Besides the general good mood and other positive effects associated with sunshine, our daily sun exposure also has important implications on our health — namely, on vitamin D.

Growing up I considered myself pretty lucky when it came to acne. Unlike most of my pubescent peers who constantly seemed to struggle with clusters of red superficial bumps on every inch of their faces, I would only get a handful of deep, under-the-skin pimples each month. Over time, however, I realized that while my acne wasn’t plentiful it was severely more painful than what my friends experienced, and no matter how many products I tried, it just wasn’t going away by itself. It wasn’t until I went to the dermatologist and finally found out the correct way to treat hormonal acne that I found a permanent solution to cure my pain.

If you’re on social media right now, you might be overwhelmed by the amount of skincare recommendations that are on your timeline. Different cleansers, retinoids, glycolic acid, beta-hydroxy acid, scrubs, masks, and the list goes on. So, how do we make sense of all of these products, and how do we come up with a skincare routine? Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe has tried to clear this up, blowing up on social media with her trademarked method for skincare, called “skin cycling.” Check out this article to find out what skincare cycling is and the science behind it.

You know that feeling when you hear a song for the first time – that almost indescribable feeling of getting goosebumps or chills because the lyrics or beat are just that good? Do you notice how a particular song can bring up certain emotions within you, make your mood change, and remind you of a certain time in your life? How about when you go on a run and you turn to your “pump” up a playlist or on a rainy day you just need a playlist that makes you feel warm and calm? Music can have a real effect on your mind and body. And according to growing research, it can actually improve your health and overall wellness. So yes, we all love singing along to our favorite songs – but it actually may be doing you some good.

In the United States’ “Post Roe” climate, following the landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court that overturned Roe v Wade, birth control has become a contentious topic, given that a women’s right to choose has been stripped on a national level. In some ways, birth control is one of the few measures women have left to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies and to protect their own liberty and social mobility.

Picture this: it’s 8 p.m. on a Saturday and you’ve just gotten back from a long day of drinking. You put your dinner leftovers in the fridge, take a quick shower, and fall into bed, only to pass out until 9 a.m. the following morning. Yet despite your eleven hours of sleep, you wake up the next morning feeling exhausted. 

Millions of people suffer from seasonal allergies and although the symptoms cannot be cured, they definitely can be controlled. When my allergies begin, I am usually miserable and welcome these symptoms by simply taking the first allergy medication I see at my local CVS. I thought there was nothing more to be done and that medication was my only partial solution. However, I have started to follow a few simple tips and tricks that have made my allergies exponentially better and much more manageable. 

Have you ever felt disconnected or disengaged walking around with headphones on? Studies show headphone use can impede daily interactions, make us, and those around us, feel alienated and quickly put off from making conversation. With new insight and appreciation for the world around her, Sophia reminds us that sometimes it is important to leave your headphones as home - and if you do, you might just hear something you didn't know you needed.

The body and mind are often treated separately. But evidence demonstrates that our physical and emotional health are intricately interlaced.

If you’ve browsed social media or the aisles of a grocery store recently, you have probably heard of the “keto diet.” A ketogenic diet consists of a low carbohydrate, high fat (LCHF) selection of foods that many people have taken interest in due to its alleged association with weight loss. While there are variations of keto, the diet normally calls for about 75-80% of calories coming from foods that are high in fat, such as salmon, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Additionally, carbohydrate consumption should be limited, with the typical ketogenic diet allowing for 50 grams of carbohydrates, which equates to roughly the total amount of carbohydrates in one bagel. With the Dietary Guidelines for Americans calling for 45-65% of energy from carbohydrates (Mayo Clinic, 2022), how does limiting our carb intake affect us, and how might it explicitly affect exercise performance?

As the days begin to get longer and longer we all seem to be rejoicing one thing - sunshine! While I also look forward to long, warm summer days, this season I have a whole new perspective. In January 2022 I began working as a medical assistant in a dermatology office as a way to accrue patient care hours for PA school. As someone who has always been passionate about skin care and skin health, this job has been a dream come true and I have already learned so much about the best ways to protect my skin for years to come. In this article I will be diving a little deeper into what skin damage can look like, how to best protect your skin from the sun, some of my favorite sunscreen products and much more!

As the days begin to get longer and longer we all seem to be rejoicing one thing - sunshine! While I also look forward to long, warm summer days, this season I have a whole new perspective. In January 2022 I began working as a medical assistant in a dermatology office as a way to accrue patient care hours for PA school. As someone who has always been passionate about skin care and skin health, this job has been a dream come true and I have already learned so much about the best ways to protect my skin for years to come. In this article I will be diving a little deeper into what skin damage can look like, how to best protect your skin from the sun, some of my favorite sunscreen products and much more!

Our bodies are constantly working to keep us healthy. Whether it be sitting next to a classmate that has a cold, getting a sunburn, or anything in between, our immune system takes over, working to ward off infection and repair any damage. If we do end up getting sick, for example, we might notice big, swollen lymph nodes around our throat and neck. Why do our lymph nodes puff up? You might be wondering, what really goes on in the immune system?

Your body clock relies on a 24-hour cycle to operate as normal, and is required for main functions such as eating and sleeping. Throughout college, it can be hard to train your body to adjust to a schedule that seems to fluctuate every week. It’s even more difficult to maintain a routine if you throw traveling into the mix. Crossing time zones is a lengthy and grueling process, requiring an adjustment period that your body must endure, only to do it again on your way back. So, how do our body clocks work exactly? And what can we do to help us feel and perform at our best while traveling?

While we might not always think about the little “bugs” in our gut, the microbiome is a critical player in metabolism, protection against pathogens, and the immune system. As such, these microorganisms have profound effects on our physiology in both healthy and disease states, and while the field is still growing, researchers recently have been investigating the role of the microbiome in certain conditions.

For many, the memory of being told to run a timed mile in your school PE class is one that, to this day, brings back feelings of dread. And if you lived in an area with a colder climate, required to run the mile outside, you’d be immediately numb and sniffling for hours afterwards.

If you scroll through any social media platform in January, you will probably encounter New Year's resolutions, in-your-face motivation, and the ‘new year, new you’ mentality. While the opportunity to create resolutions and set new goals for the new year serves many of us well, we often forget the significant role rest plays in helping us achieve them. While societal pressures compel us to make focused resolutions each year, the problem with these resolutions is that, instead of trying to help us shape healthier narrative surrounding goals and productivity, by looking at the year ahead holistically, they often just jump to lofty conclusions. As a result, we often focus on short-term goals and how we feel temporarily, rather than looking at the long-term benefits of healthy habits, like resting to prevent future burnout or illness.

You might remember the hallmarks of early 2020: virtual classes, Zoom get-togethers with friends, neighborhood walks…

What I can remember before parosmia is now merely contained to the echo chamber of my writing, merely transcriptions of past tastes and flavors of Christmas meals.

Each year approximately 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 deaths occur in the U.S. from food-borne illnesses.