Relax & Reclaim

Last time, we covered the big four: hydration, diet, stress, and what's in your makeup bag. Consider that the foundation. This time we're getting specific — the actual triggers dermatology research points to, and which treatments ( topical and oral ) have real evidence behind them versus which ones are riding on vibes and good marketing copy.  Let's get back into it. *ICYMI (Part 1):⬇️ Clear Skin, Straight Talk: The Real Causes (And What Actually Treats Them) * The Usual Suspects Acne doesn't have one cause — it's what dermatologists call multifactorial , meaning genetics, hormones, and your environment are all pulling levers at once. Here's what's confirmed to be part of that mix: Humid environments ( heat and moisture trap oil and bacteria against the skin ) Certain medications, including some antidepressants, lithium, and anticonvulsants Corticosteroids, and anabolic-androgenic steroids used medically or for bodybuilding Heavy, oil-based c...

Your skin has probably been in a war for a good portion of your life and you never even realized it.  The bumps rise up on your face and body at the most inconvenient times.  Most likely, it isn't a simple rash or allergy flare-up. I t's acne. So, Let's Cut Through The Noise, Shall We? Acne advice online is a mess of half-truths, wishful thinking, and — let's be honest — a fair amount of stuff people just made up and never fact-checked.  So in this two-part series, we're going back through the greatest hits of acne folklore and separating what's actually backed by research from what's just something your aunt swears by ( no offense to all the aunts out there ). Part one here covers the four big levers: hydration, diet, stress, and what you're putting on your skin.  Part two  digs into specific ingredients and routines.  With that said, let's get into it. Hydration: Helpful, But Not Magic Here's a popular claim: drink half a ...

There's still a little bit of summer left. How about one more recipe? Pasta Primavera is one of those dishes that sounds more complicated than it really is. That's DEFINITELY not a bad thing, In fact.. That's exactly what we're talking about here. Pasta tossed with colorful vegetables and a little bit of sauce creates a beautiful, healthy-looking dish that seems to have taken way more work than it really did. We're right there with you. This version includes a handful of roasted sunflower kernels or seeds for added crunch, nutrition and umami ; * sunflower kernels may just be the answer to that empty bowl. A note on the name, 'Primavera' Before getting into the recipe, let's take a moment to recognize Italian language, which is responsible for some of the most beautiful words ever invented, including 'primavera' (the name of this dish). It's root comes to us from the Latin term 'primo vere,' which also means 'spring. The wo...

🎶 When your stress is outta range and you don't feel good, Who ya' gonna call?? STRESS-BUSTERS!!! 🎶 Okay, that was a terrible rendition of the original "Ghostbusters" movie theme song, but it did fit the theme of this article. So there.. Anyway, here's a pattern worth noticing: most of what stresses us out today isn't actually about today.  It's Monday's deadline still rattling around your head on Tuesday.  It's an argument from last week that you're still relitigating in the shower . Stress builds when we let yesterday's leftovers pile up on top of today's plate, and eventually the plate just can't hold any more. The fix isn't complicated, even if it's not always easy. Let go of yesterday.  Deal with today . Repeat.  Here are five ways to actually do that, not just nod along and keep scrolling. 1. Hit the Reset Button on Purpose Right now, decide to drop every thought still lingering from yesterday. Just...

In this article, we're going guilt-free... The Cambridge English Dictionary defines "guilt-free" as "... allowing you to enjoy something without feeling unhappy that you are doing something bad ."  In other words, it's all about the ability to enjoy something without having to worry about the consequences it may entail for your health, specifically your nutrition.  Traditionally, snacks have been seen as guilty pleasures with a reputation of being unhealthy and even as the enemy. But, this is not necessarily true, as you can easily enjoy a variety of wholesome foods that can satisfy your cravings without the negative impact on your health. Frankensnacks, anyone? Mary Shelley wrote: "Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus" in January of 1818 .  It focused on a mad scientist named Victor Frankenstein who used body parts to create a new man, known only as "The Creature". So, where are we going with this you may ask? The reason...

Let's be honest. There's a coworker in every office. They complain about everything , they are the office gossip, constantly disappearing when the real work needs to be done, or they act like they are always in a competition with someone. If you've been frustrated by these types of people at work, then this is for you. You don't need to change them to have a better day. In my previous article The Workplace Choir, I wrote about how you should focus on your "part" instead of what others are doing wrong. That still holds true, but here is some advice that might help you as well. Don't Take Everything Personally People can come into the workplace with all kinds of burdens to bare. Things could have gone bad at home, they could be stressed about money, not enough sleep or even poor health. Whatever the reason is, it doesn't change the fact that they are rude to you. It helps to put things in perspective because sometimes an unpleasant coworke...

Last time, we talked about cayenne pepper as a digestive powerhouse.  The exact kind of thing you'd sprinkle into soup and forget was doing quiet, unglamorous work in your gut.  Good stuff.  But it turns out that's only half of cayenne's resume. Here's the other half: this pepper also moonlights as a topical pain reliever. Not "drink some tea and hope" pain relief...actual, studied, rubbed-on-your-skin pain relief that shows up in real clinical trials. So let's turn up the heat again, this time for your joints, your muscles, and whatever's been barking at you since you slept wrong. In case you missed it, here's the original article. 🌶️ How Does Spicy Become Soothing? Quick refresher: capsaicin is the compound that makes cayenne (and pepper spray, and your regrettable Tuesday-night wing order) hot.  When capsaicin touches your skin, it locks onto something called a TRPV1 ( Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 )  receptor — the ...