As you know, all of us at airfare are about health before anything. We find that ensuring our own health—whether via adequate sleep, regular exercise, or healthy eating—makes us better equipped to do the things we care about with those we love.

This week, we’ve compiled some of our favorite sources of healthy knowledge. Below, we highlight five experts in different health-related fields, each with a link to a specific topic or recent article.

So as we head into Labor Day weekend, soak in these bits of health knowledge in your downtime. Or just turn your late summer cookout into a science reading club and have as much fun as the smiling group in this stock image. 👆🏻

1. Dr. Rhonda Patrick

The health benefits of the sauna

Rhonda Patrick is a biochemist and researcher who has a huge following at foundmyfitness.com and @foundmyfitness. One of the most interesting topics Dr. Patrick talks about (and studies) is how heat exposure can increase health.

Here’s her deep dive on one of the airfare team’s favorite pastimes—soaking in the sauna. Tread carefully…it gets quite technical.

Sauna bathing, Dr. Patrick concludes, is associated with many health benefits, from cardiovascular and mental health to fertility and athletic endurance, and it’s generally safe for healthy adults. The heat stress from sauna use on the body “elicits hormetic responses driven by molecular mechanisms that protect the body from damage, similar to those elicited by moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise, and may offer a means to forestall the effects of aging.”

Now, let’s all go get a good steam.

2. Adam Bornstein

Why 99% of diets fail

Bornstein is a fitness and nutrition coach, best-selling author, and nutrition adviser to some big hitters like LeBron James. Most of all, he’s a knowledgeable guy not trying to sell any lies or B.S. His fitness and nutrition advice is consistent, reasonable, and easy to follow.

We liked this article on why most diet plans fail.

“The healthiest diet plans and most effective nutrition strategies are not about superfoods, scapegoats, or supplements,” he said. “Rather, if there’s one reality that we see in research, consistency, sustainability, and patience are the foundations of a good plan and prevent diet failure. And when done right, any diet and fitness plan should be built to withstand desserts, days off, and daiquiris.”

Daiquiri anyone?

3. Dr. Matthew Walker

Science-backed tips to improve sleep

Dr. Walker is a sleep expert. Both airfare cofounders love his deep-dive book on sleep, Why We Sleep, and he also teaches a great Masterclass, which contains a summary of his 11 Tips On Improving Sleep.”

“The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life,” Dr. Walker says, scaring the wits out of all of us. “The leading causes of disease and death in developed nations—diseases that are crippling health-care systems, such as heart disease, obesity, dementia, diabetes, and cancer—all have recognized causal links to a lack of sleep.”

All of a sudden, we need a nap.

4. Dr. Carol Garber

Evidence-based advice on exercise

Dr. Garber is a professor of movement science at Colombia University. While it can be hard to differentiate evidence-based findings from unfounded theory in the exercise realm, Dr. Garber cuts through all of that.

We really enjoyed this interview with her about physical activity and weight management.

“I think exploring different options for activity is a really important first step,” Dr. Garber said. “A lot of people will say, ‘I don’t like exercise. I’m not good at it.’ For patients of that mindset, I tend to encourage them to start with walking or just exploring different options. For example, some people say they hate exercise, but they might like dancing, so finding a place where they might be able to do some kind of dance would be important.”

May we have this dance?

5. Dr. David Katz

We know what's healthy to eat

Dr. Katz is a public health expert who founded the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. He gives very balanced, well-researched, and fundamental advice.

We enjoyed this article on getting past the confusing extremes on the way to understanding what we know is true.

“We absolutely, reliably, and irrefutably know the fundamentals of feeding ourselves well,” Dr. Katz said. “Those fundamentals are not a narrow prescription, but a broad theme: wholesome foods, mostly plants, in any sensible combination. A diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and water for thirst. You are at liberty to choose the variant on that theme that’s best for you, and love the food that loves you back.”

Now, if only there were a snack company designed on those very principles… 😆

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These five expert takes should provide quite a bit of reading for the holiday weekend.

But remember, healthy eating and living is a consistent practice maintained over months and years. It’s not a finite game won or lost during the three hours of a Labor Day cookout. So enjoy yourself.