What is Vermiculite? Plus, How to Use It in Your Potted Plants

This mineral could do wonders for your houseplants if you use it right. This mineral assists in absorbing and retaining moisture and aerating the soil. But what is vermiculite exactly, and when should you use it? Photo:Repinanatoly/Getty Images What is Vermiculite? This is great forplants that like consistent moisture." “It’s great for plant propagation and for potting plants that like moist compost.” When Should You Use Vermiculite? Dobbs states that vermiculite improves soil aeration and drainage for various plants, too....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 184 words · Emily West

What Is Wabi-Sabi Style? This Japanese Aesthetic Will Make Your Home So Soothing

This Japanese decorating style may be the natural choice for your home. And that’s where a more forgiving and organic approach to home decorcalled wabi-sabicomes into play. Learn more about wabi-sabiand how to bring it home. Photo:Ed Chechine/Getty Images What Is Wabi-Sabi Style? Rather than hide the damage, the delicate lines of gold highlight and celebrate it. “Wabi-sabi style is really interesting right now,” says Malka Helft, founder of Think Chic Interiors....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 189 words · Glenn Nolan

What Is Yellow Watermelon and Where Can You Find It?

Step aside, cotton candy grapesthere’s a new darling of produce. Its rind looks like any other watermelon, but when sliced open, it reveals a bright yellow interior. What Is Yellow Watermelon and Is It Healthier? Yellow watermelon is just what it sounds likea watermelon with bright yellow flesh. Like its pink counterpart, yellow watermelon has tough, green rinds. The same rules apply forslicingandstoringyellow watermelon as they do for the pink varieties....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 195 words · Annette Thomas

What Is Yuzu? Learn How to Cook With it, Store It, and More

Does yuzu confuse you? Professional chefs clarify, plus ways to bring this bright Asian citrus fruit into your life. If you’re wondering, “What is yuzu?” Greg DuPree you’re not alone. Read on for recipes and more about this exotic citrus fruit that’s surging in the culinary world. Inside, yuzu flesh is similar to a lemon’s and is very aromatic. Emily Kinni Rarely eaten as a whole fruit, yuzu is mostly used for its zest and juice....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 425 words · Phillip Thomas

What It Means to Drink in Moderation, According to Experts

We hear this advice constantlybut what does it look like? But what does it really mean to drink in moderation? Is it a technical term, an intuitive guideline? Photo:5PH/Getty Images What Does Drinking in Moderation Mean? It sort of depends who you ask. What counts as “one drink”? These recommendations have been adopted by many healthcare professionals as the general definition of drinking in moderation. They share that risks start from the first drop and increase with every additional sip of alcohol....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 288 words · Ashley Olson

What Makes Refined Carbohydrates So Unhealthy? RDs Explain Why They're Not the Most Nutritious Option

Certain types of carbs don’t serve you like others dohere’s how to strike the right balance. Carbohydrates have received a bad rap over the years, but not all carbohydrates are bad for you. There arewhole, unrefined carbohydratesthat come from nutritious foodswhole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. And then there are refined carbohydrates, often called processed carbohydrates. Refined carbs are the ones to watch out for and eat in limited quantities....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 216 words · Meghan Fowler

What Mindfulness Does to Your Brain: The Science of Neuroplasticity

Here’s the science to prove it. Your brain is plastic (no, not like a water bottle). Neuroplasticity is catalyzed by these events, too. Photo: Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong And the more you do something, the more establishedand less newthese connections become. Repetition is the key to rendering a behavior second nature. (That’s how you learned to ride a bike. Now, riding a bike is like, well, riding a bike.) We have more control over our thoughts and behaviors than we think....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 344 words · Ellen Lara

What No One Tells You About Switching to Natural Deodorant

you’ve got the option to thank us later. When I was younger, I remember being so excited to need deodorant. I longed for the day when I could buy my very ownTeen Spiritin Sweet Strawberry or Pink Crush. Deodorant went from being a futuristic fortune to a reluctant necessity. I’ve never been overly sweaty in the armpit area. I’ve never needed to reapply deodorant multiple times a day. But after switching to a natural deodorant, that’s exactly what I found happening....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 299 words · Alicia Banks

What Nutrition Experts Really Think About the ‘Dinosaur Time’ Spinach Trend That's Taking Over TikTok

Is it worth trying? But what do dietitians think about this trend? We asked experts for their opinions. People are eating spinach by the handful in dinosaur time trend.Photo:Kseniya Ovchinnikova What Is Dinosaur Time? As @sahmthingsup explains, the practice isnt meant to replace a meal. Is Dinosaur Time Healthy? No question, eating vegetables is a good thing! TheUSDA Dietary Guidelinesspecifically recommend eating dark green vegetables every day. Its also loaded with magnesium and B vitamins, which help your nervous system function properly....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 215 words · Mrs. Rebecca Hall MD

What Should You Do When Coworkers Exclude You? Our Etiquette Experts Share Their Advice

Then check out their advice on a variety of social quandariesincluding how to deal with complicated family dynamicsbelow. Want their advice on how to deal with a sticky social situation? She is my only grandchild. Photo:Weiss Eubanks/Getty Images Theres no reason for this sad situation, and Ive reached out to my daughter-in-law many times. Is this a new trend? JENNA BUSH HAGER:Well, there is a new trend, which is that kids are wildly over-scheduled....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 414 words · Joseph Jones

What Temperature Should Chicken Be? This Is the Correct Internal Temperature

A food thermometer is key to prevent foodborne illness. Istetiana/Getty Images Chickenis the most popular meat in the United States. Its arich source of protein, and as a white meat, its a leaner choice. Photo:Istetiana/Getty Images Specifically, raw chicken can be contaminated with bacteria like salmonella. In fact, aboutone in every 25 packages of chickenat the grocery store is contaminated with salmonella. So, how do you pick one? Contaminated chicken looks the same aschicken that isnt contaminated....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 385 words · Melinda Lewis

What the 12 Days of Christmas Are Really All About

Could it be plans for a holiday feastor a wedding? (Notably, nearly all the gifts are animals or peoplewhich seems a little sketchy!) But whats the story behind the song? Photo:Mi-Viri/Getty Images And whats with all the birds? Get the answers to the “12 Days of Christmas"mysteries youve been seeking. What are the gifts in “The 12 Days of Christmas”? Does the song have a hidden meaning? Still, you’re free to interpret the words as you wish!...

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 276 words · Susan Mitchell

What the Bottom Drawer of Your Oven Is Actually for—and How to Use It Properly

Using this compartment the wrong way could lead to a kitchen disaster. YinYang/Getty Images Ovens can vary quite a bit from home to home. Maybe you even have a vintage stove with a number of unique features. Photo:YinYang/Getty Images Most standard ovens, however, share one common feature: that drawer on the bottom. While the drawer (or bottom compartment) itself is pretty commonplace, its purpose can vary. What Is the Bottom Drawer of an Oven For?...

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 149 words · Bobby Nolan