Adrienne Santos Longhurst

Some people swear that hormonal birth control messes with their moods and causes premenstrual syndrome (PMS), while others report the opposite. So which is it?
For answers, we dug into the research and reached out to Nicole Williams, MD, a board certified gynecologic surgeon and the founder of the Gynecology Institute of Chicago.

If you’re new to Viagra, here’s the lowdown on how to pop the little blue pill.

The pineal gland — a tiny pine cone–shaped organ in the center of the brain — has been a mystery for years.
Some call it the “seat of the soul” or the “third eye,” believing it holds mystical powers. Others believe it produces and secretes DMT, a psychedelic so powerful that it was dubbed the “spirit molecule” for its spiritual awakening–type trips.
Turns out, the pineal gland also has several more practical functions, like releasing melatonin and regulating your circadian rhythm.

Charcoal is currently one of the biggest trends in the world of wellness and cosmetics. It’s become a trendy ingredient in commercial face masks and scrubs, and some people also swear by it for whitening their teeth.

But does it really work? Read on to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of using charcoal toothpaste.

There’s a long-standing debate over whether you should shave with or against the grain.
The argument for shaving against the grain is that you get the closest shave, but some people say you’re in for a world of pain — or at least some irritation and razor burn — if you do it.
So, who’s right?
We tapped Farzad Salehi, barber and owner of Farzad’s Barber Shop in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the face behind the popular Instagram account Farzad the Happy Barber, for the lowdown.
The only thin...

They say the early bird catches the worm. Gross.
Worms are hardly an incentive for humans to get up early, unless you’re heading out to fish and hoping for some free bait. Still, waking up early does have some perks.
Contemplating setting your alarm for an eye-scorchingly early hour? Here’s why it might be worth it.
More time for yourself
If you live with other humans — little ones or adults — getting up early could give you some much-needed (and desperately wanted) time for yourself.
More ti...

Not being able to sleep through the night is the worst.
You wake up — who knows why — and immediately stress about how cruddy you’re going to feel the next day if you can’t fall back asleep fast enough.
Having just one episode is bad enough, but if it keeps happening, you’ll probably want to figure out why and what to do about your insomnia.

Birth control efficacy varies. We’re not just talking between methods. We’re also talking about other variables, like where you are in your cycle and whether you’re using it exactly as directed — like to a T.

You’ve probably heard all the hype around silk pillowcases being better for your skin and hair. Turns out that satin — silk’s just as slippery but slightly more affordable cousin — has beauty benefits, too.
Read on for the lowdown on these luxe-feeling pillowcases. We’ll tell you what they can do, how they work, and why they work.

Hands up if your first leg-shaving experience looked nothing like a pink and sparkly razor commercial, but, rather, it was a hurried and kinda bloody mess with your dad’s razor behind a locked bathroom door.
Your shaving skills have probably improved since then. But we’ll tell you how to master a next-level, holy-crap-that’s-smooth shave.

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst, writer for The Greenest (thegreenest.com)

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canadian freelance health and lifestyle writer.

She writes a lot about sex and drugs, yet surprisingly no rock ‘n roll. When she’s not busy poring over research studies or interviewing medical experts, you can find her belting out terrible renditions of classic love songs to her pack of geriatric dogs or trying her hand at DIY—which she’s gotten pretty good at -- thankyouverymuch.

CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is everywhere. It’s in teas, topicals, gummies, oils, beauty products, candies…literally if you can imagine it, someone has infused it with CBD. But what exactly does CBD stand for?

Along with pain, anxiety, and insomnia, nausea is another ailment many people hope CBD can help with. But can you actually use CBD for nausea? Can it help alleviate some of its most difficult symptoms?

Let’s look at what exactly CBD and nausea are and see what the science says.

With a name like “crush,” you’d think it’d be crushingly (ha!) obvious that you have one. But when it comes to feelings, things are rarely black and white.
A crush usually refers to romantic feelings for someone that go unexpressed. Thing is, crushes don’t have to be romantic at all.
Christie Kederian, PhD, a psychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist, explains that crushes aren’t always romantic in nature. But they do reveal a desire to connect with another person on a deeper le...

Ever had your kid (or dog) saunter into the room with one of your sex toys in hand (or mouth) in front of company?

Had the TSA agents in hysterics when your monster dildo revealed itself at security?

Do you have your BFF on standby to clear out your goody drawer ASAP should you meet an untimely demise?

These discreet sex toys are for you, you, you...