However, having textured skin from things like acne scars or skin conditions can make you feel extremely insecure and directly impact your mood. So, it’s only natural that you may want to ease texture when possible. To help you out, we asked derms for their best tips and tricks. Plus, a bit more about why your skin might be textured in the first place. Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) can also cause uneven skin texture....
Either way, it can be frustrating and overwhelming when your brain isn’t firing the way it should be. When I have patients complain of brain fog (which is different from headaches), I immediately look into diet, as there are many things hidden in our daily meals that can contribute to slower-than-usual thinking. The main culprits are typically dairy, gluten, sugar, and many other additives to foods we ingest. The best way to alleviate brain fog with diet is to consume mostly whole foods, fresh produce, and to buy from local farms and gardens....
Skin care routines may have similar steps from person to person (you know the drill: wash, hydrate, SPF); however, the products used should be tailored to your skin type. To save you time, we’ve asked dermatologists for the best routine for oily skin. If you have oily acne-prone skin, you’ll want to opt for a noncomedogenic oil. A few grade-A options include jojoba oil, rosehip oil, hemp seed oil, evening primrose oil, sea buckthorn oil, tea tree oil, grapeseed oil, and tamanu oil....
Most people have an enzyme within their saliva called amylase, which, like a giant pair of shearing scissors, has the ability to cut apart big and bulky starch molecules into simpler sugars. That’s the first step in making big threads of starch molecules available for the body to use easily as energy. And amylase is really good at cutting up starch. You may or may not have inherited multiple copies of the gene your body uses to make the protein amylase, called AMY1....
To learn more about these tropical superfruits, mbg reached out to registered dietitians who explain the health benefits and side effects of acerola cherries, plus how to get more in a diet. While they can be eaten in their raw, fresh form, they perish quickly. In regions where the shrub does not grow, acerola cherries are more often sold in a powder, supplement, or juice form. “They are actually higher than most other food sources of vitamin C,” registered dietitian Jess Cording, M....
To address what you are no doubt thinking: No, I am not a frigid, antisocial, boring buzzkill. In fact, if I do say so myself, I’m actually quite fun and outgoing when I need to be. I am, however, a very deep processor, extremely aware of the emotions of myself and others, and an avid appreciator of little things in life that often go unnoticed—in other words, I am a textbook example of what is referred to as an HSP, or a highly sensitive person....
With such an intense love for my practice, you can probably imagine that the 30-day Bikram yoga challenge had been on my bucket list for years. I’d attempted the challenge (unofficially) a few times—10 days here, 14 there—but never for an entire month. After dipping my toes in, I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. So, before I could talk myself out of it, I signed up and embarked upon a 30-day journey of Bikram....
The most accurate way to tell if your blood sugar is spiking is through continuous glucose monitoring (a wearable device that tracks blood sugar automatically), but your body may also give you some physical signs when your blood sugar gets too high. Stress can cause blood sugar spikes, but they most often happen in response to eating a carbohydrate-rich meal. “The body is receiving energy from an outside source, and until that energy is distributed throughout the body (with the help of insulin), blood sugar remains elevated,” says Candito....
What sets these two sources of CBD apart is their distinctly different levels of phytocannabinoids (e.g., cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabinol, etc.). In fact, by definition, their levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component that gives you a sense of high, are very different. Hemp has negligible, trace amounts of THC (less than or equal to 0.3%1), while marijuana contains higher amounts of THC (much more than 0.3%). That’s per U.S. law. “It’s primarily an issue of the legal classification,” says Babak Larian, M....
There are seven chakras that run down the body’s midline from the base of the spine to the tippy top of the head. As energy moves through us, these chakras are thought to act as gatekeepers for their respective areas. When these ingrained traffic lights, so to speak, are running smoothly, our energy and vitality can flow freely to where it is most needed. When a chakra is blocked, though, energy can get stuck and manifests as discomfort....
There’s no denying that disposable diapers affect the environment negatively. The production of the plastic and the gels that make up the diapers produces waste that must be disposed of. Then think of the packaging and marketing process—the dyes, the boxes, the delivery—and all the environmental costs that come with that. Also, the diapers are made from polypropylene, a type of plastic that is made from the nonrenewable resource petroleum and will not biodegrade under landfill conditions....
Iced coffee, on the other hand, is just drip coffee that has been cooled and served over ice. Both iced coffee and cold brew are enjoyed over ice, but iced coffee requires heat to brew, while cold brew does not (hence the name). Despite being stronger, cold brew is generally less bitter than iced coffee. “It may also have a slightly sweeter flavor than brewed coffee,” registered dietitian Desiree Nielsen, R....
To clear up the facts, mbg spoke with two functional medicine doctors to determine if bananas help you poop. So while green bananas are good for overall gut health, the resistant starches will be harder to digest. “Thus, they can cause or aggravate preexisting constipation,” one study says1. In fact, family physician Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., says they have been shown to help manage diarrhea2. Bottom line: Since they’re high in prebiotics and resistant starch, green bananas are good for creating a healthy gut microbiome....
As a fitness editor who has watched the “Electricity” music video dozens of times, I wanted to know more about (and try out) her workout routine. It’s clear that she makes her health a priority, but how does she stay in such great shape while touring? “I love doing something that’s really fast and quick, like a 15-minute HIIT session, which I can do before I start my day,” she said in an interview with Viva....
But according to experts, cycle tracking is actually one simple and effective way for the two of you to be more intimately connected and understanding. Here’s why. According to licensed sex therapist De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, MSW, LCSW-S, CST, if you don’t already talk to your partner about your cycle, you might want to start. “Knowing your own cycle, and then to be able to share that with your partner, is so beneficial for a lot of different reasons,” she says....
Increasingly, one way people are personalizing their nutrition plan is with an endomorph diet—created for those with an endomorph body type (think bigger bone structure, higher percentage body fat, little muscle definition). It’s not exactly new, but it’s recently been gaining steam, and Google recently announced that it was the ninth-most searched for diet of 2019. Ectomorphs tend to be long and lean and may have a hard time gaining fat or muscle; mesomorphs tend to be athletic, strong, and can gain or lose weight easily; and endomorphs are described as “round and soft,” with a higher percentage of body fat compared to muscle and a tendency to carry their excess fat around the abdomen, thighs, and upper arms....
As the health editor at mindbodygreen and the author of the upcoming book Magnesium: A Lifestyle Guide to Epsom Salts, Magnesium Oil, and Nature’s Relaxation Mineral, I’ve spent my fair share of time both soaking in Epsom salt baths and at my desk researching the history of Epsom salts, their benefits, and how we might be able to use them to treat various health woes. Unfortunately, it’s suspected that a large portion of the population isn’t getting enough magnesium through their diet....
I have been using a form of periodic fasting called a fasting mimicking diet (FMD) in my clinic with my patients, which has some pretty great benefits (similar to those from fasting). Here are some general and brain-specific data on the FMD and why you might be interested in trying it, plus how to take part in this eating plan. During the five days of restricted calories, exercise and alcohol are prohibited and coffee is limited to zero or one cup a day....
Another potent oldie but goodie that fits the bill is fenugreek. “Fenugreek is an herb that’s been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of conditions ranging from skin issues to pain, digestive ailments, and more,” says Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., CDN, registered dietitian and health coach. “You’ll often see it in seed or powder form.” Here’s an inside look at the herb’s various health benefits, how to use it in your cooking, and what to look for in a quality fenugreek supplement....
While the question is a loaded one, it’s also one of my favorite questions to answer. In fact, it’s the reason I became a doctor in the first place—it opens the door for me to make a real and lasting impact on a patient’s health. There are a variety of approaches for evaluation and management of gut health that can be taken depending on the particular person and their situation....
