The Guardian US launches Well Actually

The Guardian US has announced the launch of a new lifestyle and wellness vertical. Well Actually is the antidote to wellness coverage that caters to perfection-obsessed, elite consumers. It offers practical and philosophical advice, reported pieces, and personal essays on green living, mental health, health trends, fitness, relationships, work, sex, food, sleep, and more. The announcement was made by Betsy Reed, editor of the Guardian US.

Well Actually gives readers a Guardian US guide to wellness that is informative, accessible with no paywall, and grounded in making healthy, ethical choices personally, for the world, and for the planet, added the publisher.

The Guardian US editorial team behind Well Actually includes Estelle Tang, lifestyle and wellness editor; Jessica Reed, head of narrative; and new hire Madeleine Aggeler, lifestyle and wellness reporter. Columnists include Jessica Defino, an ex-beauty editor whose column Ask Ugly surveys how beauty culture affects our lives, deconstructing myths and thinking through complex questions of identity, commerce, and emotion; Elle Hunt whose column Why Am I Like This? will focus on happiness and big life questions as typical milestones and achievements become less definitive; and Shayla Love who will focus on mental health and the brain.

The vertical debuts with the opportunity for readers to sign up for the new Guardian US Reclaim Your Brain editorial series and email coaching program, the publisher continued. Readers will receive the free newsletter once a week for six weeks, starting from whenever they sign up. It will be freely available from January 2 for anyone deeply dedicated to changing their habits in the New Year, and will contain exclusive content.

Reclaim Your Brain readers will find practical advice about how to unearth more time for themselves and their families. Newsletter conversations are continued in an immersive, virtual support group and community interested in kicking the habit of constant electronic device distractions, including spending less time on the phone.

Well Actually will be brought to life as Well Actually Live, an in-person, by invitation-only event on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 in New York City. The voices and themes that animate the Guardian US coverage with live first-person storytelling, celebrity guest in-conversations, and audience Q&A for a lively and unforgettable evening. Sampling throughout the event will offer guests the chance to try some of the latest trends in health and wellness, from organic wines to edible bugs to appetizers made from foraged ingredients. The Guardian US says Industry executives interested in attending Well Actually Live can email julie.mashack@theguardian.com to request an invitation.

Betsy Reed, editor of the Guardian US said: “I’ve always felt that something was missing from coverage of personal health and wellbeing. The relentless pursuit of perfection is not going to cure what ails us, either individually or as a society. We need advice about living a good life that is honest and helpful but doesn’t create unrealistic expectations. With Well Actually, we see an opportunity to cover wellness through a uniquely Guardian US lens. I’m incredibly excited about this latest addition to our expanding coverage in the US–particularly in an area where we plan to distinguish ourselves from others in the industry.”

Estelle Tang, lifestyle and wellness editor at the Guardian US said: “We’re delivering Well Actually with a sense of humor and acceptance of how hard living well can be. What is good for you should also be good for your family, your community, and the planet. We’ll also take a look at who gets to be well in America.”