Here’s how often men between ages 25 and 29 masturbate, according to 2009 data from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, as collected by FiveThirtyEight: “There is a ton of variation in how much people masturbate, and it fluctuates throughout our lives due to things like health, stress, schedule, desire, partnerships with others, and so forth,” sex and relationship therapist Shadeen Francis, LMFT, tells mbg. Masturbation is a common and very low-risk habit, and in fact, masturbation comes with many health benefits....

But in the last year, it’s also become the unlikely home to another beauty consumer and brand: The kind that cross-references the Environmental Working Group’s website on a regular basis and whose routine defaults to less is more. Sephora, in what seemed nearly unthinkable only a few years prior, became a clean beauty hub—if not the go-to clean retailer for many. But by the time they launched their clean section last year—which included a verified stamp of approval, designated section on the website, and an official list of nasties—things had changed....

Vivian and her adult daughter, Alicia, talk on the phone every day. Though they live across the country from each other—Vivian in San Francisco and Alicia in New York—they are quite close. Alicia often dwells on how well things had been going that day before the incident. She has a favorite phrase she always deploys at the end of these tales of plans gone awry: “It’s always something!” Vivian is baffled by this....

I know this story well because it was mine. I was brushed off by Western medicine because symptoms like headaches, constipation, and stomach pain are difficult to diagnose and after a while, they said, “There is nothing you can do.” So, I said, “Hell no,” rolled up my denim sleeves, and did it myself. I used myself as a guinea pig to test every strategy to heal my digestive disorders. I played with everything from private health care treatments to red reishi mushroom supplements to New Age healers....

My first few weeks in grad school, it felt like I was asked this question daily. Thinking about the future would make my mind go blank. How could I not know what I wanted to do in five years? I still get asked that question, and while it makes my heart pound, it’s not out of fear of not knowing the answer. It’s out of excitement and anticipation for achieving my vision....

While this is an exciting time with you moving in a positive direction, there’s a harsh adjustment period right after a breakup with a narcissist. You feel up and down, over and over—it’s as much of a roller coaster as your relationship itself. So here’s exactly how to get over a narcissist, once and for all. After you leave your abusive relationship, this habitual pattern of analysis will continue until you force it to stop....

And while factors like diet and exercise play a major role in balancing your blood sugar, ultimately it comes down to—like so many other things—your gut. All of this is regulated by a complex process involving your liver, small intestine, and pancreas (aka the gut). The pancreas releases a hormone called insulin, which allows your cells to absorb that sweet, delicious glucose in the first place. Those with type 2 diabetes however, produce less insulin—or their insulin isn’t working as it should—and, over time, they have trouble regulating their levels of blood sugar....