13 Healthy Food

This St. Patrick’s Day, don’t rely on the luck of the Irish for your holiday-inspired dishes. Instead, borrow ideas from these bloggers, who reinvented a variety of meals, drinks, and snacks for a healthy(ish) approach to celebrating March 17. Matcha Banana Pancakes Friends will be green with envy when you share photos of these flapjacks made with bananas and matcha from Create Mindfully. Shamrock Fried Eggs Green eggs...

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That Bottled Water You're Drinking May Contain Tiny Particles of Plastic

A lot of bottled water contains tiny bits of plastic, known as microplastics, according to research conducted by a non-profit journalism organization called Orb Media. The research, conducted at the State University of New York, took in more than 250 bottles from 11 different brands, sold across nine countries. “A few” of the bottles effectively contained no plastic, while others had thousands. None of the brands came out entirely unscathed. Two of the bottled water manufacturers cited in the study—Nestle and Gerolsteiner—disputed Orb Media’s...

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One More Reason to Quit Smoking: You'll Make New Friends, Study Finds

And, over several years, quitters were more likely to start new friendships with nonsmokers, the research found. "I wouldn't say it's a surprise, but it's a welcome finding. It's good to have it documented by a study that quitting smoking will broaden your social circles," said Dr. Norman Edelman, senior medical consultant at the American Lung Association. He was not involved with the research, but reviewed its findings. The study also...

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Is Oral Sex Bad for Your Vagina?

Eighty-five percent of women have been on the receiving end of oral sex, according to a national study released over the summer. (That's equal to the number of guys who have received oral sex as well.) Based on the study results, it stands to reason that oral pleasure is a standard part of most couples' sexual repertoire. But even though the practice is so widespread, there's not a lot of clear information out there about the potential health risks if you're getting, not giving. Safe sex guidelines tend to focus...

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Can Your Vagina Be Too Tight for You to Enjoy Sex? A Gynecologist Explains

You’ve probably heard a woman worry aloud about how her vagina will be “too stretched out” or “will never be the same” after having a baby. But some women also wonder if they have the opposite problem: that they have a vagina that’s too tight and unable to accommodate a large or even average-size penis—leading to discomfort and pain during sex that can make intercourse almost impossible. In general, that’s largely a myth. Fact is, your vagina is very stretchable. “Any vagina has the capacity to have elasticity. After all,...

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Reasons Guys Should Do Kegels (Including Better Sex for Both of You)

If a woman visits her ob-gyn because of urinary problems or a sexual issue relating to arousal or orgasm, her doctor might advise her to start a regimen of kegel exercises. These moves strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which can lose tone due to age or pregnancy. Stronger pelvic floor muscles lead to better bladder control and more sensation during sex. But it isn't just women who can benefit from doing kegels; men can gain advantages as well. “Both men and women have these muscles,”...

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5 Things You Need to Know Before You Try Anal Sex

How many women are having anal sex? According to one 2017 survey of millennials, 35% of sexually active women do it "at least some of the time." That lines up with a Centers for Disease Control report, which shows that 36% of women have done it at least once.  But whatever the number is, one thing's for sure: Once-taboo anal sex is edging into the mainstream among heterosexual couples. Unlike penis-in-vagina sex, anal sex inspires lots of fear-mongering and myths. Hey, we're not here to judge. But we do...

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14 Reasons Your Feet Hurt–and How to Ease the Pain

What causes foot pain? Our feet are the foundation for our entire body, and they serve us well—carrying us around 110,000 miles over an average lifetime by some estimates. But with 26 bones, 33 joints, and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments, a lot can go wrong with these amazingly complex structures. Whether your heels ache or you have toe troubles, here’s how to step away from foot pain. Heel pain: Plantar...

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