Kate Hudson’s Recipe for Finding Joy During the Pandemic

When many people think of wellness, they think of meditation apps, vegetables, and workout classes. Kate Hudson thinks of joy — and the wellness businesses she’s building are stepping stones on the path to finding it.

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Her first company, Fabletics, basically sells happiness via affordable workout gear (and if you’ve ever put on the perfect pair of leggings, you know that’s not an overstatement). Her newest wellness company, InBloom, a range of plant-based supplements and a just-launched probiotic, takes an inside approach to feeling better. Both brands fall squarely into Hudson’s larger mission.

“If I’m going to use my platform to talk about anything, it’s going to be to talk about how we make our lives better,” says Hudson when asked about the genesis of InBloom. “There’s a big difference for me between being an actor and playing roles and getting involved in imaginary worlds — which to me, is fantasy. But then there’s your actual platform to talk about things that really matter to you on a daily basis, and for me, that’s always been how to optimize your joy, really,” she says.

When it comes “to moving your body, getting fresh air, and eating as healthily as you can — there’s the reality of health and longevity and then there’s also how you feel about yourself, and I believe those all go together,” she says.

Of course, these are exceedingly difficult times, and Hudson acknowledges that the typical healthy habits may not be enough to cut it right now. For her, sustaining joy during the pandemic is about spirituality and faith, she says. “We talk about training our bodies and moving our bodies, we talk a lot about the food that we eat — and these are crazy important — but faith, and spirituality, and feeling connected to something greater, I think that’s probably number one,” says Hudson. “We’re living in a time when we know that stress and anxiety and fear wreak havoc on our systems, our bodies, our brains, everything. And it’s very helpful feeling like we can have faith in the unknown — that we’re not alone.” (Related: How to Handle Anxiety and Grief During the Coronavirus Pandemic)

That’s not, however, to minimize the importance Hudson places on exercise and healthy eating. “To me, movement is a necessity,” she says. “We have these bodies with muscles that are meant to be moving and we should be moving them. And we know that when we move, we create more dopamine [a mood-enhancing chemical] in our brain. We know that there’s a reason why we need to move.”

Still, wellness, and all it entails, can truly feel like an (expensive) addition to an already endless to-do list. And when it comes to supplements, specifically, it can be difficult to decipher what you actually need, not to mention the quality of what’s available. Hudson says InBloom was designed to help combat these barriers. “We really should have a trusted source to know that we are actually getting the best thing,” she says. “Not just ‘here’s a vitamin C,’ and you think you’re getting a vitamin C but it’s cheap, and they put a bunch of stuff in it that’s actually not good for you. That’s why I started InBloom. My goal was to get the most potent ingredients I can. I really believe in plant-based medicine.” She has a point: Dietary supplements aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it pays to be extra cautious when shopping. It’s always a good idea to run supplements by your doctor or a registered dietitian to be sure it’s something you can benefit from and won’t pose any health risks, such as interacting with a prescription, for example.

Ultimately, the best wellness habits are those you actually do — such as finding a workout you truly look forward to rather than dread. InBloom is meant to offer products that realistically fit into the way people carve out space for wellness in their everyday lives — whether it’s boosting energy via an adaptogen and spirulina powder, or offering a protein mix for easy drinking post-workout. The brand hopes to offer solutions to specific problems so you can tailor products to your needs. “For example, if you’re not sleeping, I want to create something that’s going to at least help support your brain so that you can get a better night’s sleep or at least start to relax,” says Hudson. (InBloom’s Dream Sleep includes natural ingredients such as magnesium, chamomile, and L-theanine, which encourage stress relief and relaxation.)

Plus, a healthy gut is something pretty much anyone can benefit from — hence the newest addition to the lineup. “The probiotic to me was really important because [I believe] everyone should be on a probiotic; it’s so important for your gut health,” says the entrepreneur. “The microbiome and learning about it is incredible and mind-blowing to me — like the fact that it’s like a second brain in your body.” While gut research is still in its infancy, experts agree that probiotics may have some legit benefits, including boosting your mood. (Related: How to Pick the Best Probiotic for You)

In the end, supplements aren’t a quick fix or fast track to health. But if sipping something green first-thing or popping a probiotic to steady your digestion helps round out your wellness routine and spark joy — in addition to moving your body, eating well, and checking in mentally and emotionally — then why not lean into that feeling? After all, if you ask Hudson, that’s what wellness is all about.