Mantras that acknowledge both life’s triumphs and life’s messiness can be powerful tools to facilitate this inner transformation. Here are six that I have learned over the years and employ regularly: This was an important moment for me. This past fall, I lost five people I love within six weeks—all but one of the five were very young, and the deaths were tragic. Suffice it to say, everything in me wanted to resist them....

So, safe to say, we’re fans of rosemary around here—it has a laundry list of benefits for scalp and hair health—but experts like triple board-certified dermatologist Mamina Turegano, M.D., points to another effective hair growth topical: pumpkin seed oil. Specifically, pumpkin seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic and linoleic acid, as well as vitamin E—all of which have the potential to aid in hair growth. What’s more, pumpkin seed oil also has the ability to block androgens3 like dihydrotestosterone (or DHT), which is what ultimately causes female- or male-pattern hair loss (also called androgenetic alopecia)....

We know an impending water crisis isn’t exactly easy on the nerves, but there are a lot of reasons to stay optimistic. One is that major brands are mobilizing on water conservation, like Finish—whose dishwashing products and initiatives are helping us save water every day. Their #SkipThe Rinse campaign, for example, shows us how to conserve in unexpected ways. We can save gallons of H2O just by ditching the rinse before loading dishes in the dishwasher and relying on Finish Quantum Detergent instead....

Well, we love it too. So much so we decided to provide a breakdown of all the benefits, DIY uses, and info about the ingredient. But also: Why fuss with something so impressive on its own? You can simply get pure shea butter, warm it up in your hands, and apply it evenly on the skin for a luxe one-ingredient body lotion. However, it does tend to be thick—so if you’re using it on its own, many people tend to focus on dry, coarser skin (like hands and feet) rather than all over....

As psychotherapist Annette Nuñez, M.S., Ph.D., notes, social cues indicate whether people want to stay engaged, whether they’re disengaged, and also relate to how we build social relationships based on those cues. “Social cues can really be anything nonverbal that sends a message that communicates something about how that person is thinking or feeling about engaging with you,” Beurkens adds. Nuñez adds that “babies start learning social cues at an early age, then as they get older, start learning social cues through parallel play....

My goal is to create recipes that you can feel confident serving, whether you’re hosting a guest with food allergies or cooking for a crowd of regular grain eaters. The below skillet “corn” bread recipe is one of my favorites. Ingredients

She acknowledged that it was normal to be pulled away from the breath by thoughts, distractions, sensations, hunger pains, boredom, etc., and that the important thing was to keep returning the focus and concentration to the breath. All very expected and normal for a meditation class. It was the directive that came next that absolutely rocked my world. I couldn’t believe what I heard! It wasn’t so much the words because the words were pretty benign, but, wow, the way I was talking to myself totally startled me....

There are a few reasons for the growing popularity of these sticks. First, people have become hyperconscious of what ingredients they are putting on their body, including parabens, phthalates, and in the case of antiperspirant, aluminum, too. While there’s still debate in the beauty space about what exactly aluminum does to the body, and whether we should be that concerned about using it topically, the conversation is enough to give many pause....

Of course, when manufacturers were given the green light to farm and sell hemp CBD, options for hemp CBD gummies exploded. And like any supplement, some of those options are good, and others? Not so great. To help you sort through the options, we narrowed down the list to the seven best hemp CBD gummies. All of these brands source their hemp CBD from high-quality hemp (often organic), limit the use of excipients (or unwanted extras), and provide full transparency into product testing with an easy-to-access certificate of analysis (COA)....

This is because certain mattresses and mattress toppers are designed to accommodate areas of stiffness and ensure your weight is evenly distributed throughout the night. However, Shah stresses that not all mattresses and mattress toppers are created equal, so it’s important to consider all of your options before committing to a purchase. How it arrives: Nectar mattresses arrive in a box and can weigh anywhere between 40 and 83 pounds....

There are a few factors to consider when searching for a mattress that’s suitable for your sleeping position. To help you achieve the supported snooze you deserve, we consulted an expert and scoured the market for the models best aligned with their advice. Below, learn more about what to look for in a mattress and uncover our top picks. First and foremost, focus on your alignment. “Sleeping on your stomach is actually the least healthy position for optimal spinal health,” explains Seema Bonney, M....

—Vincent Pedre, M.D., and author of Happy Gut —Will Cole, D.C., IFMCP, instructor of The Elimination Diet —Eva Selhub, M.D. Most often, I see sugar wreaking havoc on the body’s hormonal system. When we eat sugar, including foods that turn to sugar (like carbohydrates), insulin is released to balance blood sugar by managing where and how glucose is stored in the body. This hormonal response is wonderful for managing the occasional natural sugar or complex carb, but when faced with a diet high in these foods (like the standard American diet), the body is forced to overproduce insulin in an effort to keep blood sugar balanced....

When it comes to seeing someone, there’s perhaps nothing more anxiety-inducing than figuring out how to define the relationship (DTR). But there comes a point when you’ve exhausted asking yourself all the questions: Are we talking? Are we dating? Are we exclusive? And now you’re ready to create the boundaries of your relationship and have an honest conversation about where you each stand. Importantly, how someone chooses to define a relationship is dependent on the individual, adds therapist and life coach Tess Brigham, MFT, BCC....

Here, mbg’s resident astrologists, the AstroTwins, explain the four elements and what they mean in astrology—plus how each element deals with love, money, health, and overall balance. Understanding how your sun sign relates to its respective element can teach you a lot about how to apply the zodiac into your everyday life. There’s always more to learn and discover when it comes to astrology, but knowing the elements provides a great foundation....

And respiration through the nose is essential, for so many ways, for so many reasons. For starters, our bodies operate most efficiently in a state of balance, pivoting between action and relaxation, daydreaming and reasoned thought. This balance is influenced by the nasal cycle and may even be controlled by it. In 2015, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, recorded the breathing patterns of a schizophrenic woman1 over the course of three consecutive years and found that she had a “significantly greater” left-nostril dominance....

The latter becomes especially tricky, as restaurants tend to be places to gather and socially connect, emphasis on the gathering. But how can we possibly return to our favorite culinary gold mines while practicing safe social distancing? Kimbal Musk, known for his entrepreneurial expertise in the restaurant space and for being brother to Elon, may just have the answer. So, what will the restaurant scene look like post COVID-19? Musk has some thoughts, plus what he hopes to accomplish with his own spaces....

Thankfully, Sky Organics uses bakuchiol in their Youth Boost line, a natural alternative to retinol that comes from a flowering Asian plant called babchi. It has similar youth-promoting properties but is kinder to the skin. The Antioxidant Day Serum is enriched with organic bakuchiol but also offers vitamin-C-rich acerola cherry extract for collagen production. And because our skin does most of its healing at night, don’t forget the Youth Boost Bakuchiol Night Serum, which also moisturizes your skin with a blend of marula, rosehip, and jojoba oils....

“Any time you have stress, there’s a crossover between the mind and hormones, which become triggers—in this case—for the neurotransmitter, adrenaline,” explains Susan Blum, M.D., MPH, and founder and director of the Blum Center for Health. Adrenaline just adds to the already existing stimulation and keeps your brain and body awake at night. In general, try to get enough sunlight and avoid using blue light-emitting electronics that stimulate the pineal gland....

Devon’s first book, Earth Women, is coming soon. To learn more, join the mailing list, and receive updates, head to www.devonbarrowwriting.com.

For this review, researchers based primarily in Asia and the UK combed through existing research to make a more definitive statement about the impact of antioxidants on the gut microbiome. Antioxidants, the authors write, essentially “scavenge free radicals” in the body. If we have too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants, it leads to oxidative stress—a condition that is detrimental to our skin, cognition, and—you guessed it—our gut. “Many studies report that prolonged exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) can result in microbial dysbiosis2,” the study reads, and this dysbiosis (essentially, an imbalance between good bacteria and bad bacteria) can contribute to a whole host of GI issues, as well as chronic fatigue, inflammation, food intolerances, and even diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity....