Author: healthtost
Alfonso Scarpa/Unsplash”Butterflies in the stomach” is that fluttering, nervous feeling you might have before a job interview, giving a speech, or at the beginning of a romance. It’s a cute description for part of the fight-or-flight response that can be triggered if you’re excited or scared. But what exactly are these butterflies? Why can we feel them in our stomach? And can we do anything about them? Threat alert These “butterflies” – along with increased heart rate, sweating and a “jumpy” feeling – are part of your survival mode. That’s when the part of your body known as the autonomic…
moisture and indoor heating can remove moisture, leaving the skin tight, flakes or dim. The key to a great winter skincare routine is not adding endless new products, of choosing the right, nutrient-dense formulas to support your natural barrier and keep hydration levels high. At Tropic, our approach to winter skincare is rooted in nourishment, protection and balance, values espoused by our Founder and CEO, Susie Ma. With a background in biochemistry and a lifelong passion for natural ingredients, Susie has always believed that effective skincare should be sourced from nature, freshly made to protect the integrity of each ingredient,…
P90X Factor stands out because it is not based on one method, but on three complementary pillars that work together to reshape the body and elevate performance. Combining metabolic conditioning, athletic movement training, and intentional recovery, the system simultaneously challenges multiple physiological systems while preventing plateaus and burnout. This synergy is what makes the program so effective and sustainable. In this article, we break down Pillar 2 to explore its specific purpose, the science behind it, and how it improves overall outcomes. Neural Performance Training (NPT) it is the engine of the brain and the movement behind Next Generation P90X.…
Recent global crises have exposed the limits of a universal mortality threshold for declaring famine—an approach that can obscure how famine actually plays out in different populations. In a paper published in the Lancetresearchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and colleagues are calling for a fundamental rethinking of how famine thresholds are defined. The mortality thresholds used by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) were developed for rural African areas, not middle-income urban populations. There are marked differences in how famine mortality is assessed in different contexts.’ LH Lumey, MD, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology…
Reading: 4 minutes Your skin is constantly evolving. Even if you don’t notice it, it’s always working to regenerate, repair, and stay healthy. Each cell follows a cycle: it is created, does its job, and then makes room for a new one. This process is known as skin cell renewal cycleand plays an important role in how your skin looks and feels today. The texture, shine and even performance of your skin care products depend on how well this cycle works. That’s why understanding it is important. When you know how your skin works, it’s easier to make smarter choices—when…
Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a romantic holiday — but in my experience, it often inspires feelings of despair, inadequacy, and loneliness. Whether you’re single or in that vaguely amorous and romantic but ill-defined dynamic with someone we like to call a situation, Valentine’s Day is a time when people who expect grand romantic gestures, bouquets and dates can realize lack flower deliveries to their door. Instead of spending this February 14 feeling sorry for yourself, envying other people’s relationships, or planning an anti-Valentine’s Day celebration with your girlfriends, spend the evening doing something healthier and obviously pleasurable: masturbating!…
Last update: February 2026 Quick answer: If you’re in weeks 5-12 on a GLP-1 journey, eating often starts to seem more predictable. Many people notice more consistent appetite cues, fewer portion surprises, and a routine that’s easier to repeat. In this guide, you’ll get a simple daily routine, protein food ideas, and practical meal categories that you can rotate in to stay consistent without overthinking it. This phase is often less about “adjusting” and more about building habits you can maintain. Many people do best with protein choices, simple planning, and hydration between meals. In weeks 5-12, your routine may…
The book Growing Better Not Bigger by Dr. Sean O’Mara caught my attention given my interests in this blog. He is a doctor who at 40 was sedentary and not very healthy. Discover the importance of visceral fat, which is the fat that accumulates around our organs, as opposed to subcutaneous fat (“under the skin”). Aesthetically, we usually worry about the subcutaneous tissue, as in trying to lose “love handles” or a “beer belly,” but it’s the viscera that has the worst health consequences. Dr. O’Mara found that this is often seen on MRI scans, but is not often noted…
Humans develop sharp vision during early embryonic development thanks to an interaction between a vitamin A derivative and thyroid hormones in the retina, Johns Hopkins University scientists have discovered. The findings could overturn decades of conventional understanding of how the eye develops light-sensing cells and could inform new research into treatments for macular degeneration, glaucoma and other age-related vision disorders. Details of the study, which used laboratory retinal tissue, are published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “This is a key step toward understanding the inner workings of the center of the retina, a critical part of…
After the inevitable over-indulgence of the festive season, many people enter January determined to “eat less and move more”, but emerging research shows that this age-old advice overlooks a crucial factor in weight management: empty calories – foods that provide energy without nourishment, leaving us hungry again very soon. That’s where the fresh mushrooms come in. Naturally low in calories but rich in plant fibers, plant proteins and phytonutrients, Mushrooms help boost fullness while adding real nutritional value — a combination increasingly supported by science. New research suggests mushrooms can also support the body’s natural production of GLP-1, the hormone…