How to steer clear of dry, irritated skin this winter

Of all the beautiful things that come with winter, dry skin is not one of them. Our skin tends to get drier in the winter, not only because of the cooler air but also because of central heating, which can cause conditions such as eczema to flare up. With winter coming quicker and quicker, here are a few tips to avoid dry, painful skin.

Consider turning the thermostat to a lower temperature: between 60 and 65 degrees is best. If you can, you should also invest in a humidifier, which puts moisture back into the air. Moisturizer is especially important in winter, so use a richer product than in other seasons – and don’t forget your hands. Your lips will benefit from the balm.

It is also important to minimize exposure to agents that strip the skin of its natural oils. Water – especially hot water – dries the skin, so make sure you’re using warm or lukewarm water for baths and showers, as well as washing your hands and doing the dishes.

Sweating also dries and irritates the skin, so after strenuous exercise, change into something clean and dry as soon as you can. Steer clear of alcohol-based skin care products, such as cleansers and toners. Try also to avoid bubble baths and opt instead for bath oils.

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Give your mood a boost with these 5 superfoods

It’s as simple as this: when you eat good, you feel good. With that in mind, here are 5 superfoods that are proven to boost your mood.

Turmeric: starting off the list is the Indian spice turmeric, an antioxidant-rich root that boosts dopamine and serotonin levels. In a 2015 study, researchers found that curcumin, the primary antioxidant component in turmeric, not only boosted cognitive function but also improved mood in study participants.

Wild Alaskan salmon: besides the delicious taste of fresh salmon, this superfood plays host to a whole lot of inflammation-reducing omega-3 fatty acids and muscle-building protein. Fish is often referred to as “brain food”, because it supplies essential fats that allow brain membranes to perform at peak levels, which is key for the regulation of mood.

Yogurt and other fermented foods: the keyword here is probiotics. Fermented foods are rich in probiotics that are known to boost the connection between your brain and your gut. This is vital because that connection plays an influential role in your brain’s sensory processing and emotion. In short, probiotics cue your brain to have more emotional responses.

Coconut oil: while coconut oil has been criticized by the medical community for its ability to raise cholesterol, that may be a good thing when it comes to depression. A meta-analysis in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine demonstrated that low total cholesterol is associated with higher rates of depression.

Sesame seeds: for those who constantly feel stressed, sesame seeds are fantastic. That’s because of their high levels of magnesium, a mineral that helps control your stress response.

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Why you shouldn’t rake your leaves this fall

Somewhere along the way, much of the rough and tumble beauty of the American landscape turned into cookie-cutter manicured lawns. It’s like homeownership now comes with explicit directions: There will be a white picket fence surrounding a plot of tidy grass; there will be no weeds and there will be no, gasp, fallen autumn leaves. This is problematic for a number of reasons.

One main reason is that all those fallen leaves are highly beneficial for your lawn, acting as natural fertilizer and mulch. By raking all that leaf litter, you not only remove those natural benefits but also leave yourself with the need to buy mulch.

Another good reason to keep all those leaves in place is that butterflies and songbirds depend on those leaves doing the winter. Over the winter months, “a lot of butterflies and moths, as pupa or caterpillar, are in the leaf litter.” By raking, you are destroying moth and butterfly habitat, which means fewer pollinators come spring. And that also means fewer things for birds to eat, which means birds will be less attracted to your garden.

Seldom do you get the chance to be lazy and protect your local ecosystem. Here’s one of those opportunities.

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How to keep friends with different political perspectives

There’s a lot to be gained by keeping people close to you who have different opinions. With that said, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to maintain friendships with people who are different, politically-speaking, which is why the people over at ThriveGlobal asked their readers for advice about maintaining such relationships. Here are the strategies they came up with:

Find your mutual joy: Mutual respect comes when you understand that our opinions grow from our environment and experiences. Not everyone’s experiences match our own. If we remember that and ask them why they believe what they do, we set ourselves up for empathy and understanding. If that fails, agree to disagree, and focus on areas of your lives that bring mutual joy.

Don’t take it personally: Too often, people interpret a different opinion as an attack, when it has nothing to do with who they are as a person. When you engage with someone who is passionate about an issue, listen to what they have to say and try to understand the belief from their perspective, not your own.

Respectfully challenge views: Sometimes it’s a good thing to challenge a perspective that can’t be backed up with facts, but make sure it’s the views that you challenge—and not the person.

Seek to understand, not to convince: The inability to remain friends with someone who thinks differently than you is a dangerous trend affecting the United States right now. Having respectful and productive conversations about politics and otherwise is the only way to truly innovate, see blind spots, and move forward. Don’t approach conversations with the intent of convincing the other. Instead, simply try to learn and understand. There can be multiple truths in the room.

Avoid a “me versus them” mentality: Talking politics is usually a way to discuss the core values that define us. So when others espouse a different set of values, we feel less secure and emotionally safe. In turn, we feel the need to defend our values, part of which becomes attacking those of the other person. Political conversations are ostensibly about what’s best for the country, its people, and our common welfare. If kept in that frame, we can all find policies that have both benefited and harmed us, regardless of where we fall on the political spectrum. Recognizing and fighting our tendency to fall into defense mode can help us have constructive conversations without jeopardizing relationships.

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5 ways to bring people together with food

In almost every corner of the world, coming together and sharing a meal is one of the most communal and binding traditions. Food is a wonderful way to bring people together, to forge friendships, and to even save money while having an enjoyable social experience. But if the thought of hosting a formal dinner party seems daunting, rest assured that there are other ways to share food with friends and colleagues.

The following list, curated by Katherine Martinko from Treehugger, contains suggestions for food-based gatherings, both at home and at the workplace:

Start a soup club. This works best at a workplace where everyone takes a lunch break. People sign up, choosing a day when they’re responsible for making a pot of homemade soup. They bring it in for everyone to share. Benefits include saving money (getting 9 free lunches), less waste (no takeout containers), and it’s also a great chance to try out new recipes.
Start a salad bar. It’s like a fresh salad bar at your workplace. Each week, people take turns bringing greens and homemade or store-bought dressing. This is a great way to use up stuff in your fridge.
Host ‘Friday Night Meatballs’. You cook up a pot of spaghetti and meatballs every Friday and invite the first eight guests who respond on Facebook. The point is to spend more time with those close to you or even get to know new people.
Embrace the ‘Crappy Dinner Party’ philosophy. There are a few rules that make a dinner party ‘crappy’, although, in reality, it’s probably anything but! These are: (1) No housework done prior to guests’ arrival, (2) Make a simple menu with no special grocery shopping, (3) You must wear whatever you happen to have on, and (4) No hostess gifts. The idea is to make food-based gatherings more accessible and common, without any of the stress that often accompanies them.
Start a food circle. This is a group of people who prepare food for people in need, whether they’re sick, overly busy, just had a baby, grieving a loss, or struggling with health.

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Aloe Cadabra – each tube is carefully filled over 95% Full of Organic Aloe Vera to moisturize and soothe.

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