Your Weekly Horoscope for December 29, 2024 to January 4, 2025

The new year starts on a dramatic note in your weekly horoscope for December 29, 2024, to January 4, 2025. First, you experience a turning point in your healing journey when Chiron (which represents your deepest pain and wounding) retrograde ends in Aries on December 29. You may feel more tender and sensitive but also empowered and in awe at your growth over the last few months. Luckily, there’s a new moon in Capricorn to look forward to on December 30. This is actually the best day of the year to set New Year’s resolutions and intentions. You have the determination and grit to nail down your five-year plan and to bring those visions to life! Don’t forget to celebrate all you’ve accomplished this year, too. On the same day, December 30, Mercury in Sagittarius connects with Chiron in Aries, prompting healing conversations.…

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Goodbye Toilet Paper: My First Experience with the Tushy Wave Bidet Seat

As a health writer and editor who’s commissioned more than my fair share of stories about gut and butt health over the years, I’ve long been interested in adding a bidet to my home. After all, many gastroenterologists and urologists are quick to sing their praises on bidets as an alternative to wiping with dry toilet paper (or, gasp, wet wipes), and I’ve traveled outside the U.S. enough to realize just how widespread they are in other parts of the world. I finally got my chance when Tushy released its newest bidet attachment this fall: The Tushy Wave Non-Electric Bidet Seat ($189). Tushy is a trusted name in the world of bathroom accessories with the Tushy Classic gracing many a list of the best bidets, so it’s safe to say the Wave is the latest and greatest in the bidet game. Here’s my…

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Just Wondering: When Should I Be Tossing My Spices?

Pulling out all those cozy spices to make your favorite pumpkin pie or maybe some pillowy cinnamon rolls? If you haven’t touched them in a while, you might be wondering whether they’re still okay to use. Knowing when to throw out spices can be tricky, as they’re dried and technically can’t spoil the way other food items in our fridges and pantries can. The answer is technically yes, you can still use old spices, even if it’s been a year. As in, cooking with old spices or dried herbs isn’t going to make you sick. But, you might want to replace them for other reasons, experts say. Here’s what you need to know. Do spices have an expiration date? Officially, no. Dried herbs and spices can pretty much keep indefinitely without spoiling. But they might not be that potent after hanging out in…

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The Most Popular Sleep Products Well+Good Readers Loved in 2024

Most of us want better sleep and more of it, but when you struggle to fall or stay asleep, "sleep-cessories" can make achieving a good night’s rest that much easier. Just ask your fellow Well+Good readers, many of whom purchased sleepytime products that helped them reclaim their right to rest. Because you, too, deserve better shut-eye, we collected a list of the most popular sleep products that readers loved most this year.Lavish bedding, fluffy pillows, dreamy mattresses, the internet-famous Thuma bed frame—these are the top sleep products W+G readers deemed worthy of going to bed with at night. Better yet? Each item has been tried, tested, and highly reviewed by Well+Good editors and sleep experts so you can ensure they’ll lead you in the direction of dreamland. Without further ado, here are the most popular sleep products and accessories to bring you the…

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The 7 Best Stretches for Shin Splints: Insights from a Personal Trainer

Shin splints can be the ultimate buzzkill for anyone who enjoys running, jumping, or remaining active. This persistent discomfort along the shins can significantly derail your workout plans and leave you benched. The silver lining? A few targeted stretches can not only alleviate pain but can also prevent shin splints from interrupting your fitness routine. If you're eager to relieve tightness, enhance flexibility, or mitigate lower leg pain, we've compiled a list of the best stretches for shin splints that will keep your legs feeling great and ready to perform. First things first: What causes shin splints? The tibialis anterior—the muscle that runs along the front of your shin—plays a pivotal role in the onset of shin splints, says Jake Harcoff, CSCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of AIM Athletic. This muscle acts like a brake that moderates your foot's…

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Your Daily Horoscope for December 27, 2024

The moon hangs out in sultry Scorpio for a few more hours this morning and then enters bold, brash Sagittarius, a sign wholly unafraid of big ideas and even bigger plans. Your daily horoscope for the final Friday of 2024 is rife with inspiration and big-time optimism. Laughter is medicine at the moment, so LOL early and often, and choose spontaneity over seriousness as much as you can, without blowing up anyone’s schedule. If you haven’t made solid New Year’s Eve plans, this lunation might just convince you to book a last-minute jaunt out of town. Aries March 21–April 19 It’s time to listen to the call of the wild, Aries. The moon is in Sagittarius, your sister fire sign, and it can open your mind wide. You were born brave and audacious, but this lunar phase boosts your tendency to dive into…

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9 Things OB/GYNs Want You to Know About Early Menopause

It’s the middle of the night, and you wake up sweating. You’ve also been getting hot flashes throughout the day, and you missed your last two periods—even though you’ve taken multiple pregnancy tests that came back negative. If you’re a menstruating person in your 30s or 40s, these symptoms may sound like menopause, which typically doesn’t happen until your late 40s or 50s. Could these actually be signs of early onset menopause instead? While only a healthcare provider can truly answer this for you, menopause can come early (which is different from perimenopause or the stage right before menopause, BTW). Here are nine things experts want you to know about why early menopause happens, if the treatment options are any different from regular menopause, and how it affects your overall health. First, what is early onset menopause? Before we dive in, let’s get…

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The New Moon in Capricorn: Your Ultimate Manifestation Opportunity

The astrology of 2024 was no joke—full of highs and lows. But, it ends on a supportive and positive note thanks to the new moon in Capricorn on December 30 at 5:26 p.m. ET. New moons signal fresh starts, and with this one taking place a few days before New Year’s, there’s no better time to set your intentions. Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign with the drive, determination, and momentum to initiate new projects and go after their desires. This moon is also full of grounding energy. Plans you come up with are rooted in reality, and you have the wherewithal to bring them to life with consistent, dedicated action.Capricorn is often associated with ambition and one’s legacy. It’s the builder of the zodiac, which can involve being the architect of one’s future. But Capricorn is also associated with tradition, history, and…

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A Nurse’s Guide to a Surprising Nausea Relief Technique: Sniffing Rubbing Alcohol

Have you ever felt queasy and instinctively reached for ginger ale or crackers? While these remedies might seem familiar, there's a lesser-known trick that nurses have been using for generations: sniffing rubbing alcohol. While this might initially surprise you, the strong scent of isopropyl alcohol can often work wonders in calming an upset stomach. Curious how this sharp smell can alleviate nausea? Let’s explore this unexpected remedy and discover why it's still a go-to among healthcare professionals. Why Sniffing Rubbing Alcohol Helps Nausea This method of managing nausea is not new. According to Jennifer Shepherd, DNP, MHA, RN, director of nursing education at the American Nurses Association, isopropyl alcohol has been used historically as a folk remedy for nausea, particularly in South America. Recent studies have supported this practice, indicating that sniffing alcohol can significantly reduce nausea severity—by over 50%—often more effectively than…

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The Mental Health Toll of Weight Cutting in Powerlifting

Content warning: This story contains references to disordered eating and extreme weight-loss strategies, which may be upsetting or triggering for some readers. At her very first powerlifting meet, Brittainy Chown had already noticed a pressure to “weigh in” as light as possible in order to nab the top spot. A former collegiate track athlete, Chown turned to powerlifting—a sport that involves lifting as much weight as possible for one single rep—to tap into her recent appreciation for strength training while satisfying her need to compete. But it took her about a year to finally commit to a meet. Her years of running five-plus hours a day had made her body small and lean. It was hard to shake the nagging feeling that she needed to be “this super thin, skinny” athlete. “I was kind of embarrassed about what my weight had gotten up…

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