Learn the benefits of adding maca root into your daily routine and how best to consume it based on the recommendations of a registered dietitian. According to Roxana Ehsani, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, maca is a “cruciferous vegetable (related to broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage) that contains anticancer properties like glucosinolates and polyphenols.” These important antioxidants help enhance the elimination of potential carcinogens from the body and may potentially reduce tumor growth....

Resolving roommate conflicts is its own beast—have you tried our guide to splitting up household chores?—but creating a cohesive space that has room for every roommate’s distinct style and includes intentional furnishing selections can help eliminate tension. We spoke with Sophie Wilkinson, the head of design and construction at Common, a co-living residential company, about how her team develops shared spaces that are both tasteful and capable of diffusing roommate arguments....

Of course, making a good salary has its perks, but sometimes—no matter how many digits are on that paycheck—it isn’t worth the tradeoffs in terms of health, mental well-being, and work-life balance. 5 Signs Your Job Isn’t Worth It If you’re at a crossroads, contemplating whether to stick it out or take a hike, consider these five signs that your job may no longer be worth the money. Your health and mindset are suffering Most jobs are served up with a side of stress, but if it’s contributing to a major decline in your overall physical or mental health (or both!...

Knee pain can come on suddenly, or develop over time and hurt for an extended period. While there are numerous causes of knee pain, Knauf lists the most common as muscle weakness, referred pain from the low back or hip, arthritis, foot issues such as flat feet, direct trauma, poor alignment, poor body posture, auto accidents, excess weight for your body type, and overuse. If you’re dealing with knee pain, identifying the cause is crucial....

Start With Chicken Stock Ali Slagle, recipe developer and author of I Dream of Dinner, recommends cooking chicken in chicken stock to jumpstart the process of making a rich, chicken-y base. Find a store-bought chicken stock that you like (Slagle prefers Swanson), and use that instead of—or in addition to—water when cooking your chicken to amp up the broth’s flavor. “This is especially worthwhile if you’re making soup with boneless, skinless chicken, since the bones and skin contribute so much of the soup’s flavor,” Slagle notes....

According to the CDC, cleaning “refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. It does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.” Disinfecting, on the other hand, “refers to using chemicals, for example, EPA-registered disinfectants, to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection....

1. Send an Invitation Make this picnic extra special by sending her an invitation to join you for lunch. Craft your own paper invite and include a heartfelt Mother’s Day quote, or repurpose one of our last-minute printable Mother’s Day cards into a pretty invitation. 3. Bring a Basket The key to a good picnic is a cute-yet-functional picnic basket to hold your sandwiches, chips, and cookies. If you’ll be traveling to a park or beach, be sure to choose a sturdy basket with a lid that securely closes....

Thanks to the plethora of podcasts out there, you now have feel-good motivation right at your fingertips. “Podcasts are nearly always free and easily accessible from anywhere,” says Sarah Pace, certified health and wellness coach and a program management and engagement at HealthFitness. “Podcasts help the listener gain insight into perspectives they may not have been exposed to before, especially when listening to conversational podcasts that include guests or co-hosts....

File, Shred, Do Like all makeovers, you need to declutter before you can get to the good stuff. For all of those stacks of paperwork that have accumulated, make three piles: file, shred, do. File what you need to, like statements, invoices, and receipts. Shred or toss what you don’t need. Finally, handle whatever it is you have to do. Maybe it’s a bill you need to pay or an appointment you need to inquire about…whatever you’ve been putting off, tackle it and get it done!...

1. Match Deck Colors to Your Home’s Exterior Your deck colors should be a cohesive part of your home’s exterior color scheme. To help guide your choice of paint or stain colors, consider the existing shades on your siding, trim, and other exterior elements. You can pull out one of the hues used elsewhere on the facade for your deck or select an accent color that blends with your home’s style....

Chronic inflammation, however, happens when our body’s “fending off” response persists and leaves us in a constant state of alert. And it’s no secret that it can be detrimental to our health: Chronic inflammation has been linked to various diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. The good news is that we can use food to combat chronic inflammation. Instead of focusing on all the obvious inflammatory foods—sugar, soda, refined carbs, alcohol, red meat, and processed foods—let’s hone in on the delicious ingredients you can load up on to reduce inflammation....

For example, in many modalities of psychotherapy, you can expect to sit across from a therapist, who will ask direct questions to get to the root of what’s bothering you. But rather than having you attempt to figure out solutions on your own while you share your problems (though that does occasionally happen), your therapist may make specific suggestions for new ways to think and behave to help you feel happier and more in control....

Simply stated, potassium is a mineral that’s classified as an electrolyte, because it’s highly reactive in water. When dissolved in water, potassium produces ions that are positively charged. This ability to conduct electricity is what makes it an integral part of our body’s ability to function properly. Its importance for our health cannot be emphasized enough. “Potassium helps with many processes in the body, including water regulation in and out of the cells, sending nerve signals, and controlling muscle contractions,” explains Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, and founder of Real Nutrition....

Add these plants to summer containers on your patio or porch so you can sit and enjoy their fragrance. Or, you could grow a few of these annuals together in a cutting garden, then snip the blooms for fresh bouquets and flower arrangements. Each of these plants has a distinct fragrance that will make your garden even more inviting. Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Buy It: 50 Heliotrope Seeds ($7, Etsy) Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 5 feet tall, depending on variety Buy It: ‘Grandiflora’ Flowering Tobacco ($3, Swallowtail Garden Seeds) Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Buy It: ‘Lemon Swirl’ Four O’Clock Seeds ($3, Select Seeds) Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: Up to 15 feet tall Buy It: Giant White Moonflower Seeds ($5, Burpee) Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Buy It: ‘Red Velour’ Petunia Seeds ($6, Park Seed)...

If hosting, the right roasting pan for Thanksgiving turkey is a must, along with an instant-read thermometer and a fat separator to help yield a silky and smooth gravy. And don’t forget the baster for maximum reach when pouring pan juices over the turkey for a golden skin. Before it’s time to cut the turkey with an electric knife (comes in handy to help keep the skin from tearing), you’ll need to tend to the sides....

One surefire way to beat the heat when you’re trying to get in some quality Zzzs is to invest in a set of cooling sheets. When shopping for this type of bedding (which is ideal for summer, but great for year-round use as well), it’s important to read the fabric details of what you’re buying. Look for materials like cotton, percale, linen, and bamboo, which are all known to regulate body temperature and hold on to the coolness in the room that your air conditioner works so hard to create....

1. Know what you want before hiring a contractor. As the client, you are the one driving the process. Before speaking with contractors, spend time thinking about your goals for the project, such as what it might look like, the amenities you want, and so on. If you don’t know how to translate your goals into specific features or products, hire a design consultant or a design-build firm that can offer that service....

When you consider a plant in your backyard a weed because you didn’t plant it there, you may decide it should be uprooted and tossed out. But then you’d be missing out on a big opportunity: Many of those untamed plants are not only edible but also delicious and healthy for you. Whether you have a large yard, a raised-bed garden, or even a simpler container garden, chances are you’ll have at least a few of these common plants to choose from....

“I typically advise my clients to avoid heavy patterns. Also, too matchy-matchy is definitely a thing. I mean we have all seen those memes of an entire family dressed in tartan or denim. Don’t let that be you,” says Ilene Squires, a portrait photographer based in Los Angeles. “Instead, simply try to stay in the same color family. If you want to wear earth tones, then deep greens, creams, and browns are the way to go....

9 Must-Have Grill Accessories Available at most hardware stores and online retailers, these grill tools start at just $11. Best Fire-Starter: Charcoal Chimney Our Test Kitchen suggests lighting your charcoal with an easy, affordable charcoal grill chimney. One of the best grill tools for charcoal grills, you need only some newspaper, charcoal briquettes, and a grill lighter to get started. See more about how to safely light a charcoal grill if you need a quick refresher....