The human body — the ol’ meatsack!!! — is sacred and special and truly amazing, but it can also be the site of a lot of pain, trauma, and shame. Our goal is to help you understand your body; to provide you with accurate, non-shamey information about nutrition, fitness, skincare, illnesses, and health (or “health”) trends; to give you practical ways to be a little nicer to your body; and to inspire you to treat your body — and others’ bodies — with kindness, respect, and dignity.
Here are some of our favorite posts about living in a human body to get you started:
1. 12 Lessons I Learned After Losing 80 Pounds & Keeping It Off
FYI, this is not a post where I’m going to tell you to keep a ~handful of almonds~ on you at all times.
2. 23 Pictures That Show The Reality Of Living With PCOS
Wonky periods, excess hair growth, hair loss, weight gain, and infertility are all possible symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, but everyone’s experience is different. So, we asked our readers to share pictures to highlight their personal experience.
3. Nurses, Athletes, Pregnant People, And Travelers Swear By These $20 Socks
Every now and then, a product comes along that’s so good you can’t help but scream about it to everyone you meet — and these compression socks fall into that elusive category. Whether you have a long-haul flight coming up (we tested them en route to Australia!), are recovering from surgery, or just work some long-ass shifts on your feet, you might want to check these out.
4. Here’s How To Actually Wash Your Hands Properly, According To Science
When it comes to washing your hands, it is not the thought that counts. You have to actually do some (pretty easy) steps to make your hand-washing count, so for once and for all, here's how to do the damn thing the right way.
5. I Tried The Hipster Toothbrush That’s All Over Facebook And TBH I Loved It
If you love your iPhone, Amazon Prime, and Warby Parker glasses, you'll probably like the Quip.
6. 37 Menstrual Cup Tips From People Who Actually Use Them
Menstrual cups are an excellent eco-friendly and money-saving option for people who have periods, but making the jump from pads or tampons can be a little daunting. Our readers had a lot of tips to help you make the switch.
7. 13 Weight Loss Myths You Should Stop Believing Yesterday
When it comes to weight loss, there's no shortage of advice out there. But what there isn't really enough of is critical analysis of those tips and tricks — like, are they physically or emotionally healthy things to do? Do they even work? Should we even all want to lose weight? So we talked to our favorite registered dietitians, personal trainers, and health coaches and asked them to share a widely-held misconception about weight loss they wish they could make go away forever.
8. 14 Products That Relieve Your Sore Muscles, Aching Head, And Sensitive Skin
Our bodies are wonderful things, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a great source of suffering some — or even all — of the time. Thousands of people find relief from the products listed in this post, including some of our own writers and editors.
9. 23 Pictures That Sum Up The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of Pregnancy
Listen, the human body is WILD and nothing demonstrates all the weird things it’s capable of more than pregnancy. The pictures in this post will make you respect the hell out of anyone who’s ever been pregnant.
10. Curious About Jade Rolling? Here's Everything You Need To Know
After seeing jade rollers all over Instagram, we decided to try the practice for ourselves, and also ask two dermatologists whether they thought it was legitimately beneficial or not. Spoiler: They were both into it, and so are we.
11. 24 Tips That Might Make Living With Endometriosis A Little Easier
If you live with endo, you know there are good days and bad days, and because it’s a condition where treatment options aren’t always clear or effective, finding little ways to take care of yourself is essential. Luckily, our endo warrior readers had tips they’ve picked up over the years and they might help you, too.
12. This Acupressure Mat Makes Back Pain, Insomnia, And Stress Seem Like NBD
While this acupressure mat can't make all your problems disappear, it's brought plenty of relaxation and chill vibes into our lives.
13. How To Use An Acupressure Mat
If the above post sold you on the acupressure mat, this post will tell you exactly what to do with yours once it arrives.
14. Neti Pots Are Low-Key Awful, But Honestly, You Should Get One
Take it from me — a reluctant convert — and from an actual real-life doctor: Do not wait until you're full of mucus and begging for the sweet release of death to buy a neti pot.
15. The $25 Purchase That's Saving My Knees
For anyone who has ever shaken a fist angrily at the sky while cleaning floors, assembling furniture, painting, gardening, or just putting together an artificial Christmas tree.
16. 11 Really Simple Things That'll Actually Help You Fall The Fuck Asleep
This tried-and-true routine is pretty simple, a little indulgent, and incredibly easy to customize to your needs.
17. 13 Ways To Avoid Being *That* Coworker Who Gets Everyone Sick This Year
We’re guessing you don't want to become patient zero for your office's cold or flu outbreak, so we asked Daniel Eiras, MD, assistant professor of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health, to share some tips on how to keep it this cold and flu season.
18. 23 Times The Internet Summed Up Life As A Spoonie
Chronic pain sucks — but being able to laugh about it with people who get it can help a little.
19. Is Your Period Too Heavy? We've Got Answers
We asked two gynecologists everything you could possibly want to know about heavy periods and what to do about them, because yeah, periods can suck but it’s possible that they’re not supposed to suck as much.
20. 27 Pill Boxes And Organizers That'll Make Your Life So Much Easier
Whether you need help remembering to take your medication, want a better way to carry around everyday pills like aspirin or vitamins, or just want something more fun or discreet than an orange plastic prescription bottle, we rounded up our favorite pill boxes and organizers that can help.
21. This $20 Heating Pad Is Beloved By People With Menstrual Cramps And Back Pain
Muscle aches, arthritis, and menstrual cramps bring recurring pain to a lot us, and this heating pad — which has more than 4,000 positive reviews, BTW — is here to help you find some much-needed relief.
22. This Clay Mask Basically Vacuums Out Your Pores, And BRB I'm Going To Bathe In It
Just two ingredients, bentonite clay and either apple cider vinegar or water, are all it takes to make this face mask, which has had some pretty dang inspiring results. If you’re trying to look after your skin, or just want a good face mask for your self-care routine, it’s pretty hard to beat.
23. 9 Masturbation Tips That Are Basically Self-Care
Masturbation is a great way to get to know your body and get in touch with what is pleasurable for you. Masturbating mindfully takes it to a whole other level. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain.)
