For three minutes every evening, I lie on my couch with a Jason-esque mask placed over my just-cleansed skin while red and blue lights shine out of it and, allegedly, work their magic to give my skin the appearance of a line-free, blemish-free baby’s bottom. This is the latest innovation from Dr. Dennis Gross, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatological surgeon well known for his at-home peels). It’s the SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, which is an LED mask that uses red light to boost collagen and reduce fine lines, and blue light to kill bacteria to help heal and prevent future breakouts and redness.

I’m hardly the only one spending a few minutes a day this way. Celebrities like Paris Hilton and January Jones are fans of LED light therapy masks (with Jones opting for a substantially pricier version from Déesse). As are top aestheticians Sofie Pavitt and Melanie Grant (who’s also partial to the Déesse mask, as well as the even more expensive Dermalux mask). So how much can this thing actually improve my skin?

Light-emitting diode, or LED, masks “may stimulate collagen and elastin production, reduce skin inflammation and help kill bacteria contributing to acne,” says Monica Li, a board-certified dermatologist at City Medical Aesthetics Center in Vancouver. “But that’s depending on their wavelength.”

While at-home tools like Dr. Dennis Gross’s aren’t as powerful as professional-grade treatments (for safety reasons), they can be effective alternatives for some skin types with minor concerns, says Li, due to the frequency they can be used. For those who can’t afford—financially or for a lack of time —to visit the derm’s office a few times a month for a professional-grade treatment, an at-home version could be a more feasible option.

Li’s words to the wise: “LED can be safe for everyone, as long as the exact package instructions, maintenance care and warnings are followed.” She also suggests wearing medical-grade glasses or goggles when undergoing any LED treatment, as it can cause irreversible eye damage. Furthermore, for those with darker skin tones, Li recommends caution: “There is a possible risk of unwanted dyspigmentation due to skin inflammation.”

(Related: How to Give Yourself a Spa-Worthy At-Home Facial)

I’m supposed to start seeing results in two weeks. After one, I don’t notice a difference—but it’s not exactly the mask’s fault. Stress and hormones have caused me to be the current landlord of some indestructible blemishes that need time to heal. Although the mask’s blue light mode is intended to treat acne and prevent breakouts, it does so by killing bacteria that causes some forms of acne—but apparently not my kind. For these squatters, I’ve added meditation to my beauty routine.

After week two, my blemishes are finally starting to heal, and I haven’t had any new breakouts. Although I wouldn’t say my skin looks any better than it did before I started using the mask, it’s quick and easy enough to use, so I’m still game to keep this up until I (hopefully) start seeing results.

I’m beginning to believe my skin looks a little more even and smoother. I can’t see a significant improvement in my breakouts or fine lines—but I’ve received a boost of encouragement to continue using the mask every day. On the July 14 episode of the Breaking Beauty podcast, co-host Jill Dunn chatted with beauty blogger Lauryn Evarts Bosstick about the Dr. Dennis Gross LED light therapy mask and both agreed it’s worth the investment—financially and time-wise. Bosstick said with consistent use, the mask gave her a more even skin tone and soothed her psoriasis and Dunn said the mask improved her facial redness and acne.

By week four, I’ve picked up a couple of tips that also make me hopeful enough to continue LED-ing. First, Sofie Pavitt suggests applying a hydrating serum to the skin before wearing the mask, since LED is super drying. (I tried this, and it really helped.) And second, it might take more than four weeks to see results—Dr. Gross completed a clinical trial that found 97 percent of participants saw an improvement in fine lines, wrinkles, and skin tone after ten weeks of daily use.

What happens to my skin after 10 weeks? Unfortunately, nothing noteworthy.

It’s now been over a year since I wrote this piece—and about a year since I’ve used the mask. It just didn’t do enough for my skin to keep it in my everyday routine, though it was a fun ritual while it lasted. Onto the next skin care trend…

Next: What to Know Before Booking a Laser Treatment for Your Face

The back-to-school fall season is always a busy time of year, when schedules become more rigid and life falls back to routine after a slower-paced summer. I created this easy version of a channa masala for nights when you’re scratching your head figuring out the evening’s dinner, or for when your refrigerator is only half full and you turn to your pantry for inspiration. I like to pair this channa with something that complements the tomato sauce well but is a low-carb, keto-friendly vegetable option. The spaghetti squash is a fantastic medium for a satiating and delicious Indian meal that’s light and healthy.

Pantry Channa Masala

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

Spaghetti Squash

• 2½ cups water
• 1 medium spaghetti squash, sliced in half lengthwise, seeded
• 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ teaspoon garlic paste
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Channa Masala

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil 3 black peppercorns
• 3 green cardamom pods 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup unsalted crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon Indian chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon raw cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1¼ cups water, divided
• 2 cups channa (whole chickpeas), cooked, or one 19-ounce can, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• Warming Garam Masala, to garnish
• Fresh cilantro, to garnish

Directions

1. For the spaghetti squash: In a medium pot, add the water and place the spaghetti squash skin side down in the pot. Leaving the lid ajar, cover and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender.
2. For the channa masala: In a separate medium non-stick pot or pan on medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise and fry for 15 to 30 seconds or until the spices become fragrant and the cardamom pods swell. Add the bay leaves and
   fry for a few seconds.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the tomatoes. Sprinkle in the coriander, cumin, onion powder, turmeric, and chili powder. Cook for
   1 minute, until the spices become fragrant. Add the salt and sugar and stir, then add the garlic and ginger pastes and mix together. Add 1 cup water and combine to make a curry sauce.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chickpeas, then cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to cook the curry through. Remove the lid and stir, then add the remaining ¼ cup water and the kasoori methi. Mix and cook for another couple of minutes.
5. Using tongs, transfer the squash to a cutting board. Using a large spoon, scrape out the flesh of the squash. Using a fork, separate the squash into spaghetti-like strands. Transfer the squash to a medium bowl. Stir in the ghee, cilantro, garlic paste, and salt. Mix to combine.
6. For each serving, make a nest of spaghetti squash and place a serving of channa masala in the center with a garnish of garam masala and cilantro to taste.

Note: For a more traditional Indian experience, serve this channa masala with Mattar Pullao.

Excerpted from New Indian Basics, by Arvina Chauhan and Preena Chauhan. Copyright © 2022, Arvina Chauhan and Preena Chauhan. Published by Appetite, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: 26 Healthy Comfort Soups That’ll Make You Feel Warm and Cozy

Chai-Spiced Mulled Cider

Serves: 6
Prep time: 5 minutes 
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 cups unsweetened apple cider
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 12 whole green cardamom pods
• 16 whole cloves
• 2-inch piece ginger, peeled
• 3 tsp vanilla extract or 1 whole vanilla bean
• 4 orange slices
• Directions

Directions

Step 1: Place cardamom pods on a flat surface and press down on them using the bottom of a heavy pot until slightly cracked. Add cardamom to a large, heavy-bottomed pot along with the rest of spices, cider, ginger, vanilla and orange slices.

Step 2: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes. Strain to remove spices, ginger and orange slices.

Step 3: Ladle into mugs or glasses and serve hot, or chill and serve cold with ice.

Tip: Spike your cider by adding 1 ounce (30 mL) of bourbon or spiced rum per serving.

Next: Why You Need to Eat More Cloves This Season

When you reminisce about the scents of the holiday season, cloves likely come to mind. Whether it’s flavouring the mulled wine that simmers on the stovetop or adding depth to a glazed ham, there is something distinctly warming and festive about this spice. To conjure up memories of comfort and joy during the holiday season and the cold months ahead, use cloves to create everything from hot toddies to hostess gifts this holiday season and throughout the cold months ahead to conjure up memories of comfort and joy.

What are cloves and where do they come from?

While we may associate cloves with snowy weather, they’re actually grown in countries with hot climates. Cloves are the dried buds of flowers that grow on tropical evergreen trees (appropriately named clove trees) and they originate from the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The Maluku Islands are also known as the “Spice Islands” because of the nutmeg, mace and cloves that grow there. Today, clove trees can be found growing across many regions with hot climates, such as Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The health benefits of cloves

The true health benefit of cloves lies in the aromatic oil that’s extracted from them. Eugenol, or clove oil, is a natural painkiller that suppresses the signals sent to the brain through the nerves in response to pain, helping relieve discomfort from inflammation and irritation. Eugenol has been used for many years in dentistry for its gentle anesthetic and antibacterial properties, and is sometimes added to toothpaste to help alleviate toothaches and sore gums.

Apart from offering relief from toothaches, eugenol is also a potent anti-fungal and has been shown to be successful at treating infections, such as yeast infections, especially when combined with prescription treatments. Pure clove oil can be purchased over the counter in health food or specialty stores for external use, but it’s important to note that there’s an upper limit to how much is safe to consume. It can also be irritating, so make sure to stick to the use instructions on the bottle. Most clove oils are highly concentrated; for those, it’s best to dilute them with another oil before using.

Cooking with cloves

Cloves are sometimes called the “Christmas spice” because they turn up in many traditional holiday foods, like mincemeat, mulled wine, gingerbread and baked ham—this can be traced back to the days when spices were expensive and scarce, and only reserved for special occasions. Cloves are also found in dishes and ingredients like garam masala, Chinese five-spice powder, Vietnamese pho broth, Jamaican jerk chicken, Worcestershire sauce and pickle brine.

Although cloves are available in both whole and ground form, whole cloves are preferred for cooking, because the whole bud contains far more flavour and aroma. Whole cloves also tend to have a longer shelf life than ground cloves and will stay fresh for up to one year in a cool, dry place, while ground cloves can lose flavour after a few months. That being said, seek out the best type for the dish you’re cooking. Ground cloves work best for baking and in spice blends—where they pair well with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg—while whole cloves are best for studding large cuts of meat to gently season them as they slow roast, as well as for adding flavour to drinks like mulled wine and cider. Just make sure to remove the whole cloves after cooking—they’re woody and bitter if you bite into them. In a pinch, you can replace ground cloves for whole—just use ¾ tsp of ground cloves for every 1 tsp of whole clove called for in the recipe.

Decorating with cloves

The use of cloves extends beyond the table to festive decor, too. Another way to use them is to make pomanders, a traditional holiday ornament that is made by studding clementines or oranges with whole cloves to form a decorative pattern. Together, the citrus and cloves give off a pleasant aroma that scents the room, making pomanders great for gifts, table centrepieces, air fresheners and tree decorations. The ornaments are also seen as a symbol of fortune and good luck—perfect for ushering in a new year.

Whether it’s cozy nostalgia or sweet aromas you’re searching for, cloves are the spicy essence of the holiday season. Incorporate them into your cooking, or turn them into deliciously scented decor for guaranteed good tidings.

Next: Warm up This Winter with Chai-Spiced Mulled Cider

For the last two years, Gillian Goerzen has been heading down to the beach a few days a week, right around dawn—no matter the weather. The swimming spot she likes is only a short drive from her home in Nanaimo, B.C., but two years of swims hasn’t make the initial shock of the cold water any easier. In her bathing suit, she’ll ease her way in up to her waist, pause to rally some inner strength, then keep on walking, gasping as the water reaches her chest. It’s tough, but from that point, Goerzen says, it only gets better. “Now I’m so convinced of the benefits that it just doesn’t stop me, even if the weather is crappy,” she says. “I’ve even dipped in the snow.”

Goerzen’s practice is known as cold-water dipping—or plunging, or even wild swimming. She’s part of a trend, partially pandemic-driven, of people who are intentionally submerging themselves in cold water during the fall and winter months. And the benefits she mentioned? It’s those reported positive effects—improved mental health, a metabolism boost, a reduction in menopause symptoms, deeper sleep—that keep enthusiasts hooked.

The roots of cold-water swimming go back as far as 400 BCE, when Hippocrates prescribed it as a therapy for fatigue. In more recent times, Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete Wim Hof—known for teaching breathing techniques that he says can boost immunity—has gained a cult-like following for his advice on braving the cold. Gwyneth Paltrow even dedicated an episode to Hof and his work on her Netflix series The Goop Lab.

But long before its pandemic-era popularity, winter swimming has been a national pastime in Nordic countries like Finland, where cold-water swimming clubs—essentially changing rooms with saunas by an ocean dock—can have waitlists of 300 people. In fact, according to a recent survey, nearly 700,000 of Finland’s 5.5 million residents regularly winter swim. Katja Pantzar, a Finnish Canadian writer living in Helsinki, discovered winter swimming herself eight years ago while writing a book about the trend. Since then, she’s written a couple of books featuring the practice—including the recently published Everyday Sisu: Tapping into Finnish Fortitude for a Happier, More Resilient Life.

Sisu, Pantzar says, is the Finnish term for a unique type of inner strength that helps you face life’s challenges. “They can be big-picture issues like war, or an Olympic victory, or it can also be the daily things, like… I need to have that difficult conversation with my boss, or my spouse,” she explains. “You tap into sisu, and the grit or the fortitude is the courage.” Practicing small stressors—like cold-water swimming—can help you build up that sisu, so you can deal with the bigger ones.

It’s a sentiment that Vernon, B.C.-based counsellor Anna Cahill supports through her work using trauma-informed approaches. Ever since she first saw the benefits of cold-water swimming herself, the practice has been a tool she recommends to her clients, while also sharing the risks of the practice and urging her clients to check with a doctor before going for a dip. Cahill tried it a few years ago after reading about Irish author Ruth Fitzmaurice’s ritual of jumping into the sea every day, which she described as a reset button. “If you need to make some changes—to start a creative practice, change your relationship, change your work—there’s nothing that will give you the confidence to do it like jumping into a cold body of water,” says Cahill, 56. “I promise: There’s just something about the process that allows you to confront your fears.”

There’s evidence that the practice can also counter depression and anxiety, even for swimmers who only dip once or twice a week. Rob Whitley, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry at McGill University, studies how people recover from mental illness. “Part of my job is to elicit from them what really helped them in their recovery, be it medication or formal therapies,” he says. “And I’ve heard from many, many people in my studies that going swimming in lakes and rivers and oceans was really helpful.”

The benefits of an icy dip can range from the simple to the complex, he says. “When people go cold-water swimming, they’re typically outdoors, in nature; they’re exposed to sunlight, they’re in what we call blue space,” he says. “And often they do it with other people, which is a social activity, and we know [that’s] good for mental health.”

Goerzen agrees that the social aspect is a huge part of what makes the experience positive for her. “It’s not just the cold water, though that’s part of it,” says the 44-year-old, who works as a body-positive health coach. “I’m in nature, I’m spending time with other really cool people—and my experience has been that the type of people who are attracted to cold-water dipping are very genuine, kind-hearted people.” (Swimming with others has another positive side effect: safety. First-time swimmers should always head out with a buddy, to ensure they don’t experience any unexpected side effects alone in the water.)

Combine that social interaction with cold water, Whitley says, and things start to get interesting. When the body is exposed to cold temperatures quickly, it tries to compensate for the shock. “Your blood circulates more quickly and in an improved manner,” he says. “It distributes nutrients a lot better to deep tissues, and on a parallel level, it removes toxins.” Swimmers often feel an urge to urinate after they’re in the water—a sign that the body has worked to naturally eliminate waste products in the body.

Cold temperatures also trigger the production of proteins, he notes, “and proteins are typically positive for the body. They have a purpose: to remove toxins, distribute nutrients, to stimulate the immune system.” A recent study out of Cambridge University found that regular cold-water swimmers had a cold-shock protein in their blood known as RBM3, which is believed to help slow the onset of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases by protecting against brain-cell loss.

Cold immersion also releases a cascade of hormones that can have a lasting positive effect. In Pantzar’s first book on the subject, The Finnish Way, she chatted with professor Hannu Rintamäki of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health about the physiological effects of swimming in the winter months. “A dip of about 30 seconds to one minute in water that’s on average about 4 degrees Celsius causes what’s known as a ‘hormone storm,’ as many of the so-called happy hormones are pushed into action,” Rintamäki told her. By happy hormones, he’s referring to endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers; serotonin, widely thought to maintain mood balance; dopamine, the neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s pleasure centres and also regulates movement and emotional response; and oxytocin, aka the love hormone.

There aren’t yet definitive studies on the effects of cold-water dips (Whitley points out that there isn’t a “cold-water swimming industry” to fund them as heartily as, say, studies on pharmaceuticals), but for women, anecdotal evidence suggests that menopausal side effects like hot flashes, anxiety and sleeplessness can subside with regular cold-water dipping.

Goerzen says her own hot flashes decreased once she started a regular dipping practice. And she has used her cold plunges as an opportunity to confront another side effect of perimenopause: weight gain. “I’d gone into early perimenopause and my body changed quite a bit, very quickly,” she says. “I knew there was some internalized fatphobia still living there, and so one of the ways I decided to explore it was to see myself on video.” She recorded herself going in and out of the water as a way to get more comfortable with her appearance, but she also saw a connection with the cold-water-swimming goal of overcoming discomfort. “It isn’t about taking the struggle away, it’s about learning how to struggle,” she says. “I can be uncomfortable, and I can be okay.”

And while Goerzen’s cold ocean dips have boosted her mood and reduced her anxiety, they’ve also transformed her outlook once she’s out of the water. “Our brains are wired for negativity bias—we’re wired to look for all the things we suck at, all the ways we’re doing wrong,” she says. “But this practice of going for a dip in the ocean—it’s a heavy dose of evidence that I can do difficult things. That I can set my mind to something and do it.”

Next: The Health Benefits of Open-Water Swimming

Let’s be honest: We’ve all tried to copy a sex move we’ve seen in a saucy movie scene in an attempt to have our Best Sex Ever. Perhaps you want to replicate the one from Atonement, where James McAvoy throws Keira Knightley up against a library bookshelf, slides his hand under her dress, she gasps, shelves creak and…you know the rest. Or maybe your jam is Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig’s sexcapades in Bridesmaids, which involved her legs being thrown around like windshield wipers. We’re not here to judge.

The truth is while these sex moves might look mind-blowing (or at least interesting), we can’t label one as being better than the next because there’s actually no such thing as a universal “best” sex position. “We’re built in different ways, and as a result, different positions ‘fit’ differently and can feel better or worse than others,” says Shawnette Thompson, a Toronto-based couples and family therapist.

How do you find your personal best position? The first thing to consider is how it’ll make you feel not physically, but mentally. “Different positions can highlight or bring attention to different parts of our bodies that we may be more or less comfortable with,” says Thompson. The best place to start is working on overcoming any insecurities, then identifying how you feel most comfortable.

Next, you’ll want to try what Krisztina Bajzak, a Newfoundland-based gynecologist and associate professor at Memorial University, calls a “sexual buffet.” Meaning, consider all the sex position options on the metaphorical table and sample them all. Being open to trying different positions is the only way you’ll find your best sex, she says. Think adding lube (for easy entry and greater mobility), arousal gel (which can heat or cool the area to boost sensation) or sex toys. Also try extending foreplay and playing with angles (a pillow or wedge can do wonders).

Now, about the actual position: According to a 2017 study of 1055 female participants, 37 percent reported needing clitoral stimulation to have an orgasm. If you are the owner of a clitoris, you’ll want a position that allows for direct bean stimulation. This may involve ensuring a hand (and/or a toy) has easy access to your bits to increase the chances of orgasm, says Julie Chang, a Vancouver-based psychotherapist.

You’ll also want to tap into your emotional needs: Do you seek deep intimacy through sex? Kissing, hugging or eye contact? If so, you may want to stick to variations of a straddle or missionary. Such face-to-face positions have other perks, too, especially if you’re on top. “They give the person on top more control of the depth of penetration and access to other body parts,” says Chang. Plus, a recent study found that face-to-face positions can lead to an increase in clitoral blood flow since the biomechanics of the position can stimulate the clitoris—no hands or toys necessary.

In some cases, some sex positions can be more painful than others. This can particularly be the case if you live with a condition like endometriosis or fibroids. According to Bajzak, you may want to try a position where penetration isn’t as deep, such as spooning, side-by-side or standing doggy-style. The least painful position may also be one in which the person with a vagina can control the rate and depth of penetration, such as being on top. If you experience pain at the opening of the vagina, you may choose to opt for non-penetrative sex, and concentrate on clitoral stimulation, oral sex, mutual masturbation, or frottage (dry humping) instead.

Whatever the case, assuming one type of sex is the best is a disservice to yourself, as is believing vaginal penetration and orgasm are the end all, be all of good sex. So why not take another walk by the sexual buffet—there’s sure to be a few enticing options calling your name.

Next: Why Squirting Orgasms Are a (Really) Good Thing—And How to Have One

Thirty years ago, a couple enterprising scientists from NASA decided to investigate whether a class of pollutants called volatile organic chemicals—found in common products like paint, nail polish and shampoo—could be removed from the air by indoor house plants. Results looked good: In just 24 hours, English ivy, for example, seemed to absorb two-thirds of the formaldehyde it encountered. NASA was chuffed. “If man is to move into closed environments, on Earth or in space,” the report declared, “he must take along nature’s life support system.”

The study propagated a thousand articles about the air-purifying potential of indoor plants. There was just one problem: These experiments worked in super-closed environments, like an airtight lab or, you know, a rocket ship. But man currently lives in something a little larger, and to replicate these effects in your own home, researchers estimate you’d need to deposit roughly 10 plants into each square foot.

Still! Don’t go dumping your ferns just yet. While plants might not meaningfully transform the air quality of your semi-detached, they do offer a host of health benefits that could help both professionally (concentration, creativity) and personally (composure, stress relief). Better still, you don’t have to blast off in a spacecraft to reap these rewards.

Of course, some academic papers tend to be a tad vague about which exact house plant they used in, say, their big productivity experiment, and that doesn’t help much on a trip to the garden store. That’s why we scoured the journals to find specific, science-backed recommendations—so you can tailor your set-up to whatever perk you need. Read on to see which studies plant the right seed.

(Related: 4 Times in Your Life You Should Definitely Be Using an Air Purifier)

Large, leafy plants

In one study of UK office workers, researchers scattered around “an array of green, large-leafed plants” with an average height of 3 feet—at least two of which were in the direct sightline of each desk. After just three weeks, the academics from four universities in Australia, the UK and the Netherlands determined that workers were 15 percent more productive in a green space.

Those same academics repeated their experiment in both a Dutch call centre and a large British consultancy firm, finding that plant life increased self-reported levels of workplace satisfaction and concentration—which might be handy if the pandemic has wreaked havoc on your attention span.

Corn plant

A small Japanese study found that participants in a work-association task came up with more creative answers sitting next to a five-foot-high massangeana dracaena (or corn plant) than they did in an empty room. Plant-adjacent participants also showed more creativity than those who—and it gives us no pleasure to report this—completed their task next to a stack of magazines instead.

ZZ Plant

Nobody likes a hospital waiting room—but for Dutch patients with an appointment in the radiology department, the mere presence of a Zamioculcas (or ZZ plant) led them to report lower levels of stress.

Ivy

Boost your energy or provide tranquility? Get you a plant that can do both. An Egyptian study found that hedera helix (or English ivy) affected different emotions based on the colour of its leaves. Bright green and greenish-yellow varieties were associated with feelings of calm and comfort, while reddish or darker green leaves lent a bit more oomph.

Ficus

The Royal Horticultural Society and the University of Reading held a beauty contest, and one plant ran away with it: The Ficus benjamina (or weeping fig) had the greatest impact on respondents’ feelings of well-being. Still, researchers noted that any lush green plant with a rounded canopy should provide an emotional lift.

Pilea, Palms and Philodendron

Do you want to feel a little more resilient? Or at least a little more willing to submerge your hand in ice water for five minutes? Researchers from Washington State University found that the presence of Pilea nummulariifolia (creeping Charlie), bamboo palms or a heart-leafed philodendron may significantly increase subjects’ pain tolerance, compared to an empty room and a room filled with brightly coloured objects.

Pothos

South Korean researchers busted out the brain monitors and determined that our oxyhemoglobin concentration dips in the prefrontal cortex when we look at plants, which just means we become far more physiologically relaxed. They used a pothos for their study—always a good choice, since the Royal Horticultural Society paper suggests that unhealthy plants have a negative effect on our sense of well-being, and these suckers are notoriously hard to kill.

Next: How to Start a Vegetable Garden, No Matter the Size of Your Home

Have you ever visited a new city and found your hair to feel a little flat, lacklustre or just off? Perhaps after some extensive Googling you learned it may be because you’re washing your hair with “hard water.” This type of water contains a high level of minerals compared to other water, and some people claim it can cause dry, limp locks.

Is that true? Is hard water really bad for your hair? To find out, we spoke to Joe Schwarcz, a professor of chemistry at McGill University and director of McGill’s Office for Science and Society.

What is hard water?

When we talk about hard water versus soft water, we’re not describing the water’s density or feel. Water’s “hardness” refers to its concentration of minerals. “Pure water, like distilled water, is just H2O—there’s nothing else in it,” says Schwarcz. In contrast, water that’s been in contact with the ground, such as water that comes out of our taps and showers, contains dissolved calcium and magnesium compounds.

Is that bad?

It could be—at least when it evaporates: Hard water leaves behind some minerals that react with soap (specifically, glycerin and fatty acids that’s in all soap) and forms a precipitate, says Schwarcz. Precipitates are better known as soap scum—that gross white film that develops in tubs, sinks and showers.

Soap scum is actually why detergents were invented. Detergents (an umbrella term that includes shampoo and laundry detergent), are specifically made with surfactants instead of glycerin and fatty acids because those ingredients don’t react with the minerals in water and therefore don’t leave behind soap scum.

Okay, does that mean hard water is bad for my hair?

No, especially if you wash your hair with shampoo. “Shampoos were developed to counteract the reaction between minerals in the water,” says Schwarcz. And, even if you wash your hair with hard water without shampoo, “you will get a precipitate that’s going to stay behind on your hair, but it’s not going to have any effect on the growth of your hair,” he says. However, it’s possible hard water will make hair less shiny and maybe a bit weighed down because of the minerals left behind.

Are products that claim to counter the effects of hard water useful?

Some products, like clarifying shampoos and water softeners, claim to help tackle the effects of soap scum. But Schwarcz says, “it’s just a marketing technique.” As long as you use shampoo, there’s no need for special products.

Next: Why You Should Tell Your Derm About Hair Loss

Think of this little “pastry” as a cross between French toast and an almond croissant. You can easily make these with store-bought brioche or challah. But it’s also the perfect use for those few stale slices of homemade loaf sitting around. The slices are brushed with a simple syrup or a thinned-out jam or jelly. Topped with a layer of chestnut spread, chocolate, and sliced almonds, this bakes until the frangipane puffs up and the nuts are golden brown. Add a mug of steaming café au lait, and you have a perfect brunch.

Crème de Marrons and Chocolate Bostock

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

• ⅓ cup sugar
• 5–6 dashes chocolate bitters

Frangipane

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 egg, at room temperature 3 Tbsp flour
• ⅔ cup ground almonds or almond meal
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp crème de marrons (sweetened chestnut spread—not unsweetened chestnut purée!)

Bostock

• 4–8 slices thick-cut, day-old, slightly stale brioche
• ¼ cup shaved dark chocolate
• ½ cup sliced almonds Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

For the Simple Syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with ⅓ cup water. Bring to a boil, without stirring, over medium heat, drop the heat to low, and cook until the sugar mixture has completely melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate bitters. Let cool.

For the Frangipane
Using a bowl and a wooden spoon or handheld mixer, mix the sugar and butter until combined, creamy, and almost fluffy. Add the egg and continue to mix thoroughly until smooth. Add the flour and almonds and mix to combine. Add the salt and then the crème de marrons, and mix until totally creamy. (This can be made the night before and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Just bring it back to room temperature and stir before using.)

For the Bostock
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Using a pastry brush, spread half of the simple syrup over one side of each slice of brioche. Turn each slice over and spread with the remaining syrup. Using an offset spatula, spread about a ¼-inch layer of the frangipane over the top of the bread, going right to the edges. Evenly sprinkle the chocolate shavings over top and scatter the sliced almonds over the chocolate.

Lay the brioche on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack of the oven until golden brown and crisp on the outside, 15 to 20 minutes. The nuts should be fragrant and burnished, but not scorched. Let cool for 5 minutes before dusting with icing sugar, if desired. Enjoy!

Excerpted from The Lemon Apron Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes for the Curious Home Cook by Jennifer Emilson. Copyright © 2022Jeniffer Emilson.Cover and interior design by Lisa Jager. Cover and interior photography by Johann Headley. Published by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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Lee Waltham, managing partner at Brandish, a Winnipeg strategy consultancy, shares what to tell your boss.

It means fewer meetings—for everyone, including the boss.

“We got smart with our meetings. Weeklies became monthlies. Hour-long sitdowns became 15-minute stand-ups. Can it be a Slack? There’s been a 0 to 40 percent reduction in the time spent in meetings, and that goes for me, too.”

The shop doesn’t have to close on Fridays.

“Not all businesses do the type of work that is conducive to everyone only working the same four days per week. The big idea is flexibility, and what works best for the business.”

It’ll get people talking.

“A lot of people reached out over LinkedIn. I’m having two or three conversations per week about the fourday week. There is so much curiosity from our peers.”

And—yes—your people will be happier and more productive.

“We surveyed the staff for happiness and job satisfaction and the scores are higher than they’ve ever been. As for productivity, we’ve actually increased our volume of work substantially with no decrease in our ability to complete projects on time.”

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