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And now more than ever. Opening our faucets to a stream of tap water is certainly a privilege, but that doesn’t make our tap water free from dozens of contaminants… Beyond large-scale crises like Flint, Michigan, or Jackson, Mississippi, compromised water systems exist in communities across the States. From heavy metals to microplastics, there’s more lurking in our water than we realize. In fact, research has proven that over the last 34 years, water quality violations have impacted anywhere from 9 to 45 million people across the country....

That love for hands-on intimacy is exactly what the physical touch love language is all about. Kissing, hugging, holding hands, and sex are all ways of showing love through the physical touch love language. Most specifically, having touch as a love language means that small physical gestures—such as having a partner put their arm around you in public or snuggle up close to you on the couch while watching TV together—matter a lot more to you than things like gifts or saying “I love you....

New research1 published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests it has nothing to do with downplaying your accomplishments, contrary to what you may think. Instead, the researchers pinpoint a trait called hypo-egoic nonentitlement as being the defining mark of humility. The results? People with high humility scores were much less likely to think they deserved special treatment for their accomplishments and positive traits. But humble people were not less likely to identify accomplishments and positive traits they were proud of, nor did they tend to rate their accomplishments and traits less positively....

“It’s a real practice just like meditation,” she says. “You can learn it and practice; you can read a book; you can try on your own or work with audio-hypnosis tracks.” When you’re first getting started, though, she adds that it never hurts to have a session with a professional hypnotist first. You can apply the principles of self-hypnosis to a number of goals, including but not limited to: “When you really have that strong desire but you’re getting stuck in your behaviors,” Cummins says, “hypnosis is a great way to come into alignment and to really sink into an internal source of motivation to make the change you want to make....

Extreme anxiety about merging money falls into one of two scenarios: You have emotional baggage, or there are trust issues present. For the latter, “Do you not trust them, or rather, not trust their spending? Have they shown behaviors in the past that show they might not be great with money? It might be hard to come to terms with these questions, but if you don’t trust them, you need to address that,” she says—noting that just because you don’t agree with how your partner spends money, it doesn’t necessarily speak to something more sinister....

For example, there are plenty of Ayurvedic protocols for managing candida that may be helpful. As with all protocols, figure out what feels good to you. If you have any doubts, questions, or concerns, contact your local Ayurvedic practitioner, physician, or nutritionist. Ayurveda believes that imbalance starts in the digestion. Signs your agni (or your digestive fire) are low, include feeling heavy after eating, not feeling thirsty, and experiencing constipation....

As dream analyst Lauri Loewenberg puts it, “A vivid dream is one that is full of clear details, colors, involved storyline, produces strong emotions, and is remembered as if it were an actual, real-life experience.” Take nightmares for example. Therapist and dream expert Leslie Ellis, Ph.D., tells mbg that nightmares are a “prototypical vivid dream,” though vivid dreams aren’t always bad. (More on that later.) “Lucid dreaming is also another category of vivid dreaming....

If you don’t know why your lids are drying out, we’ve got you covered. Plus, what to do next, when to see a doctor, and some of the best products for dry, sensitive lids. This is one reason why the under-eyes and eyelids tend to age quickly, showing fine lines and wrinkles before other, thicker parts of the face like the cheeks. The eye itself is also prone to irritation—just think about how easy it is to get eye shadow, eyeliner, eyelashes, or even dust and smaller particles stuck in there....

While some stress factors are outside of our control, others are fostered internally as a result of our own thinking and behavioral patterns. As individuals, we have minimal influence on the downturns of the economy, pandemic, or bad weather, but there are other sources of stress in our lives that are more under our control. The Enneagram can help raise our awareness of which areas we ought to focus our attention on relieving avoidable stress....

However, there are a few factors that can help you determine which hair color will flatter your features best, as well as which tones to stick to on your very first dye. We tapped top colorists for their go-to tips and crafted a quiz to throw them all together (because hair color should be fun, no?). Consider this your field guide to choosing a dye. Before choosing a color, know the commitment you’re making: Generally, you can choose between semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and permanent hair dye: If you do wish for a lighter color but aren’t too jazzed about the upkeep, DeBolt suggests a “lived-in” color where most of the highlights weave throughout the lengths of your hair....

That’s not to say the information from these studies isn’t useful—it’s just that, for the average person, figuring out how to put it all together is pretty hard. Fortunately, that’s exactly what world-renowned physician and researcher William Li, M.D., has done in his new book Eat To Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. Pretty cool. But that got us thinking: What does the man who literally wrote the book on eating to beat disease actually eat on a daily basis?...

If your head is already spinning, don’t worry. The realm of retinoids and retinol can be pretty confusing. The bottom line: “Retinol” is a term for an OTC vitamin A compound, and it may very well be your skin’s new best friend. And as it turns out, retinol works hard to get to those retinol receptors. The retinol molecule “is able to penetrate the skin’s surface and activate a variety of cells in the skin,” explains board-certified dermatologist Melanie Palm, M....

This client believed his problems stemmed from increased levels of stress in his personal life. While I agreed that likely played a part, I also identified another culprit: The massive amounts of caffeine he was drinking every morning. Thomas was drinking black coffee to mask underlying issues such as morning tiredness due to suboptimal sleep. Sure, the coffee was powering the early part of his day. But the side effects he was experiencing in the midafternoon were what we call a caffeine crash....

Read on to learn all about CBN, how it affects the body, and how to use it. CBN is formed after the Cannabis sativa (cannabis) plant is harvested as a degradation product of THC. When THC is exposed to excessive amounts of heat and light (aka oxidation), it turns into a unique metabolite: CBN. Unlike THC, however, CBN does not have psychoactive effects. “A way of looking at it is that all the cannabinoids are like siblings living in the same house....

Cheating is a painful specter that, when experienced, can loom large over a person’s heart for many years. But what exactly is considered cheating? And what should you do if you find yourself in the unenviable situation of discovering that your partner has been unfaithful? Relationship therapist Jeanae M. Hopgood, LMFT, M.Ed., PMH-C, explains it as such: “Cheating is pretty subjective and can be anything from flirting with someone who isn’t your partner, to full-out sexual acts with another person....

But what is fish oil, exactly—and who should consider it? Here’s what you need to know. “To compensate for this well-known difference in bioavailability, you have to consume ethyl ester (aka EE) forms of fish oil with some fat, like a meal. You don’t have to do that with triglyceride fish oil, the native form of the fat,” explains nutrition scientist and dietitian Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN. “Fish oil is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA),” says Lisa R....

Here, we explain how kombucha is made, some of its health benefits, and why you might want to consider drinking it. It’s time to know exactly why we love our booch. During the fermentation process, lactic acid bacteria forms2 that may provide some probiotic benefits. (Various producers will add extra probiotics after the creation process as well.) Alcohol forms during the fermentation process, too, although typical amounts of alcohol in kombucha are around 0....

Lucuma fruit, also known as “Gold of the Incas,” is one of these healthful edibles, cherished for centuries as a staple nutrition source and touted as a South American1 superfood. Naturally gluten-free and vegan, the lucuma fruit has a dry, farinaceous texture and looks like an avocado crossed with pear. Tastewise, lucuma powder has a subtle sweet-potato-caramel flavor imbued with a maple-like profile, making it a desirable food-flavoring agent and baking staple (think lucuma ice cream or lucuma-infused chia pudding)....

My mileage and running time are generally the same, so this phenomenon leaves me a little stumped. If I’m not drenched in sweat after a run, am I really getting a good workout in? And a relaxing yoga class that does wonders for opening my hips but leaves my armpits dry? Was that actually high-quality exercise? “Your body constantly works to regulate its temperature. Increased heat and blood flow during exercise amps up sweating, and sweat releases that heat,” says Jason Boehm, certified nutrition specialist....

He and I had been getting close over the course of a few weeks, and it seemed like an appropriate time for us to take our physical intimacy to the next level. I could feel his strong desire for me, and while I also felt desire for him, there was a little problem. Not yet, at least. It wasn’t because I wasn’t attracted to him. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to get close....