra

WORKOUT PLAYLIST: Everyone from George Michael to Missy Elliott to Sia

WORKOUT BUDDY: No one—my workout is my "me” time.

BEST ADVICE: If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.

PHILANTHROPY: Evergreen donates to Common Pantry, an amazing food pantry on the North Side of Chicago.

MANTRA: "You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” –Wayne Gretzky

STREAMING NOW: I’m counting down the days until Succession comes back.

BEDTIME: 10:30PM (but it should be 9:30PM)

ON MY NIGHTSTAND: The Five Minute Journal

THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: "Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band. As the lyrics say, it really is the little things in life that mean the most.

3 DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: My morning matcha latte, my eye mask and my family

YESTERDAY: Pure chaos!

ZODIAC: Taurus

ASIMA AHMAD, MD, MPH
Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Carrot

With Carrot, Dr. Asima Ahmad is helping bring accessible, affordable fertility care to all.

Asima Ahmad knows that even the most straightforward fertility journey can be fraught. Add in stress factors like egg and sperm freezing, surrogacy, IVF or adoption, and it can be downright overwhelming. That’s why the Lincoln Park resident co-founded Carrot, whose sole purpose is to make fertility healthcare accessible and affordable to all—and which currently serves more than 800 customers across 120 countries and covers more than 2 million lives. Here, the Pakistan-born mother of four shares the routines and rituals that help her stay well so she can focus on helping others.

Jogging is a form of meditation for Ahmad.

BREAKFAST: Weekdays: protein shake; weekends: egg, avocado and whole-grain toast

WAKE-UP TIME: 5AM to work out before the day starts

DIET: Low-carb when I can, but I also love South Asian food like samosas and pani puri.

DOPPELGÄNGER: Sandra Bullock (we both have a dimple in our chin)

NEMESIS: Lack of sleep

ESCAPE: Going on a run outside—it’s my form of meditation.

WEAKNESS: Dark chocolate and my children

HOTEL: The Peninsula (we got married there)

WORKOUT: LISS, Pilates or running

LAST MEAL: A tasting menu—I love different flavors and textures in my meals.

SUPPLEMENTS: Daily multivitamin and some sun (natural vitamin D)

WELLNESS APP: The Sculpt Society, a period tracker and my Apple Watch

WORKOUT SHOES: Under Armour HOVR. They sync with my phone and help with my runs.

WORKOUT PLAYLIST: Anything in Hindi, Urdu or Punjabi

BEST ADVICE: "Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” –Theodore Roosevelt

PHILANTHROPY: Helping women start small businesses to support their families and their children’s education

MANTRA: "Don’t wish for it, work for it.”

DINNER: From ceviche to steak and everything in between

SOULMATE: My love, my support, my husband, Ali Khan

BEDTIME: 9PM

ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Water, design magazines and a pop art book by Maria Qamar

THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE: "Jiya Re” by A.R. Rahman, Gulzar and Neeti Mohan

3 DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: Knife, blanket and hot sauce

YESTERDAY: Baked cookies from scratch with my daughter

GABBY LUBIN, ED.M.
Founder and CEO, Spark This Day

Gabby Lubin is on a mission to eliminate workplace burnout with Spark This Day.

Suffering burnout from a corporate gig can inspire a career change. Burning out three different times? That inspired Lincoln Park native and Evanston resident Gabby Lubin to change the world. Using her master’s in adult development and behavior change from Harvard, the former educator pivoted like a pro to establish mindful fitness platform Spark This Day at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The platform (named one of the top 100 startups of 2021) aims to alleviate employee stress and eliminate workplace burnout by offering customized wellness matched to each employee; wellness resources include fitness classes, mindfulness practices, habit builders and healthy recipes. As Lubin continues to build Spark into an international presence, she shares some of the personal routines that have her greeting each day with a renewed sense of purpose.

Lululemon Wunder Train pant in Chambray.

WAKE-UP TIME: 6:50AM

DIET: I eat what makes me feel good, but my favorites right now are DIY smoothie bowls and Levain cookies.

DOPPELGÄNGER: Alexa PenaVega, the girl from Spy Kids

NEMESIS: Diet culture and workout fads

ESCAPE: A great workout always resets my mind.

UNIFORM: Tech meets athleisure

HOTEL: I’m an Airbnb lady.

WORKOUT: Mindful fitness on Spark This Day

LAST MEAL: Homemade pasta

SUPPLEMENTS: I keep it simple with probiotics.

WELLNESS APP: Spark This Day for holistic wellness

MENTOR: Gerard Burley from Sweat DC, who taught me to move fast and inspire

WORKOUT SHOES: APL, hands down

WORKOUT OUTFIT: A mix of Carbon38 and Lululemon in the form of a sports bra and leggings

WORKOUT PLAYLIST: Caribbean-inspired house

WEAKNESS: A great chocolate chip cookie

WORKOUT BUDDY: Myself—it’s my me time.

BEST ADVICE: Set your vision but be open to the possibilities that come along the way, not attached to the outcome.

PHILANTHROPY: It’s not always about money but how you show gratitude for what you have by giving back.

MANTRA: "Know your ‘why.’”

STREAMING NOW:Ginny & Georgia

DINNER: Lately it’s easy, clean, flavorful and gets the job done.

SOULMATE: My BFF, roommate, confidant, and husband, Mike

BEDTIME: 10:30PM

ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Kindle, water, eye mask—and my retainer

THEME SONG TO YOUR LIFE:"Energy” by Disclosure

GYM BAG: I work out and teach at home so I don’t use a gym bag; but at home I have my mat, dumbbells, Schwinn indoor cycling bike and Tiem shoes.

3 DESERT ISLAND ESSENTIALS: Knife, water purifier and a net

YESTERDAY: Yesterday gives perspective but is not who or how you define tomorrow.

ZODIAC: Cancer

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