Posts

Considering 29% of U.S. adults1 are vitamin D deficient (and another 41% are insufficient), we’d all be smart to achieve and maintain optimal vitamin D levels so we can reap the rewards of these unexpected perks: In a 2018 randomized controlled trial (RCT), this vitamin D3 glycemic control phenomenon was found to be especially beneficial in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.* Translation? Your vitamin D status has a direct (and profound!...

To better understand foam rollers from A-Z, here’s a guide breaking down the do’s, the don’ts, and a short series of exercises for the well-seasoned and newbie foam rollers alike. These are all benefits that exercises like running, yoga, weights, spinning, or any number of other routines don’t necessarily offer, and this makes the roller the perfect complement to whatever other workouts you might be doing. There are many rollers on the market, but what I recommend for most people is to start with a medium-density roller that has a little bit of give....

So eating lunch at my desk while staring at a computer screen (or while calling to book a doctor’s appointment, or while in the car on my way to said appointment) has become the norm. After all, I reason to myself, if you’re not multitasking, aren’t you just being lazy? I never used to be that person who experienced bloating or alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea, but here I am!...

But for many of us, life’s modern stressors, a less-than-stellar diet, and not drinking nearly enough water has made constipation (i.e., going less than once per day) the new “normal.” And that’s a problem for a variety of reasons—and particularly for women. That’s because constipation can royally mess with your hormones, particularly estrogen, and, in turn, lead to a host of other annoying problems like headaches and acne. Additionally imbalances in gut flora can lead to increased production of beta-glucuronidase—an enzyme that essentially reactivates bound estrogen and other hormones by disconnecting them from their methyl group....

Despite these data however, while almost every cardiologist understands the importance of lifestyle changes (exercising, quitting smoking, and following a heart-healthy diet), very few of us address an essential component for heart health, which entails healing the emotional heart. Each of these chakras is thought to correspond loosely to a nerve network that supplies vital organs. The heart chakra, corresponding to the cardiac network, is considered to be the seat of emotions....

I’d heard experts say time and time again that the only way to move through pain is to face it head-on, not run away from it. But my natural tendency was to avoid the pain—to get as far away from it as possible by pushing it aside or looking for ways to go numb. The problem with those approaches was that they only created bigger problems in the form of stress, anxiety, and emotional stagnation over time....

To find out how long it should take to fall asleep, we asked neuroscientist and author of Biohack Your Brain Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D. Falling asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed is a good sign your body and mind were ready to snooze, and you’re on your way to a night of deep, high-quality sleep. However, Willeumier notes that people shouldn’t get too caught up in hitting that 20-minute mark night after night....

Considering vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency impact a significant number of U.S. adults year-round (29% and 41%1, respectively), concerns over maintaining healthy vitamin D status are incredibly valid. In the 1980s, professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at Boston University medical center Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., authored foundational research on vitamin D synthesis2 that has continued to lead the evidence-based conversation on vitamin D throughout seasonal changes. In this research, Holick discovered the cutaneous vitamin D production (i....

While cutting your own hair is surely no easy feat, becoming someone else’s hairdresser is a little more high stakes—especially if your little one is a bit fidgety to begin with. No fear: To help rid your child of stringy ends and too-long bangs, we chatted with stylists about how to cut kids’ hair the most efficient way possible. Prepare to impress with your impromptu barbershop skills. Grab the bottom section of hair, clipping off the rest on the top of the head....

“Having a sense of self is vital to our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. It becomes our internal compass for every interaction with others,” she says. “Your sense of self tells you what boundaries you need to place with others and [how to] make decisions that will serve you. It also enables you to reflect on the things that don’t serve you and evolves to help you survive, adapt, and ultimately thrive....

In the years since, Buddhist monks have continued to create intricate mandalas out of sand for festivals and sacred ceremonies. These works of art are then swept up—the sand blended and poured into a river. This might seem tragic, but it helps us remember that everything is temporary. We can appreciate beauty in front of us without missing it when it is gone. Today, the process of creating (and sometimes destroying) mandalas is an art form, spiritual practice, and meditation tool....

The latter involves many of your standard hair care lessons, but the former takes a bit more work: You have to go internal. Here, eight science-backed tips to encourage hair growth—no matter your length goals. In fact, a 2018 research review explains that oxidative stress, an imbalance of oxidants to antioxidants, plays a role in hair loss in adults1. The accumulation of free radicals over time contribute to the hair follicle closing off, thereby limiting growth and eventually leading to shedding....

But for anyone who struggles with positive thinking, getting into an affirmation practice can feel challenging. As mental health expert Mollie Aklepi, LMSW, explains to mbg, “Some people shy away from affirmation statements because they do not have much evidence to believe that the affirmation is true. Statements like, ‘I am great’ or ‘I believe in my ability to…’ do not tap into understanding your feelings—and may even sound silly when you don’t believe them....

If you’ve ever been in this situation and paused to think about it, that’s a great sign. You’re examining your motives in context, and you’re reflecting on whether an impulse that appears to be “good” is genuinely the right thing to do in a particular situation. When this happens, there’s a risk we’ll actually harm those we most want to help by enabling them rather than allowing them to find their own way, make their own mistakes, and master the challenges life presents them with....

All that to say, if you can hang tight for a professional to tend to your brows, we suggest waiting it out—unruly brows be damned. But if your brows do fall on the really bushy side, you might need some extra cleanup care in between sessions. However, you can use this at-home guide to trim any glaring stragglers you just have to get rid of. Just follow the steps below: After brushing up the hairs, you should see where the majority of them lie along the hairline, and where a few stragglers pop up and over....

People with this complex often compare themselves with others and consistently believe that they are not good enough, she says. “This is an erroneous belief that the person possesses things that can affect mental well-being and social life. They feel that they will not be able to cope with certain aspects of their life because of some real or imagined physical or psychological deficiency.” The thought of imminent failure can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, because a person struggling with an inferiority complex may completely disregard their positive qualities and self-sabotage....

Once scooped from the leaf, the flesh needs to be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator. Here, it can last up to one week, but it will likely spoil within 24 hours at room temperature. In either scenario, you should definitely toss aloe vera at the first sign of discoloration, funky odors, or mold. Once frozen, transfer the cubes into a sealable bag and store in the freezer for up to a year....

Not sure where to begin? We spoke with licensed chiropractors and physical therapists to learn why this middle ground is so important and how to find it. Led by their guidance, we sifted through the many, many mattresses on the market to determine the best mattresses for side sleepers—so you can sleep through the night and wake up pain-free. The key to restful, restorative sleep is to keep your spine, neck, and shoulders all in good alignment....

My doctor asked me how much protein I was eating, and as a vegetarian for 10 years, I realized I probably could do better there. So, after a decade of no meat, I started eating meat again (that’s a story for a different day). Even with the upped protein intake, I was still so hungry. Fiber enhances feelings of satiety2, which help you feel full for longer—a feeling I desperately wanted in my life....

Post-aughts, I sort of thought self-tanners had more or less phased out of popularity. But what I didn’t realize was that self-tanners didn’t go away; they just got better. But before we get to that, a bit of back story on how self-tanners work. The active ingredient in sunless tanners is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It penetrates the naturally occurring dead skin cells on your epidermis and darkens them, mimicking a tan....