Witch hazel has had a few different names over the years, including golden treasure and pond’s extract. Interestingly, witch hazel was the first mass-marketed toiletry that was American-made, and to this day it’s one of the only medicinal plants approved by the FDA as a nonprescription drug treatment. You’ll find it in all major pharmacies, and the best part is, it’s extremely inexpensive. A 16-ounce bottle of witch hazel is only $3....
Finding a pair of running shoes that suit your feet, offer the right amount of cushion, and help elevate your stride makes all the difference in your run (trust me, as a health and fitness editor, I’ve tried a lot of sneakers). “You want to take time to find the right fit, as the shoe can help prevent injuries and improve your performance,” running coach Emily Fayette, CPT, previously shared with mbg....
One of my favorite styles of yoga is Ashtanga, which means “eight-limbed yoga,” and is a vigorous style that combines flowing and static postures. There are six series of postures in this practice, and the idea is for every student to master each posture and series before moving on to the next.
Eating more veggies, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds instead of meat can have huge implications for your health, and the planet’s health as well. Need some motivation? Here are 8 good reasons to consider: Reducing or eliminating your meat intake has so many benefits. You could feel better physically, mentally, while also helping the planet. If you’re still on the journey of decreasing or eliminating meat from your diet, start taking baby steps today....
“If you are having a bowel movement every other day or less frequently—or you experience pain and straining—then you may be suffering from constipation,” says Vincent Pedre, M.D., mbg Collective member and author of Happy Gut. “For many people this is caused by dehydration and a diet low in fiber.” So, since nobody wants to feel crampy and bloated or strain with all their might for minimal reward, we polled the experts and dug into the research for the best ways to get things moving—fast....
As you might recall from high school health class, the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for our body’s rest-and-digest response. It balances out the fight-or-fligth response—which is often elicited by stress—and causes our heart rate and blood pressure to slow down and normalize. Essential oils can be used for in-the-moment stress relief when you feel yourself getting worked up, or you can use them more preventatively to stay calm and collected throughout the day....
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to what counts as “intimate,” since sexual and emotional variance between people is unimaginably large. One person’s intimacy is the intensity of being flogged and humiliated by their lover, while another’s is oral sex with the lights on. The key connecting factor is trust, security, and openness. When you feel completely able to open up to your partner and show them the private side of yourself that is usually hidden from the world, you engender a bond of trust from which intimacy can grow....
Getting started on your job search for a more meaningful career? Here’s what to look for. The biggest thing about helping people is that nothing you do is too small, and just because you aren’t practicing brain surgery doesn’t mean you aren’t making an impact on the world around you. In searching for a job that’s a good fit, you want to play to your existing strengths instead of worrying about what you feel you “should” be doing....
But kombucha is only one of the many types of probiotic drinks you can enjoy. There are a number of beverages that, through some type of fermentation or another method, contain probiotics. We took a look at the options available and rounded up our favorites. Read on to find your new favorite gut supporting tonic. Buy it here. Buy it here. Buy it here. Buy it here. Buy it here....
Linda Lancaster, board-certified naturopathic physician and author of the new book Harmonic Healing, shares three liver-cleansing drinks to try whether you’re on her six-week liver program or hoping to get a detoxifying boost. It’s the perfect time to give your liver a little TLC, and it doesn’t hurt that these drinks are delicious any time of year. Makes one drink Ingredients Makes one drink Ingredients Makes one drink Ingredients
And when you start learning about the causes and triggers of inflammation, it can begin to feel a little overwhelming. How do you know if you’re suffering from it? Do you absolutely need to get a bunch of fancy tests or pay out-of-pocket to see an integrative medicine doctor? Here’s how to know if chronic inflammation is a problem for you: According to Marvin Singh, M.D., an integrative gastroenterologist, the common signs he looks for in his patients include “joint aches, rashes, fatigue, food sensitivities, bloating, fever, mouth sores, abdominal pain, bloating, allergies, brain fog, changes in bowel habits, muscular pains, obesity, hormone imbalance, among many other things....
Most people confuse feelings of jealousy with feelings of envy. The difference is, when you experience jealousy, you see a person or thing as an obstacle to you receiving love, attention, affection, etc. As compared to envy, you want to acquire something that another person has. Based on that definition, it is possible that if you’re feeling jealous, this may be an indication of a possible unmet and unsaid emotional need within your relationship....
While addiction is a tricky subject, even if you haven’t yet slain the addictive impulse, you can start the process by feeding the body the nutrients it needs. There are schools of thought out there that attribute addiction to malnourishment; while it’s crucial to speak to your doctor to figure out what works for you and your body, you may find that supplementing with these herbs can help lessen the sting of withdrawal....
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for a heart attack or stroke. In fact, it is generally regarded as the most significant risk factor for a stroke. Here are four natural ways to reduce blood pressure: Why it works: The decrease in blood pressure is due to the chemical formation of nitrite from the dietary nitrates in the juice. Once in the general circulation, nitrite can be converted to nitric oxide (NO) by the cells that line blood vessels....
It only makes sense that aloe vera is the ultimate DIY face mask, both potent enough to target whatever skin issue you’ve got (be it irritated, discolored, or sun-damaged skin) and gentle enough to prevent dryness. The only question that remains: Is there anything this plant can’t do? Read on to find out. You should also make sure to do a patch test before slathering the mix all over your face....
If you get burned, don’t beat yourself up. Just find yourself a good aprés-sun routine. Here, we’ve named five of the best natural remedies for sunburn relief: skin tested and derm-approved: Those skin-soothing properties make oatmeal a well-rounded natural sunburn reliever. After all, not everyone experiences red skin when it comes to sunburns; those with darker skin tones may not notice any redness, but they still experience other symptoms of burns (like heat, skin sensitivity, and itchiness)....
“The answers to a lot of subfertility [a delay in conceiving] may not necessarily lie in the physical realm but could instead be found tied in with emotional and mental well-being,” says Larisa Corda, MBBS, a U.K.-based OB-GYN and fertility expert. “When you probe deep enough into someone’s history, you almost always find a complex mix of various events, triggers, and life stresses that undoubtedly impact on a patient’s psyche but also on their ability to conceive....
According to Slave Free Chocolate, a leading grassroots organization aiming to eradicate child slavery in the cocoa industry, 2.3 million children work in the cocoa production fields of West Africa. Many of them are vulnerable and exposed to trafficking, sold into slavery, or kidnapped. This form of child exploitation, next to wide-reaching poverty, gender inequality, and continuous environmental harm (think soil erosion and deforestation) makes the unflagging issues linked to chocolate production something we can’t ignore....
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the most important organs that we look at are the liver, spleen, and stomach. The liver can affect your digestion because stress affects the liver, and the liver will affect either the spleen or the stomach. If the liver affects the spleen, you may see symptoms such as irritability, abdominal distention, and pain; you may be hungry but get full only after a few bites of food or thirsty but have no desire to drink; there may be alternating constipation and diarrhea and a lot of gas—to name just a few symptoms....
