First things first: What is gluten? Why is gluten such a problem now? We’re no longer eating the wheat that our parents ate. In order to have the drought-resistant, bug-resistant, and faster-growing wheat that we have today, we’ve hybridized the grain. It’s estimated that 5% of the proteins found in hybridized wheat are new proteins that were not found in either of the original wheat plants. These “new proteins” are part of the problem that has lead to increased system inflammation and intolerance of gluten....

Salt is made up of sodium chloride. Sodium is an essential mineral, “essential” meaning we must consume it from our diet, since our bodies can’t synthesize it. Sodium has many vital functions in the body, which I go into more in my book, The Salt Fix. Since we lose salt every day through sweat and urine, we need to consume some salt in order to live. When we become depleted in salt, the brain seems to react by sensitizing the reward system—and not just the reward system for salt, but the same reward system4 that drives us to other pleasurable activities....

This is especially true of exfoliation. Scrubbing, peeling, and sloughing off skin cells can be an incredibly satisfying thing—and often comes with impressive results. But going overboard is extremely harmful to skin and can have some pretty serious repercussions. “The most important tip is that ’less is more.’ You want to exfoliate just enough to increase cell turnover and reveal fresh new skin,” says Ife Rodney, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology....

Because of this neglect and constant wear, it’s not uncommon to have dead skin around the feet. However, it can still be frustrating to deal with and prevent—so here’s the 101 from skin experts. But can you use these tools daily? “Yes, if your skin is not sensitive, it is safe to give your feet some love by doing a light exfoliation daily,” says NYC-based medical esthetician and founder of JTAV Clinical Skincare Joie Tavernise....

So let’s talk about how to be friends with your ex—and when it does and doesn’t work. According to licensed marriage therapist Weena Cullins, LCMFT, sometimes two people find they don’t work as romantic partners, but there are aspects of their relationship that are still valuable and can be healthily maintained through a friendship. “Being friends with your ex can be a good idea when other aspects of the relationship were valuable to your growth, development, or life goals,” she explains....

Let dirty talk elevate your sexual experience, not hinder it. The sooner you disregard the pressure you put on yourself, the easier exploring the sexual experience will be. Communicate, explore, and communicate some more. A greater sense of intimacy can blossom in your relationship by learning how to talk dirty. I don’t have any panties on. I’m dripping. I need to feel you against me. I need your lips against my skin....

OK, don’t fret. Blemishes are, for many of us, just a part of life. But sometimes they come up during the most inopportune of moments—like, say, the evening before an important day. When this happens, keep finicky fingers as far away as possible: Popping it will only make it worse, create an open wound, and cause an even more obvious scab to form over by the next day. (Trust: It’s easier to cover up a zit than it is to cover up a scab....