Unfortunately, 46% of U.S. adults1 aren’t getting enough vitamin C daily from their diet alone. In other words, there’s a 50/50 chance you’re missing out on the whole-body benefits that vitamin C has to offer. Still skeptical? Keep reading for seven vitamin C perks we’re willing to bet you’re not aware of: As a potent antioxidant, vitamin C can also protect your joints from reactive oxygen species (ROS): “The primary function of vitamin C is to destroy free radicals in the body....

Pea protein can be found in a variety of products, from protein powders to veggie burgers to milk. Depending on how it is processed, pea protein can be produced in one of three forms2: isolates, which have the highest protein concentration; concentrates, which have a slightly lower protein concentration and may contain some fat and carbohydrates; and textured, which can be used in meat substitutes. When sold as a protein powder, in the isolate form, pea protein typically has around 25 grams of protein per 100-calorie serving....

Suboptimal gut flora opens the door for unfriendly microbes to step in and disrupt balance. Think of probiotics as little helpers that restore order and help maintain harmony in the gut ecosystem.* You want them to outnumber and antagonize the unwelcome bugs, including unfavorable bacteria, yeast, and parasites.* Probiotic bacteria actually compete against unfriendly flora for bacterial binding sites on the inside lining of your intestines, further protecting you.* One way to populate your gut with probiotics, to promote or restore harmony and get all their many benefits, is with the right foods, which support the growth and proliferation of the good bacteria that crowd out the bad ones....

You may be familiar with the risk of over-exfoliation (and even contact dermatitis) that comes with overusing retinoids. This is relatively easy to spot when it happens, as it likely results in redness, dryness, or overall irritation. One of the not-so-predictable potential side effects? Chapped lips. Here, we’ll explain why. This can happen with any skin care product, including cleansers with active ingredients, serums, or moisturizers. According to Landriscina, a few ingredients may irritate the lips: AHAs, BHAs, niacinamide, and retinoids....

There is truth behind this buzzy term, but it’s more nuanced than you might think. Plus, there are a few ways to tweak your routine to minimize the initial reaction as much as possible. Here’s everything you need to know, from experts. So retinol is not simply causing your skin to break out point-blank but rather expediting the process. Think of it like this: You have some breakouts on queue when you start using your retinol serum....

Sexual transmutation is taking the sexual energy that’s building inside you and channeling it into something else. “You’ll let that physical energy build up,” clairvoyant intuitive Catharine Allan notes, “and you purposely don’t release it in that sexual way.” You could, of course, channel it directly into physical sex, as so many do, but if you need a little extra oomph of creative energy or physical might, holding off on the sex and using that energy elsewhere is the idea of sexual transmutation....

“Aside from the metaphysical uses of smudging, research is showing that sage can also be used to benefit physical, mental, and emotional well-being,” says Reshma Patel, PA-C, MMS, CEO and founder of Ananda Integrative Medicine. In traditional Native American culture, burning sage is also thought to cleanse people of negativity and promote healing, wisdom, and longevity. If you are a non-Native person choosing to smudge, buying sage from an Indigenous company is one way to directly support the communities where this practice originated....