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What exactly are refined carbs? “Refined carbs are carbohydrate foods that have been processed to remove natural fibers, bran, germ, and the nutrients in these parts from the grain,” says Lauren Minchen, MPH, RDN, CDN, nutrition consultant for Aspire, an AI-driven visual diet diary app. “What’s left is the starch and caloric portion of the grain, with a minimal amount of protein.” Refined carbohydrates generally fall into two categories: refined grains and added sugars....

Of course, one of the reasons young people are so profoundly confused about investing is because it is a relatively new concept for this age bracket. Aggressive investing has grown in popularity as company-led pensions with predictable payouts have slowly disappeared—and, in turn, the notion of retirement has truly been redefined by the dissolution of end-of-career financial benefits once offered by employers. By their very nature, these plans served as a retention tool to incentivize employees to stay in the same job for a lifetime....

By calling it quiet quitting, employers have pushed the narrative that “above and beyond” performance is what’s expected. “Quiet quitting is commonly being referred to as doing the bare minimum at work, which makes it sound like people are being lazy or entitled,” says Ed Zitron, CEO of public relations firm EZPR, who has written extensively on the topic. “The bare minimum actually means working the hours you’re meant to, doing the tasks you’re assigned, which is otherwise known as going to and doing your job....

In short, inflammation, which is categorized as acute or chronic, is a physiological response to infection and injury to help promote healing. Acute, short-term inflammation is totally normal and your body’s natural way of fighting infection and injury. But ongoing, systemic, or chronic, inflammation can impair normal immune function and increase disease risk, leading to a variety of diseases and disorders, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. In fact, chronic inflammatory diseases are the most significant cause of death in the world....

Anticipatory grief is different from post-loss grief because the loss isn’t concrete yet, so there is guesswork and questioning happening in our minds. “Our brain is trying to imagine what the world will look like and feel like after this loss occurs, which is, of course, very different from living in the reality of the loss,” says Williams. So the approximation may not be close to how the loss really plays out, as grief is such an incredibly complex emotion....

Ready to learn more about this tasty grain? Here’s everything you need to know about black rice. What Is Black Rice? Black rice is actually a range of rice types that includes Indonesian black rice, Philippine balatinaw black rice, pirurutong black glutinous rice, and Thai jasmine black rice. It’s a medium-grain rice that originated in China and other parts of Asia some 10,000 years ago. It gets its other common name—forbidden rice—because it was once solely reserved for the Chinese emperor to ensure his health and longevity, and forbidden to all others....

According to the FDA, half-and-half must contain between 10.5 to 18 percent milkfat. For comparison, heavy cream contains at least 36 percent milkfat and regular milk contains at least 3.25 percent milkfat. If you’re trying to cut back on calories and fat, then half-and-half is a good alternative to heavy cream. On the other hand, if you’re trying to increase your fat consumption (such as being on the keto diet), then half-and-half is not your best option....

Clean beauty generally refers to non-toxic beauty, as in non-toxic when being applied to our skin. But what happens when those synthetic fragrances and silicones are washed down the drain? Unlike green beauty, blue beauty has a very focused goal—and that’s the ocean. The overall ethos is an overarching effort to create a positive impact on the sea, which just so happens to have one dump truck full of plastic waste enter it every minute, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)....

Picture this: a savory and spicy oil comprised of crispy onion and garlic, dried red bell pepper, and chili flakes. I know, I know—it’s an award-winning combination. So why didn’t anyone think of this genius product sooner? The first time I tried the chili oil, I put a spoonful on a plate and dipped a piece of bread in it. From that initial bite, I fell madly in love. Simple yet flavorful, bold yet balanced, I believe this is hands down the best condiment TJ’s has ever created....

“Neck skin is subject to the same external factors such as UV light and environmental free radicals as the face, so it deserves attention at baseline,” explains Mona Gohara, M.D., a Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist and member of the invisibobble task force. “All of these things make neck care just as important as facial skin care.” If you’re interested in starting a neck care routine, we tapped Dr. Gohara and another skin care expert to ask them what types of products we should incorporate, if in-office treatments should be in the mix, and what actions we can take in our daily lives to keep our necks looking and feeling their best....

During—or even before—tax season, you’ll want to start collecting W-2s and other tax forms. If your tax situation is more complicated, you’ll want to reach out to a tax professional to start gathering your materials so you can ensure everything will be ready in time for Tax Day. You may have to wait for an employer, bank, or financial institution to send some materials (such as your W-2), but you can start getting a sense of which forms you’ll need to look out for—and if you need to take steps to lower your tax burden through actions such as putting money into a retirement account or making charitable donations....

But extended warranties aren’t all the same, and often, consumers fall for scams or buy a plan that doesn’t wind up covering what the buyer thinks it covers, thus wasting their hard-earned money. Many of us have heard the horror stories, which prevent some consumers from buying a plan that could actually really benefit them in the long run. When it comes to extended car warranties, you just have to go into the purchasing process well informed....

“You won’t get hired.” These are two of the dozens of comments I received when I decided to dye my hair pink. All I’d ever wanted was to have the cotton-candy pink hair of my dreams, and when I got it, I was ecstatic. While I walked around with a new vibrant pink mane, that was the only different thing about me. I still went to the same school, had the same friends and worked the same job....

Decide on style. With tons of great window box options out there, choose one that best fits best your home’s style—perhaps something sleek and simple for a contemporary home, or a more traditional style for a colonial or Victorian. Think about materials. You’ll find containers in all sorts of colors, styles, and materials; and there are pros and cons to consider for each of the most popular materials: Wood is a classic and stylish choice, but may eventually need upkeep....

This has made it easier for trans, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ people to let everyone know how they’d like to be addressed—and sharing your own personal pronouns (even if your personal pronouns line up with the gender you were assigned at birth) is a way to show respect and be inclusive of everyone. Here’s a quick primer on how to include everyone by using the appropriate pronouns. If that isn’t an option, volunteer your own to encourage them to share theirs....

So, while you can’t control natural gas prices, you can improve the way your home maintains heat and how you use it. We spoke to home and energy pros for their expert tips—from bigger investments to simple swaps—for saving on the ever-dreaded mid-winter heating bill. 1. Service your appliances. Sometimes you have to spend to save. At least, that can be the case when trying to lower your heating bill....

Make Every Carbohydrate Count When you eat carbohydrates, reach for complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain bread and pasta, legumes, nonstarchy fruits, and vegetables. Pick Produce that Triggers Lower Glucose Response Fruits and vegetables with the lowest glycemic index include apples, apricots, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, cherries, cucumber, grapefruit, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, plums, spinach, strawberries, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini. Moderate-GI produce includes cantaloupe, grapes, oranges, orange juice, peaches, peas, pineapple, yams, and watermelon....

Thankfully, bleeding gums is a highly treatable condition that is usually not permanent. We reached out to several dentists to determine the most common causes of bleeding gums and what you can do to prevent the issue. If you suspect an underlying health concern, contact your doctor to get help fixing the problem. “You might be surprised to learn that even a temporary lapse in otherwise stellar oral hygiene sometimes causes bleeding gums,” says Lana Rozenberg, DDS, a board-certified cosmetic dentist at Rozenberg Dental NYC....

Even though today’s the last day to score big during the Prime Early Access Sale, there is so much in store, so you’ll need to start shopping before the deals end by 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. Sure, the 48-hour sale is exclusive to Prime members, truly anyone can shop and save. The benefit of signing up for a Prime membership? You’ll gain access to select unique sales, Prime Video, and of course, that coveted free two-day shipping....

Because here’s the thing: When you smell someone’s scent, it can take over their personality and become a defining element of their identity. Fragrance is something so…intimate that it quite literally becomes a part of you. That’s why picking a signature fragrance isn’t something to be selected lightly. Unfortunately, picking out your everyday fragrance isn’t as easy as going to the beauty counter and aimlessly spraying, which is more likely to leave you with a pounding headache than your ideal scent....