"When someone says “wellness,” you might have a specific image of what that looks like in your head. Maybe it’s healthy food, maybe it’s therapy and mental health care, maybe it’s making sure you get enough sleep at night or go to the dentist every six months like clockwork. If all of the people in the wellness space who you’re following on Instagram look the same, however (i.e. they’re white), you’re missing out on so, so much. Wellness has traditionally been a pretty exclusive space, which is not at all a good thing. These BIPOC health and wellness experts are making serious waves—and if you’re not already following them, well, what are you waiting for?
1. Sophia Roe, Chef, Wellness Writer, and Advocate
Follow if: you’re looking for the perfect balance of elevated healthy recipes, relatable inspiration, and powerful social issues. Sophia covers our favorite wellness topics through a lens of diversity, inclusivity, and honesty.
2. Cali Wolf, Author, Activist, and Coordinating Director of NativeWomensWilderness
Follow if: you’re interested in conversations about health, mental health, grief and loss, and her experience as a Native woman. Cali is changing the game by bringing Native women together and encouraging a healthy lifestyle grounded in nature.
3. Ailsa Emmel, Certified Nurse Midwife and Blogger
Follow if: you want more evidence-based conversations. Check out Ailsa’s weekly #WomensHealthWednesdays for important, fascinating, and honest topics. Her killer fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content is a definite added bonus!
4. Hannah Bronfman, Author and Founder of HBFIT
Follow for: gorgeous pictures, honest content, and helpful tips on everything from fitness to food to self-care. With an adorable new baby, an IGTV interview with Barack Obama (NBD), and a wellness empire under her belt, Hannah is serious #goals.
5. Mirna Valerio, Ultrarunner, Public Speaker, and Author
Follow for: inspiring content that will make you want to get moving and get outside. If her well-known writing and motivational workshops don’t motivate you to live your best life, following her active life on Instagram will make you actually crave exercise–trust.
6. Shana Minei Spence, MS, RDN, CDN, Anti-Diet Dietitian and Founder of The Nutrition Tea
Follow if: you’re over diet culture (aren’t we all??) and looking for health tips that are both helpful and inclusive. Shana gives us the reminder we all need that “healthy” looks different to every body, and food is meant to be enjoyed. *follows immediately*
7. Traci Copeland, Nike Master Trainer and Fitness Instructor
Follow for: some serious fitness motivation and help reaching your health goals. Traci is an empowering badass who regularly shares yoga flows, smoothie recipes, and health tips.
8. Michelle Rivas, Educator, Writer, and Founder of The Healthy Latina
Follow if: you want some health content that’s actually relatable. Michelle shares recipes you’ll crave (like tomatillo salsa or gluten-free chocolate chip cookies), workout tips you’ll use, and her experience living with eczema that you’ll find inspiring.
9. Bertha Hidalgo, PhD, Genetic Epidemiologist and Founder of Chic in Academia
Follow for: science and health content from an expert you can trust. Bertha is a genetic epidemiologist and public health expert, focused on presenting scientific facts in an attainable way. Add on amazing travel and lifestyle content, and you’ll be wondering how she has time for it all (but feel so glad she does).
10. Dr. Poonam Desai, Emergency Medicine Physician and Blogger
Follow if: you’re looking for science-backed info, relatable parenting content, and inspirational quotes. Dr. Desai is both a renowned doctor and TEDX speaker, so you know you’re getting the perfect combination of scientific facts and inspiration.
11. Jessamyn Stanley, Yoga Teacher, Body Positive Advocate, and Author of “Every Body Yoga“
Follow if: you want more health tips that are inclusive to everyone. Covering everything from yoga flows to fitness challenges to calls to action on major social issues, Jessamyn is transforming the wellness game to be more inclusive, diverse, and encouraging.
12. Jordan Marie Daniel, Activist and Athlete
Follow for: the inspiring combination of fitness motivation and social justice. Jordan authentically shares her experience as a Native person and proves that movement can be medicine to not only heal ourselves, but heal our communities.
13. Cara Harbstreet, RD, Food and Nutrition Expert
Follow if: you think health and nutrition should also be fun. Cara features witty content that will have you LOLing through your Instagram feed, mixed with no-nonsense recipes that are as practical and delicious as they are healthy.
14. Dr. Mariel Buquè, PhD, Holistic Therapist
Follow for: shareable inspirational quotes that will brighten up your Instagram feed and boost your mood. Dr. Buquè covers a wide range of life-changing holistic mental health content, like intergenerational healing, self-love, and more. Pro tip: don’t miss her meditations and inspiring interviews on IGTV.
15. Ginger Dean, Psychotherapist, Relationship Coach, and Creator of The Inner Circle
Follow if: you need a little extra inspiration and guidance with your relationships. Ginger helps women overcome heartbreak, increase self-love, and boost confidence after toxic relationships, but her inspiring tips are applicable, no matter your relationship status.
16. Jenny Wang, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
Follow for: a space where women can safely express emotion and explore areas that feel unfulfilled. Jenny Wang focuses on mental health content for members of the Asian diaspora and shares important conversations with other revolutionary women.
17. Chelsey Luger, Writer, Athlete, and Founder of wellforculture
Follow for: beautiful images, inspiring lifestyle tips, and all things Indigenous wellness. Wellforculture is an Indigenous wellness initiative to promote holistic lifestyles that we can all learn a lot from.
18. Lauren Ash, Founder and CEO of Black Girl in Om
Follow if: you need some serious stress relief on your Instagram feed. Lauren founded Black Girl in Om as a space for Black womxn to heal and help them feel liberated, empowered, and seen. Now that’s wellness.
19. Berrion Berry, Period Educator, Practitioner, and Creator of The Flo Academy
Follow if: you have period symptoms or are looking to feel more connected to your reproductive system. Even just a scroll through Berrion’s Instagram feed is extremely educational: you’ll learn everything from how to eat on your period to why you should use a menstrual cup, and how to sync your cycle to your work schedule (genius, right!?).
20. Jessica Rihal, Yoga and Meditation Instructor
Follow if: you need that extra push to break out of your comfort zone. Best said by U.S. News & World Report, Jessica has transitioned from “someone who was too scared to go into a yoga class, to a yoga instructor who has been featured in inspirational documentaries and ad campaigns.” Now that’s the kind of 2021 energy we need RN.
21. Dr. Jessica Clemons, MD, Board-Certified Psychiatrist
Follow for: concrete advice, powerful conversations, and radical self-acceptance. Dr. Jess gives such good advice, in fact, that #AskDrJess has basically gone viral, thanks to her her profound responses to a variety of topics from anxiety to self-love.
22. May Zhu, RDN, Founder of Nutrition Happens
Follow for: delicious, easy, and everyday meal inspo you’ll be screenshotting to make later. May is the queen of making veggies look utterly delicious, thanks to recipes like sesame cauliflower and butternut squash oat bars.
23. Lalah Delia, Spiritual Writer, Wellness Educator, and Author
Follow if: you need an extra dose of love and inspiration in your feed. Lalah is basically the Oprah for millennials, thanks to her inspiring writing, relatable content, and shareable graphics that will help you pause and reflect while scrolling through your feed.
24. Roz Mays (AKA Roz The Diva), Certified Pole Instructor and Personal Trainer
Follow for: an instant confidence boost. Roz is on a mission to help nontraditional athletes enjoy fitness, and is encouraging self-confidence, inner “Diva-ness,” and body pride along the way. Just check out her stunning videos for all the motivation you need to tackle any Monday, workout class, or tough time.