Looking to boost your serotonin level? Spending time outdoors, in sunlight, is a great way to do this.

According to research, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can increase the production of serotonin.

You can try spending about 15 minutes outside a few times a week. Try exploring a new neighborhood or park if you’re tired of the same old sights. Just be aware that UV exposure can also increase the risk of skin cancer, so don’t forget sunscreen!

Make time for exercise

Exercise has multiple physical health benefits. It can also have a positive impact on emotional well-being.

If you’ve heard of a “runner’s high,” you might already know about the link between exercise and endorphin release.

But exercise doesn’t just work on endorphins. Regular physical activity can also increase your dopamine and serotonin levels, making it a great option to boost your happy hormones.

Laugh with a friend

Who hasn’t heard the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine?”

Of course, laughter won’t treat ongoing health issues. But it can help relieve feelings of anxiety or stress, and improve a low mood by boosting dopamine and endorphin levels.

According to a small 2017 studyTrusted Source looking at 12 young men, social laughter triggered endorphin release. ResearchTrusted Source supports this finding.

So, share that funny video, dust off your joke book, or watch a comedy special with a friend or partner.

An added bonus? Bonding over something hilarious with a loved one might even trigger oxytocin release.

Cook (and enjoy) a favorite meal with a loved one

This tip could — in theory — boost all four of your happy hormones.

The enjoyment you get from eating something delicious can trigger the release of dopamine along with endorphins. Sharing the meal with someone you love, and bonding over meal preparation, can boost oxytocin levels.

Certain foods can also have an impact on hormone levels, so note the following when meal planning for a happy hormone boost:

• spicy foods may trigger endorphin release
• yogurt, beans, eggs, meats with low-fat content, and almonds are just a few foods linked to dopamine release
• foods high in tryptophan have been linked to increased serotonin levels
• foods containing probiotics, such as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, can influence the release of hormones

Try supplements

There are several supplements that may help increase your happy hormone levels. Here are just a few to consider:

• tyrosine (dopamine production)
• green tea and green tea extract (dopamine and serotonin)
• probiotics (serotonin and dopamine production)
• tryptophan (serotonin)

Experts studying the effects of supplements have found varied results. Many studies involved animals only, so more research is needed to help support the benefits of supplements for humans.

Supplements may be helpful, but some aren’t recommended for people with certain health conditions. They can also interact with certain medications, so talk to a healthcare provider before you try them.

If you do take any supplements, read all package instructions and stick to the recommended dose, since some can have negative effects at high doses.

Listen to music (or make some)

Music can give more than one of your happy hormones a boost.

Listening to instrumental music, especially music that gives you chills, can increase dopamine production in your brain.

But if you enjoy music, simply listening to any music you enjoy may help put you in a good mood. This positive change in your mood can increase serotonin production.

You may also experience an endorphin release while performing music, especially in a large group. For example, a 2016 studyTrusted Source found that choir members experienced increased endorphin release during rehearsals.

Meditate

If you’re familiar with meditation, you might already know of its many wellness benefits — from improving sleep to reducing stress.

ResearchTrusted Source links many of meditation’s benefits to increased dopamine production during the practice.

Not sure how to start? It’s not as hard as you might think. You don’t even need to sit still, though it can help when you’re first starting out.

Plan a romantic evening

Oxytocin’s reputation as the “love hormone” is well earned.

Simply being attracted to someone can lead to the production of oxytocin. But physical affection, including kissing, cuddling, or having sex, also contributes to oxytocin production.

Just spending time with someone you care about can also help boost oxytocin production. This can help increase closeness and positive relationship feelings, making you feel happy, blissful, or even euphoric.

If you really want to feel those happy hormones, note that dancing and sex both lead to endorphin release, while orgasm triggers dopamine release.

You can also share a glass of wine with your partner for an added endorphin boost.

Pet your dog

If you have a dog, giving your furry friend some affection is a great way to boost oxytocin levels for you and your dog.

According to researchTrusted Source, dog owners as well as their dogs see an increase in oxytocin when interacting.

Even if you don’t own a dog, you might also experience an oxytocin boost when you see a dog you know and like. If you’re a dog lover, this might happen when you get a chance to pet any dog at all.

So, find your favorite canine and give it a good ear scratch or lap cuddle.

Get a good night’s sleep

Not getting enough quality sleep can affect your health in multiple ways.

For one, it can contribute to an imbalance of hormones, particularly dopamine, in your body. This can have a negative impact on your mood as well as your physical health.

Setting aside 7 to 9 hours each night for sleep can help restore the balance of hormones in your body, which will likely help you feel better.

If you find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, try:

• going to bed and getting up around the same time every day
• creating a quiet, restful sleeping environment (try reducing light, noise, and screens)
• decreasing caffeine intake, especially in the afternoon and evening

Manage stress

It’s normal to experience some stress from time to time. But living with regular stress or dealing with highly stressful life events can cause drops in dopamine and serotonin production. This can negatively affect your health and mood, making it harder to deal with stress.

If you’re under a lot of stress, the American Psychological Association recommends:

• taking a brief break from the source of stress
• laughter
• taking 20 minutes for a walk, run, bike ride, or other physical activity
• meditation
• social interaction

Any of these approaches may help relieve your stress while also boosting your levels of serotonin, dopamine, and even endorphins.

Get a massage

If you enjoy a massage, here’s one more reason to get one: massage can boost all four of your happy hormones.

According to studies, massage boosts endorphinsTrusted Source and oxytocinTrusted Source. Older research found that massage also increases serotonin and dopamine.

You can get these benefits from a massage by a licensed massage therapist, but you can also get a massage from a partner for some extra oxytocin.

1. Avoid certain foods

Diet plays a vital role in preventing migraine attacks. Many foods and beverages may be migraine triggers, such as:

• foods with nitrates, including hot dogs, deli meats, bacon, and sausage
• chocolate
• cheese that contains the naturally occurring compound tyramine, such as blue, feta, cheddar, Parmesan, and Swiss
• alcohol, especially red wine
• foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer
• foods that are very cold, such as ice cream or iced drinks
• processed foods
• pickled foods
• beans
• dried fruits
• cultured dairy products, such as buttermilk, sour cream, and yogurt

A small amount of caffeine may ease migraine pain in some people. Caffeine is also in some migraine medications. But too much caffeine may cause a migraine attack. It may also lead to a severe caffeine withdrawal headache.

To figure out which foods and beverages trigger migraine attacks for you, keep a daily food journal. Record everything you eat and note how you feel afterward.

2. Apply lavender oil

Inhaling lavender essential oil may ease migraine pain. Lavender oil may be inhaled directly or diluted with a carrier oil and applied in small amounts to your temples.

A 2016 randomized controlled study found evidence that 3 months of lavender therapy as a prophylactic therapy, meaning taken before a migraine attack begins, reduced frequency and severity of migraine attacks. However, research is still limited.

A 2020 review of studiesTrusted Source published in the journal Phytotherapy Research examined the ability of various herbal treatments, including lavender therapy for migraine. The authors found mixed or limited evidence to support the use of butterbur and feverfew for treating migraine but didn’t note that current research supports the use of lavender.

3. Try acupuncture

Acupuncture involves injecting very thin needles into certain parts of your skin to stimulate relief from a wide variety of health conditions.

A 2020 randomized controlled studyTrusted Source found that 20 sessions of manual acupuncture along with usual care was more effective at preventing migraine in people with a history of episodic migraine without aura than sham acupuncture along with usual care. Sham acupuncture is a treatment where the needles are not inserted as deeply.

A 2016 review of 22 studiesTrusted Source also found moderate evidence that acupuncture may reduce headache symptoms. In the results summary, the authors explain that if people had 6 days of migraine per month before treatment, it would be expected that they would have:

• 5 days with usual care
• 4 days with fake acupuncture or prophylactic medications
• 3 1/2 days with real acupuncture

4. Look for feverfew

Feverfew is a flowering herb that looks like a daisy. It’s a folk remedy for migraine. It still isn’t well-studied, but there is some evidence that it may be slightly more effective than a placebo for treating migraine.

In a 2015 review of studiesTrusted Source, which is an update of a previous 2004 study, the authors concluded that larger studies are needed to support the use of feverfew for treating migraine.

The authors note that one larger study published since the 2004 review found 0.6 fewer migraine days per month in people who took feverfew versus a placebo. They describe previous studies as low quality or providing mixed evidence.

The 2020 review of studiesTrusted Source published in Phytotherapy Researchalso summarizes the finding on feverfew as “mixed.”

5. Apply peppermint oil

The chemical menthol found in peppermint oil may help prevent migraine episodes, although there’s a very limited amount of research.

A 2019 randomized controlled studyTrusted Source compared the effects of nasal 4 percent lidocaine with 1.5 percent peppermint essential oil and a placebo for managing migraine symptoms.

The researchers found that 40 percent of people in the lidocaine and peppermint oil groups experienced considerable improvements in their symptoms, compared with only 4.9 percent of people in the placebo group.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source notes that very little research has examined peppermint leaf, but a limited amount of evidence suggests topical peppermint oil may benefit tension headaches.

6. Ginger

Ginger is known to ease nausea caused by many conditions, including migraine. It may have pain-relieving benefits for migraine attacks. According to a 2020 review of studiesTrusted Source, one randomized controlled study found evidence that ginger may have beneficial activity.

More research is needed to understand the extent and usefulness of ginger for treating migraine-related pain.

Yoga uses breathing, meditation, and body postures to promote health and well-being. A 2015 studyTrusted Source found yoga may relieve the frequency, duration, and intensity of migraine attacks. It’s thought to improve anxiety, release tension in migraine-trigger areas, and improve vascular health.

The researchers concluded that yoga could be beneficial as a complementary therapy for treating migraine.

8. Try biofeedback

Biofeedback is a relaxation method. It teaches you to control autonomic reactions to stress. During this therapy, electrodes are applied to your skin to monitor physiologic processes that change with stress, such as your heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.

During a biofeedback session, you work with a therapist to manage stress using changes in your physiologic processes as feedback.

According to a 2019 studyTrusted Source, there’s good evidence to support the use of mind-body interventions such as biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy for treating migraine. These therapies are effectively free of side effects and may make a good alternative for medication for some people.

9. Add magnesium to your diet

Magnesium deficiency is linked to headaches and migraine. Magnesium oxide supplementation may help prevent migraine with aura. It may also prevent menstrual migraine (hormone headaches).

A 2021 studyTrusted Source found that 500 milligrams of magnesium oxide taken twice a day for 8 weeks was as effective as the medication valproate sodium for preventing migraine without significant side effects.

You can get magnesium from foods that include:

• almonds
• sesame seeds
• sunflower seeds
• Brazil nuts
• cashews
• peanut butter
• oatmeal
• eggs
• milk

10. Book a massage

Massage may reduce migraine frequency. Migraine is associated with low serotonin in the brain, and massage has been shown to increase serotonin. There’s limited evidence to support the use of massage for migraine relief, but it’s generally safe and has a low risk of side effects.

11. Try acupressure for migraine-related nausea

Acupressure is the practice of applying pressure with the fingers and hands to specific points on the body to relieve pain and other symptoms.

A 2017 studyTrusted Source found evidence that acupuncture may help manage migraine-related nausea during treatment, but that it doesn’t improve pain or quality of life.

12. Apply stress management techniques

According to the American Headache Society, more than 80 percent of people with migraine report stress being a migraine trigger. Learning how to better manage your stress may help you decrease migraine frequency.

Some commonly used stress management techniques include:

• deep breathing exercises
• mental imagery
• music therapy or listening to relaxing music
• counseling or therapy
• meditating
• progressive muscle relaxation
• improving time management
• scheduling more time for relaxing activities

13. Staying hydrated

According to the American Migraine Foundation, about a third of people with migraine report dehydration as a migraine trigger.

To prevent dehydration, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially when exercising. On hot days, you may need to drink more water than usual.

14. Try to get a good night’s sleep

The connection between sleep and migraine still isn’t entirely clear. Research from 2016Trusted Source has found a correlation between high migraine frequency and poor sleep quality. This association is true in people with migraine with and without aura.

Going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and avoiding stimulating activities before bed are some of the ways you can improve your sleep.

15. Butterbur

Butterbur is a plant that grows throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Up until 2012Trusted Source, the American Academy of Neurology recommended using it for preventing migraine attacks. In 2015, they stopped their recommendation due to the possibility of liver toxicity.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source recommends only using pyrrolizidine alkaloid-free butterbur products, as this chemical can damage the liver, lungs, and circulation. Speak with a doctor before taking butterbur.

sources

• Boroujeni MZ, et al. (2015). Yoga intervention on blood NO in female migraineurs.
  advbiores.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9175;year=2015;volume=4;issue=1;spage=259;epage=259;aulast=Boroujeni
• Butterbur. (2020).
  nccih.nih.gov/health/butterbur
• Karimi N, et al. (2021). The efficacy of magnesium oxide and sodium valproate in prevention of migraine headache: A randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover study.
  link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13760-019-01101-x
• Lin YK, et al. (2016). Associations between sleep quality and migraine frequency: A cross-sectional case-control study.
  journals.lww.com/md-journal/Fulltext/2016/04260/Associations_Between_Sleep_Quality_and_Migraine.52.aspx
• Linde K, et al. (2016). Acupuncture for the prevention of episodic migraine.
  cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001218.pub3/full
• Living well with migraine: Behavior and lifestyle. (n.d.).
  americanheadachesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Behavioral-Infographic_V3_FINAL.pdf
• Lopresti AL, et al. (2020). Herbal treatments for migraine: A systematic review of randomised-controlled studies.
  onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.6701
• Minen MT, et al. (2019). Smartphone-based migraine behavioral therapy: A single-arm study with assessment of mental health predictors.
  nature.com/articles/s41746-019-0116-y
• Peppermint oil. (2020).
  nccih.nih.gov/health/peppermint-oil
• Rafie S, et al. (2016). Effect of lavender essential oil as a prophylactic therapy for migraine: A randomized controlled clinical trial.
  sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2210803316300033
• Rafieian-Kopaei M, et al. (2019). Comparing the effect of intranasal lidocaine 4% with peppermint essential oil drop 1.5% on migraine attacks: A double-blind clinical trial.
  ijpvmjournal.net/article.asp?issn=2008-7802;year=2019;volume=10;issue=1;spage=121;epage=121;aulast=Rafieian%2Dkopaei
• Rondanelli M, et al. (2020). Clinical trials on pain lowering effect of ginger: A narrative review.
  onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ptr.6730
• Taking your migraine to the emergency room. (2017).
  americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/taking-migraine-emergency-room/
• Treatment of chronic migraine and chronic tension-type headache. (2017).
  hca.wa.gov/assets/program/migraines-draft-rpt-20172027.pdf
• Vgontzas A, et al. (2018). Sleep disorders and migraine: Review of literature and potential pathophysiology mechanisms.
  headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.13358
• Wider B, et al. (2015). Feverfew for preventing migraine.
  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7133498/
• Xu J-H, et al. (2017). A randomized controlled trial of acupressure as an adjunctive therapy to sodium valproate on the prevention of chronic migraine with aura.
  journals.lww.com/md-journal/Fulltext/2017/07070/A_randomized_controlled_trial_of_acupressure_as_an.60.aspx
• Xu S, et al. (2020). Manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture and usual care for prophylaxis of episodic migraine without aura: Multicentre, randomised clinical trial.
  bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m697
• 5 Holiday travel tips from our migraine community. (2018).
  americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/5-holiday-travel-tips-from-migraine-community/
• Lin Y-K, et al. (2016). Associations between sleep quality and migraine frequency: a cross-sectional case-control study.
  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4998727/#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20our%20study%20revealed%20that,among%20patients%20with%20%E2%80%9Cmigraine%20without
• Panconesi A. (2016). Alcohol and migraine.
  americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/alcohol-and-migraine/

Traditionally, methods of assessing nutrition are gender-specific, with one set of guidelines for men and one for women.

According to the National Academy of Medicine, the Dietary Reference Intake — which was released in 1977 and serves as a systemic guideline for recommended nutritional intake — also categorizes people as male and female.

In these cases, “male” and “female,” although “gender-specific,” refer to sex characteristics as opposed to gender.

A 2020 studyTrusted Source by Dr. Whitney Linsenmeyer, Dr. Theresa Drallmeier, and Dr. Michael Thomure found that “no standards of care exist to inform clinicians on nutrition assessment methods for transgender and gender non-conforming patients.”

“Clinicians may opt to use the values related to a patient’s gender identity, may individualize nutrition care based on the patient’s stage of medical transition, or may utilize a range of values where appropriate,” the authors wrote.

My first nutrition lesson was in health class in eighth grade. I learned that the “appropriate” serving of poultry should be the size of a palm (whose palm, anyway?). I also learned to fear white rice, which conveniently was a household staple of our Indonesian family.

My first lesson on HRT was in tenth grade, watching Julie Vu and other brown trans women on YouTube document their transitions.

By the time I started HRT, I had learned to expect breast growth and curving of the hips — among other things solely based on cisnormative standards that not all cis women even attain.

Trans forums online even told me to expect bouts of what would be my occasional “period.” And although I saw how menstruating as a trans woman could feel validating in its proximity to most cisgender women (and therefore feel more legitimate), a voice in the back of my mind told me this was all wishful thinking.

Zachari Breeding’s “Nutrition Considerations for the Transgender Community” attests that “calorie, protein and fluid requirements are not significantly different than they are for cisgender individuals […] [And] because the time it takes for hormone therapy to produce results varies from person to person, it is sometimes difficult to tell where [a trans] individual is in the process.”

When I learned this, relief washed through me. I thought that if I had metrics and measurements of progress to base myself off of, then at least everyone else was held to the same bar too.

Nevertheless, I relied on the theoreticals, the maybes, the shoulds in order to keep going, but I ultimately had no comprehension of how to approach my nutrition — and if it would change at all.

Based on the research by Linsenmeyer, Drallmeier, and Thomure, not only are clinicians’ resources for nutrition solely based on binary sex organs, but clinicians don’t even have tools for nutritional care to give their trans patients — let alone trans patients who are on HRT.

Another study by Linsenmeyer, along with Dr. Rabia Rahman notes that because gender-affirming healthcare for trans and nonbinary people is limited, our communities often feel severely discouraged from speaking with healthcare professionals.

“One-third of respondents to the US Transgender Survey reported having at least one negative experience with a health care provider in the past year, including denial of care; verbal, physical, or sexual harassment; and the need to educate the provider about transgender health issues in order to receive appropriate care,” Linsenmeyer and Rahman note.

“In addition, 23% of respondents avoided necessary medical care because of fear of discrimination and mistreatment, as compared with 28% of respondents to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.”

College threw me into multiple crossroads — emotionally eating amid the daily throes of being a college student, overeating as a compensation tactic learned from being raised by parents who grew up poor and malnourished, and obsessing over morning workouts on campus as a way to feel reassured in my girlhood by needing myself to be small.

School put me on the edge, and being one of the few openly trans women at school pushed me over. My confusion toward food, my gradually changing hormone dosage, and my feelings about my body begged me one collective question:

When will I feel full, and when will I feel whole?

“People are given a moral value in terms of how we see food and how we see our weight. And we put that on people. [One of the] important things with an eating disorder is [the] connection of body size [and] the way a person evaluates their self-worth,” Sam Tryon, RD (they/them), tells me.

They are a registered dietitian based in Maryland who works with their clients — trans and nonbinary folks included — to challenge beliefs of inadequacy toward food and eating disorders.

“This isn’t about [a person’s] pants size, this is about whether or not they [feel] worthy enough to show up, whether it’s work, or dating, or general existing.”

 

— Sam Tryon, RD (they/them)

I thought about how lucky Sam’s clients must be to work with them, but Sam tells me that luck, for any client of theirs, starts much earlier.

“By nature of being able to see me, there’s a certain amount of health literacy [and privilege] because they would already have access to other healthcare providers, trans-affirming healthcare providers, and then found their way to me,” they say.

My university gave each student a maximum of 10 therapy sessions over the course of their 4 years. My residential building’s director prohibited me from using the women’s restroom, even after a floor-wide survey to grant permission revealed that only two women were uncomfortable.

I was catching up to my changing body.

On top of my work-study job, classes were demanding enough. For students with meal plans, the unlimited access to our three dining halls thrilled us. We ate because we could, and it served as a meaningful time to express these feelings with each other over meals.

Nutrition was an afterthought, an extra-credit campus event to attend. Nutrition, in my experience, was made to be an option.

Jana Spindler (she/her), a licensed registered dietitian and online nutrition educator, works with Health Stand Nutrition, a practice based in Calgary, Canada. Health Stand Nutrition’s goal is to help people “live healthfully and soulfully,” according to Jana.

Her role, she says, is “to make food easier for the person, but [also] really to individualize nutrition. [My] approach is to look at where the person is right now, how [I] can make as few changes as possible, and make it the most livable as possible to get them to their goals.”

In reference to her trans and nonbinary clients, Jana says, “The risk of eating disorders is really, really high.”

In Sam’s experience, “Restricting is [seen as] really gender-affirming for both transmasculine and transfemme folks.”

“It’s really feminine in our society to be very tiny and waiflike,” Sam explains. “For transmasculine folks, restricting is going to decrease chest tissue. You’re going to have smaller hips. For transfemme folks, [restriction means] you’re not gonna have abdominal weight that [is seen as] really masculine.”

The insidious truth about being trans or nonbinary is that eating disorders, for some, minimize gender dysphoria, notwithstanding the bodily neglect that occurs in these situations.

When it comes to nutrition as a trans person, I found it disconcerting to understand whether it was the voice of gender euphoria or the voice of a soul-fulfilling approach to food I wanted to listen to.

After all, white supremacy and capitalism, in practice, value discipline, willpower, and control. In the realms of both nutrition and gender, I felt it was necessary not only to choose one over the other, but to choose one over the other like my livelihood depended on the obsession, the discipline, willpower, and control.

“[Trans or nonbinary people on HRT might say,] ‘OK, well, this energy that I have to show up as queer [and trans] is not the same energy of somebody who’s engaging in diet culture,’” Sam says.

“And at the same time, some people may be coming from another end of ‘I’m already counterculture in one way, right? [So] I need to really fit in in all of the other ways.’”

Giving in to the control and willpower of internalized fatphobia and transphobia declares white supremacy and capitalism victorious.

It becomes easy to see money and price tags in everything — in buying a new dress with the hopes of fitting into it one day. The expenses of hormones. Purchasing a meal plan guide. Yes, even consulting with registered dietitians and nutritionists.

The journey toward healing has a price to pay, and it looks different for everybody.

For Jana, building a “brag list” can alleviate tension between body and food.

“Every day, I want us to have something that we can name: I’m really proud of,” she says. “And that might be actually drinking all the water that was in my water bottle. That might be remembering to eat breakfast today. That might be walking by a mirror and fearing feeling neutral about my body instead of negative.”

To her, adding daily bragging points permits the addition of more quality into life.

According to Sam, we can alleviate tension by clarifying values. At the core of this practice is a nonjudgmental reminder: The ways people intentionally shape their bodies are not a testament to who they are but a testament to the people who influenced their ideas of what their bodies should look like.

At its most incendiary, clarifying values already happens within trans and nonbinary communities by default.

“Because by nature of being queer [and trans], if we’re lucky, we have a chance to really just break it all down,” Sam says.

“Crumble it all and pick and choose and DIY what’s important to us, what we want to be, how we want to live, what we want our community to look like, what our values are — which is really a privilege,” they continue. “And this goes along with that a lot when we’re looking at somebody being focused on food and their body, and how that actually doesn’t really fit the person who they want to be.”

I graduated from college and then graduate school more than a year later. The people who mean most to me still see me for who I am, no matter how big or small a role my gender plays in that.

I still inject estrogen intramuscularly on a weekly basis. My parents still pack me a bag of home-cooked dishes to bring home whenever I visit them.

Like the resident director of my dorm freshman year, like the fatphobic culture we are in, like my birth certificate, so much of showing up as myself has asked me to go against the current.

I don’t always need or want to eat the slice of the pie. But it helps to know I will always be worthy of one, regardless of who I am and what it has taken for me to be here — nutritionally and medically.