D.L. the Administrator

From muscle strain to a sore stomach, pain is often an inescapable part of life. Chronic pain, however, can drastically change a life.

Whether your chronic pain is due to an injury or an illness, it can wreak havoc on nearly every major domain of your existence. Not only can it render simply getting through the day a challenge, but it may also prevent you from performing the activities you love, take a toll on your ability to work and function, test your interpersonal relationships, and lead to poor sleep, prolonged stress and depression.

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Inflammation has gone from a relatively unknown issue to a trending topic, popping up everywhere from IG feeds to food labels. For good cause too: A mounting body of research reveals that chronic inflammation is at the root of several critical conditions, from Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis to obesity and osteoporosis.

And yet, did you know that inflammation can also impact your mood?

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As strenuous as caregiving may be, ultimately, it’s a gift—to the one you’re caring for, of course, but also for yourself. Not only does it allow you additional, intimate time with someone in need (and often someone you love), but it also fosters strength and compassion—qualities of character that will see you through even the most tumultuous of times.

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Yoga blocks may conjure thoughts of novices fresh to the practice, but that’s hardly the case: Whether they’re cork or foam, bamboo or birch, yoga blocks are a terrific tool to help you enhance your poses. From Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) to Virasana (Hero’s Pose), yoga blocks aid with improving the integrity of an asana—or functional posture—while also encouraging more profoundly felt sensations. Intrigued? Read on.

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IV vitamin therapy, an infusion of various vitamins and minerals delivered through an intravenous drip, is a decades old treatment finding its way to the limelight. In an age when robust health has become a matter of vital urgency, the promise of hefty nutrient absorption, and a corresponding boost in immunity, has never been as attractive. Hence, IV clinics are popping up around the country.

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If you’ve ever lied in bed at night with an uncontrollable urge to pee, a compulsion that you can’t renege on, you have had a minor bout of nocturia. Officially defined as waking up more than once during sleep to urinate, nocturia is an order of magnitude beyond the typical “well I’m up might as well pee” situation.

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When you take an array of supplements, it can get confusing on how to optimize the process. Do you take them all at once, wanting to get it over with, or do you procrastinate and end up forgetting to take any? However you roll with your vitamin plan, try these nine simple tips to make it more effective.

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Hailed by many as one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet, flax seeds—chock full of omega 3 fats—support healthy blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Flax seeds can also decrease overall inflammation, are great for skin, hair, immunity and brain health. But perhaps they are most known for being a hyper efficient source of fiber ground into a powder and added to smoothies or yogurt (excellent for preventing constipation). Here are seven science-backed benefits of this humble wonder seed.

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Chamomile. Siberian Ginseng. Echinacea. Reishi. The mere names of herbal supplements sound exotic and alluring. Otherwise known as botanicals, herbs—which can be found in both foods and supplements—differ from vitamins and minerals in that they can be used for health-supporting purposes, and generally support a particular area of health such as bones or the liver. The value herbal dietary supplements offer, coupled with a collective interest in turning away from synthetic products, has led to a surge in their popularity.

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Mindfulness is no longer a fringe activity solely reserved for Chopra and his ilk. The practice, ancient in its roots, is wildly popular in our modern age. 9.3 million Americans engage in it. Globally, that number is estimated to be between 200 and 500 million. Since 2012, the number of kids who have given meditation a go has risen by 10 times. In short: Mindfulness isn’t just a passing trend, but what many consider to be an indispensable part of their day.

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