When things got particularly hectic in the hospital, I found myself getting distracted by menial tasks, like picking up the bloody rags on the floor. Perhaps, this was my way of coping with the general sense of overwhelm I was experiencing on a regular basis. It took me time, but I came to discover the same principle applies to life, as well. In my own life, I’d been focusing on trivial things instead of what really mattered to my overall well-being....

The term, sometimes shortened to aro, was first coined by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network in 2005. Aromantic people generally don’t feel like they need a romantic relationship to feel fulfilled and might be quite happy to stay single. Their lack of desire for romance can often cause people to think that they are “cold” or “prudish,” but this isn’t the case. Aromantic individuals can make social connections and feel platonic love, like between friends and family....

We asked sex experts Alexandra Stockwell, M.D., and Goody Howard, LMSW, MPH, for details about the auralistic fetish and how you can lean into making all of your senses sexy. It’s not exactly clear when the term was coined, though getting hot off of your partner’s sounds of enjoyment isn’t new. Notably, though, there has been increased interest around sensual audio experiences in recent years, from audio porn to ASMR....

Streaks happen when your self-tanner is applied unevenly, which is all too easy to do (even for self-proclaimed pros like me). However, I finally found a product I can trust to use before a big event that turns out perfect every time: the Beauty By Earth Self Tanner Lotion. Of course, you can fix the streaks by applying product to the missed areas, but you likely don’t have six to eight hours to spare for the formula to dry....

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day—or less than one teaspoon—but those with high blood pressure or heart and kidney failure may benefit from even less2, aka a low-sodium diet. When following a low-sodium diet, it’s best to make a majority of your meals at home with whole foods. More than 70% of sodium consumed by Americans comes from prepackaged meals, processed foods, and restaurants, according to a study published in Circulation, a journal by the American Heart Association (AHA)....

Here’s what to know about this strange dream phenomenon. Déjà rêvé—or feeling like you dreamed something that happened in real life—is one type of precognitive dream that seems to be relatively common, especially when we’re young. (More on those below!) Other precognitive dreams can relay everything from specific and incidental circumstances of an event to more vague things like feelings or emotions. Say you dreamed about feeling very unsettled, and the next day, found yourself having that same unsettled feeling; Some might argue that was a precognitive dream, though there isn’t any way to back that up....

Though many people throw carrot greens away, they’re actually loaded with nutrients, and you can easily repurpose them in soups, sauces, salads, and more. One reason people shy away from carrot greens is because of their bitter flavor, but others have more serious concerns that they may be harmful, or even poisonous. For some context: Alkaloids are organic compounds found in plants, primarily made of nitrogen. Depending on dosage, exposure time, and the sensitivity of the person consuming them, they can be either poisonous or beneficial1....

As a functional medicine practitioner, it’s my job to empower you to take back control of your health. One of the first steps is making the switch to healthier options of your favorite not-so-healthy foods—which can still be both filling and delicious, not restrictive or boring. Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans, wheat, salt, yeast culture, and water. While the fermentation can help add in beneficial probiotics—which are great for your gut—the addition of wheat (which contains gluten) can negate those good probiotics and cause a storm of inflammation in your body....

Bonus: There are plenty of ways to enjoy the “leftover” watermelon flesh while relaxing with your mask on for 30 minutes. Chrysanthemum has many health benefits, and the little flower is a nutrient powerhouse. It contains a variety of amino acids; vitamin A, Bs, C, and K; and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. The high contents of vitamins and flavonoids can help reduce wrinkles and aid cellular repair after sun exposure....

To understand the cupioromantic experience, it’s important to first understand that there’s a difference between sexual orientation and romantic orientation. They can coexist, but they’re not the same, Queen explains. Sexual orientation focuses on who you find sexually attractive (heterosexual, bisexual, etc.). Additionally, a person can also be asexual, wherein they experience little to no sexual attraction to others at all. Romantic orientation focuses on who you feel romantically interested in (heteromantic, biromantic, etc....

First things first: Stop using whatever new deodorant you’re testing out. Clearly, this isn’t the outcome you’re looking for. But beyond that, an armpit rash might be telling you that you’re sensitive to certain common ingredients in deodorant. Here, what your armpit rash is trying to tell you. But as for the rash, what exactly is it? Well, it’s usually one of two things: “It can either be an allergy to an ingredient in the product or an irritant reaction to one of the ingredients,” she says....

In short, the idea of divine inspiration stems from the sheer inexplicability of creativity. Great creatives through time have felt they couldn’t have come up with their work on their own, so it must have been divinely inspired. “Depending on what you believe, this could be inspiration from God, universal source energy, ascended masters, archangels, spirit guides, ancestors, or even your higher self,” she notes, adding, “I like to say that divine inspiration is the support of love energy guiding you....

Here’s how to mix a blend of your favorite scents and spray your way to a fresher home. Scented sprays can bring potentially harmful compounds like benzene1, formaldehyde2, toluene, m,p-xylene1, and phthalates into your home, so if you are going with store-bought, read the brand’s materials carefully and look for transparent blends that explain what ingredients are being used and why. For example, many brands list essential oils’ specific compounds, so you can better identify any potential irritant—this is a good thing and can help users understand if the product is right for them....

So when collagen supplements exploded in the market, I raised an eyebrow. As did many people, I might add. Well, with research comes changing opinions. There’s robust research that points to many benefits of collagen supplements,* and it’s time to put to rest the myth that they’re ineffective. Now that being said—not all collagen supplements are created equal. You can absolutely find a less-than-stellar formula, which can affect the efficacy (perhaps why the myth keeps persisting)....

If this sounds familiar, you might want to take a deeper look at your diet and answer this surprising question: How often are you eating almonds? Here’s the truth: If you’re eating almonds twice or more a day, you might be over-exposing yourself to almonds, much like you might have done with gluten. Gluten, as we know, can be very abrasive to the digestive tract, often initiating leaky gut in some gluten intolerant individuals....

“We all have yeast living on our skin as part of its natural biome, but in certain people it causes itching, inflammation and flaking. ACV acidity makes a less favorable environment for the yeast and therefore may halt its growth, leading to less flaking,” says board-certified dermatologist Morgan Rabach, M.D., and co-founder of LM Medical NYC. Board-certified dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, M.D., agrees: “Because Apple cider vinegar is an antimicrobial2, anti-yeast and antifungal, it helps to clean bacteria and other organisms from the skin....

The trick went viral after one user documented her results after sleeping with pieces of, yes, tape across her forehead. After just one week, her skin was noticeably smoother—the area was almost completely etch-free. Face taping has been around for years (many Hollywood stars use tape to lift their features before red carpet events), but can it really erase your wrinkles for good? Here, a plastic surgeon weighs in. And minding your facial movements can certainly help prevent those expression lines from settling in....

A quick search not only unearths endless ACV hacks but also a prevailing theory about the ideal time to take it: right before bed. Proponents say that an ACV nightcap will help you sleep, banish bad breath, and aid digestion. A few small studies suggest that ACV may aid digestion and help you absorb vitamins and minerals better, says Wilson. One study1 showed that it may help with calcium absorption, and a 2013 study2 indicated it may lower glucose levels by helping your body process starch....

However, because the skin around the eyes is so thin, you’ll want to treat ingrown brow hairs with extra care—you can’t expect to remove them like any other trapped hair on the face or body. Not to fear: Here, we tapped a brow expert for the best removal tips and how to prevent those bumps from making an appearance. “When you’re waxing or threading, you’re generalizing the direction of growth,” Healy adds, which can potentially break the hair....

These are just a few questions that the principles of “food combining” aim to answer. Here, we dig into whether or not this Ayurveda-inspired way of eating has real perks, plus how to do it. The basic concept of food combining was then revived in the 1920s through the Hay Diet. The Hay diet was formulated by the New York-based physician William Howard Hay and classifies foods as acid, alkaline, or neutral....