“With the dramatic rise in boutique fitness studios over the past few years, gyms are beginning to offer longer hours and more luxury amenities, like spa-enhanced locker rooms, to compete,” Susana Cagle, senior manager, sustainability product management, of eco-consulting firm ENGIE Impact, tells mbg. “These extended hours and unique amenities result in higher energy bills and utility costs.” Lately, though, workout spaces that aren’t explicitly branded as eco-friendly have started cleaning up their act with equipment that allows gym-goers to help power the building as they burn calories....

The short answer is: Yes, it’s an affair. And no, it doesn’t have to be the end of your relationship. Many people don’t consider emotional affairs to be cheating since they aren’t having sex. But it is the secrecy and betrayal of trust that creates the most damage. If you find there is intimacy, attraction, and secrecy, you are in an affair. As hard as it is to recover from the effects of sexual infidelity, an emotional affair still confronts you with the harsh realities that one of you was willing to indulge their own desires at the expense of the other’s trust and intimacy....

As the health editor at mindbodygreen and the author of the upcoming book Magnesium: A Lifestyle Guide to Epsom Salts, Magnesium Oil, and Nature’s Relaxation Mineral, I’ve spent my fair share of time both soaking in Epsom salt baths and at my desk researching the history of Epsom salts, their benefits, and how we might be able to use them to treat various health woes. Unfortunately, it’s suspected that a large portion of the population isn’t getting enough magnesium through their diet....

For example, recent studies3 have shown that the mother’s diet during lactation has an effect on the development of allergies in her pups down the road. Additionally, research published in 20203 found that feeding puppies a raw diet, such as Instinct Raw, tended to be associated with a decreased chance of developing allergies in adulthood. On the other hand, puppies fed kibble in the first one to two months of age were 182% more likely3 to suffer from environmental allergies compared to puppies fed raw....

In Chinese astrology, every birth year is assigned one of five natural elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. Understanding yours can help you play to your strength and harmonize with your loved ones, co-workers, and friends. We like to think of this system as feng shui astrology because it blends the five-element system that’s used in both feng shui and Chinese astrology. But newsflash: Life isn’t a perfectly staged Pinterest board....

Our brains are filled with GABA receptors. When activated, these receptors trigger a chain reaction that reduces neural firing and brain cell activity. “GABA interaction with its receptors increases the threshold for cells to become reactive. It relaxes the cells and inhibits reactivity,” explains integrative neurologist Ilene Ruhoy, M.D., Ph.D.. When this happens, our stress response dulls, our brains quiet down, and we slip into rest and relaxation mode. Exercising, eating a healthy diet, and practicing relaxation techniques are all ways to support healthy GABA levels in the body naturally....

Grief can impact us all in very different ways, and it can be even more difficult this time of year. Grief can happen in response to loss of life, as well as to drastic changes to our daily routines and ways of life that usually bring us comfort and a feeling of stability. Needless to say, loss was the theme of my year. And grief doesn’t just come from the loss of a loved one....