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The next night, I had my last drinking hurrah: my last glass of red wine with pasta at my fave Italian restaurant, followed by my last six-pack ever at home cranking my favorite headbanging jams. It was the victory lap of my life’s drinking games—a conscious, intentional, relatively graceful exit. Done! But then, when I got a DUI at 30, I knew I had to reel it in. That experience forced me to reconcile with the fact that alcohol only perpetuated the issues I used it to escape from, and if I kept going this way, it would take a serious toll on my health....

All of this is amazing. Even if I had been able to find the words to express my feelings of being different, there wasn’t anyone to talk to or who would listen. Anything perceived as “different” was seen as a sign of weakness, and being weak meant having a target on your back. So I learned to keep my thoughts and emotions in check, to keep them buried inside, to not let anyone suspect what I was really thinking and feeling, even hiding it from myself....

Ahead, find our full guide to inflammatory acne, including how to I.D. the blemish and the best ways to treat it. However, a few types of pimples are more puffy and angry than others—those are what we classify as “inflammatory,” as they aesthetically align with what you might imagine an inflamed zit to look like: red, swollen, and tender to the touch. Tea tree oil deserves honorable mention, too: The essential oil boasts some antimicrobial properties and is capable of lowering levels of acne-causing bacteria on the skin when applied to acne lesions....

Or not? Have you ever wondered what impact (if any) alcohol has on your hormones? And just how much is too much? Is any amount “safe”? What is alcohol doing inside our bodies? And what does moderate consumption even mean? To answer those questions, let’s take it one step at a time. Drinking alcohol can cause a rise in estrogen and a decrease in progesterone in premenopausal women. Some studies1 even suggest that menopause was delayed by moderate alcohol consumption, since “alcohol consumption was significantly correlated with estrogen levels....

Here, we take a closer look at the history and significance of this flower, plus how you can work with its symbolism in your own life. As assistant professor of religious studies at Colorado College Steven Vose, Ph.D., tells mbg, “The lotus flower appears on some of the earliest Buddhist and Jain imagery we have in South Asia,” going as far back as the time of Emperor Ashoka around 250 BCE....

The lymphatic vessels act like a giant drainage system for the body that needs to stay clear for it to work properly. Just like in your home if the drains are clogged in your toilet or sink, you can’t get rid of waste effectively—the same is true for your body. Stagnant lymph flow leads to waste and toxin buildup, weakening immunity and leading to a wide variety of health issues....

At mbg, we believe uncovering the root cause is paramount, so we got to the bottom of what exactly menopause bloat is all about, and what you can do to find ease and renew comfort in your body. These shifts in hormones can directly affect your well-being. “Initially, the reduction and cessation of ovulation leads to a reduction of progesterone, accompanied by fluctuations in estrogen levels and eventually a reduction of estrogen below the threshold necessary for menstruation,” notes holistic OBGYN Eden Fromberg, DO....

Beauty—when it’s right, when you have the right products, and when you have homed in on your unique routine—should be something you want to do. Even if you don’t count yourself a skin care fanatic or beauty lover, taking care of your skin should be a pleasurable experience. I’ve been using this oil for the past year (through the formulation and testing process), and it’s made my post-shower rituals so much more ahh-inspiring....

Your internal responses to your environment, relationships and life events will affect how your energies appear and function. A trauma or unpleasant experience may cause your energies to contract. Being centered, spiritually aligned and operating from your higher truth will lead to expansion of your aura. They do have a fair point. I could tell them how they are feeling and what changes have occurred by observing the shifts in their energy field; however it seems more polite to ask....

“Of course, this doesn’t imply that panromantic people are romantically attracted to just about everyone out there. It’s just that gender is the last thing that comes to their mind [when it comes to] whether or not they develop feelings for someone,” says Dainis Graveris, a sex educator and founder of Sexual Alpha. “No one is off the table when it comes to who they’re romantically attracted to.” He adds that people of any gender can be panromantic, and they can be romantically attracted to cis and trans folks, as well as nonbinary, gender fluid, genderqueer, and other gender-nonconforming individuals....

Don’t get me wrong; I know this is a steep request for any supplement. Many hemp CBD formulas have come close to hitting the mark, often achieving one goal but not the other. Luckily for me, I finally found my dream formula that can do both: the Prima Chill Out CBD Chews. I remembered that I had just received a sample of the Prima CBD chews in the mail, so I figured it was the perfect moment to test them out....

Knowing which of the five you gravitate toward can help you navigate relationships. Here, we dig into quality time, including how to know whether it’s your love language and how to show it. Importantly, you want your time together to feel special and sacred and to feel that you’re both truly present—“with the TV off, fork and knife down, and phones and tasks on standby,” he adds. Of course, not all schedules will allow this, but planning for those times during the day when you can just be together and connect is important if your partner’s love language is quality time....

There are actually different components that can make up that attraction. For example, some people experience only romantic attraction to other people—without sexual attraction—and vice versa. Ahead, we’re diving into how to recognize romantic attraction and distinguish it from all the different kinds of attraction. While romantic attraction is different for everyone, many people will experience feelings of wanting to protect and provide for another person, wanting to keep them cared for, enjoying their company, and wanting to take on a role of responsibility in maintaining that person’s happiness, she notes....

“Remember: While the lymphatic system is a circulatory system like the blood vessels we all have, there is no heart to drive the lymphatic system, so we have to move and exercise to make the lymph flow nicely,” Integrative Gastroenterologist Marvin Singh, M.D., has previously told mbg. And inversions like shoulder stand can help stimulate the flow of lymph in a different way than we might be used to, which can help maintain fluid balance in our bodies....

Today, it’s become popularized as a gemstone and can be found in crystal shops everywhere, though Leavy notes it’s not one that comes up a lot historically. “I think the one thing that’s important to know is that it’s frequently confused with lapis lazuli, so it’s important that people have identified the correct stone,” she explains. (Lapis lazuli is typically a lighter shade of blue, often accompanied by golden streaks....

We talked to a handful of registered dietitians to get the lowdown on the different types of fiber (i.e., what they are and what they do) and compiled their best advice for making sure you get what you need every day. “Soluble fiber dissolves into a gel-like substance that is important to help capture and remove toxins and cholesterol from the body,” explains registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., CDN....

Humans have had a spiritual connection to water for generations, she adds, “and creating ritual around that connection is one of the many universal practices that most of us carry within our lineages dating back to ancient times.” Whether it’s visiting a spring for healing, submerging yourself in water as a dedication to faith, or drawing a bath with salts and stones, Hanekamp says, these would all qualify as spiritual baths....

So the question remains: How can we create separation between our work life, home life, and everything else when the physical boundaries and sensory cues no longer exist? It’s all about creating mental barriers, and breathwork is one of the most powerful and accessible tools available. Taking a moment for breathwork in transitionary periods—whether sitting in your car before you enter a chaotic household or at your home workspace before you shut your laptop for the evening—is a little like pressing the reset button....

Certain products are more likely than others to contain animal-derived ingredients (more on that in a second), and luckily body lotion tends to be a safer category. While natural lotions are often chock-full of plant- and mineral-based ingredients, that doesn’t mean it’s without risk. Here, what to know about finding a vegan body lotion and our favorite selects. Because it’s become so popular, brands are doing their best to help you out along the way and straight-up tell you if they’re vegan or not....