"I can’t eat pizza anymore, guys. How bad is that?" Adele announced to her adoring fans at a concert recently according to British newspaper the Daily Star. "Because it’s got cooked tomatoes on it, which are bad for your throat and give you acid reflux."

"How bad is that, that I can’t eat pizza. Can you get over that?"

More: Make your homemade pizza taste like it came from a legit pizzeria

No, you cannot. And for that reason we have a very important message for Adele: If tomatoes are what's stopping you from eating pizza there's hope. And that hope is known as white pizza. You know, pizza made without tomato sauce, usually with loads of ricotta, garlic, olive oil, and mozzarella?

More: Roasted garlic and rosemary white pizza

Adele, we've got you covered. You can even make it yourself.

1. Take a regular pizza pie crust and drizzle it with olive oil.
2. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella.
3. Add spoonfuls of fresh ricotta all over.
4. Top with arugula and/or shredded prosciutto — maybe even some halved figs and fresh rosemary.
5. Bake at the highest temperature your oven will go just until cheese is bubbly and toasted.
6. Enjoy not having acid reflux, much (we hope, fingers crossed).

Now, is all that cheese good for your throat or acid reflux? I don't know. Maybe go light on the cheese, too. But at least you can say that you tried.

More: 22 mouthwatering pizzas that look too good to be true

Selena Gomez is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, but she also gives us major style inspiration and her fashion prowess has recently been very good news for the Australian fashion industry.

More: If you're an adult, Selena Gomez wants you to stop obsessing over child stars

Gomez has been giving love to local brands recently, and last week she grabbed everyone's attention when she stepped out in Brisbane wearing a pair of AM Eyewear chico sunglasses, which according to the Daily Telegraph, resulted in founder Kumar Ponnusamy being inundated with requests for the style.

AM Eyewear isn't the only Australian brand Gomez is having love affair with. During a performance as part of her Revival Tour she opted to wear a custom-made Dion Lee (the Sydney-founded designer brand launched in 2009 by its creative director, named after himself) white corset and sheer skirt.

Pretty awesome, right? Well, that's not all.

Sydney brand Christian Paul is also enjoying the Selena effect after she was spotted wearing one of the label's rose gold watches, a gift from an Australian fan during her Sydney concert. The result? According to the owner of Christian Watch, Tim Caruana, they've been working hard to keep up with demand both internationally and locally — because basically everything Gomez touches turns to gold, or in this case, rose gold!

More: I'm definitely stealing Selena Gomez's make-under this summer

Clearly Gomez is good for business, so we've decided to put three more local brands in the spotlight. You know, just in case she's looking for future suggestions. We have a lot of local love to give.

Zimmermann

Launched in Sydney in 1991 by sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, Zimmermann is loved for its perfectly patterned, feminine designs. They're not afraid to play around with colour or to take risks. But more than anything, the reason we love this brand is because it was founded by two women, and there's nothing we love more than women supporting women.

Bassike

We know Gomez has the pick of just about every designer brand in the world, but she'd be a good fit with Bassike, the label established in 2006 by Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan. The thing that sets Bassike apart from other labels is that they construct simple designs in muted palettes, but they do so beautifully — with new takes on tailed trousers, jackets and trench coats — all great staples. Plus, they also have a commitment to sustainable manufacturing.

More: Selena Gomez is 'unrecognizable' on her new W Magazine cover (PHOTO)

Camilla and Marc

Camilla and Marc already have a strong celebrity following, and for good reason. It's fast becoming a prominent name in luxury womenswear. Propelled into the limelight after their launch at Australian Fashion Week in 2003, the brand (founded by brother-sister duo Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman) creates garments that are effortlessly chic, yet sophisticated. From edgy leather pants to beautifully feminine off-the-shoulder dresses, there is no shortage of choice with Camilla and Marc.

Let's hope this isn't the last of Gomez's love affair with Australian fashion brands.

Do you have any favourite Australian brands that you think Selena Gomez would slay in? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

In a decision that pretty much came out of nowhere for Making a Murderer followers, on Aug. 12 Judge William Duffin overturned Brendan Dassey's conviction for his alleged part in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach.

Dassey supporters were shocked and elated about last week's news and many feel justice will be served once Dassey is a free man once again, but it turns out that nobody was more blown away by the judge's opinion than the Dassey family themselves.

"I was 15 to 20 minutes away from the prison when I found out, and I was pretty much in shock," Dassey's cousin, Carla Chase, told People magazine, adding that she was actually on her way to visit her uncle, Steven Avery, when she heard the news. "I thought, 'Nah... this can't be.' But I went online and double checked and it was everywhere. It was a rush and a shock, all at the time same."

More: Steven Avery's comments about Teresa Halbach's family rubbed me the wrong way

The decision was made because of what Duffin says was gross misconduct on the part of Dassey's original attorney, Len Kachinsky, and Dassey's coerced confession that the whole world got to watch last winter on the Netflix documentary.

Dassey's big break is huge, but that doesn't mean he is out of the woods quite yet. The Wisconsin attorney general has 90 days to file an appeal, so Dassey could still remain behind bars for at least that long.

"Now, we're just playing the waiting game and hoping no one files an appeal," Chase said, also revealing that all other members of the Dassey family are refusing media interview requests at this time. "I know his mother has talked with Brendan on the phone, but he hasn't called any of the other family. He's overjoyed."

Chase also says that her family still has so much hope for Dassey, but at the same time is trying to stay realistic.

More: Steven Avery's lawyer may have just changed everything with key DNA evidence

"The family is very hopeful he'll be released. But like I said, he could get out in two weeks or it could be 90 days. The prosecution needs to have actual evidence to move forward with his re-trial, but they don't have any new evidence."

Were you shocked to learn that Dassey's conviction was overturned?

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

About a year ago, my husband and I decided to move out of New York City, which I agreed to with one condition: Wherever we would go, we needed to be close to an Asian supermarket. Why? Because they are cheap as all get-out. Cheaper than your regular grocery store’s sale prices. Cheap in a “how is this even possible?” way.

It’s not an illusion — there’s no underhanded vegetable smuggling or black market butchery afoot. Here's the simplest way to explain how it’s done: Asian grocery owners don't follow the same business model as American chains do, which involves a stupid number of middlemen. Also, the clientele of these markets shop and cook differently than Westerners do — you’ll see people shopping several times a week rather than making one big trip on the weekends, and buying ingredients for meals where vegetables and starch are served in larger portions than meat is. What this means in a nutshell? Product turnaround is incredibly fast, meaning the food you’re getting your hands on is remarkably fresh — often fresher than your conventional grocery superstore. Ain’t that something?

And don’t fret if you don’t live close to one of the thousands of Asian supermarkets that have been opening up across America over the past decade. While you may not be able to partake in the fresh foods, there are many online-only markets that allow you to order the best stuff to be shipped to your house. (The “best stuff” means candy, because for real, they are miles ahead of us in junk food development on that side of the globe.)

There are exciting new ingredients to discover, new recipes to try, new experiments to be had! If you’re ready to jump into a whole new, exciting world of grocery shopping, here’s what should be on your list for your first trip.

More: 25 Japanese recipes easy enough to try at home

Pastes, spices, condiments

Using these, it’s very easy to make a giant plate of vegetables more appetizing than a steak. Eating a bag of steamed green beans out of the microwave is never going to convince you to start eating healthier.

I will guarantee you will find the condiment section at the Asian market completely overwhelming, so here’s what you need to get on your first trip:

• Miso paste
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Rice wine vinegar
• Shrimp paste
• Xiao Xing cooking wine
• Mirin cooking wine
• Fish sauce
• Thai curry paste
• Ponzu sauce

Don’t ask me what they are; just buy them. Sauté vegetables, throw in a bit of one or a few of those up there, and you’ll end up eating less junk and start dropping weight like 1987 Oprah.

Once you start getting comfortable with these, you can start picking up other things that look interesting, like fermented black bean paste and Sichuan chili oil. The internet is rife with recipes that use them, and keeping a cabinet full of these things will mean you always have a healthy, “gourmet” dinner on hand instead of eating grilled chicken breast and frozen spinach for the thousandth time. We really do make eating healthy as miserable as possible here in America, don’t we?

Alternative flours

Rice flour, potato starch, chickpea flour — all staple groceries found in Asian markets long before they were “a thing.” They’re still there, hanging out in the starch and noodle aisle, priced at about 70 percent less than what you’ll see at the supermarket (and 3,000 percent less than at Whole Foods). There are also rice noodles, rice paper wraps, ground millet, tapioca starch — if you follow a gluten-free diet, it's grocery Disneyland.

Pork belly

Pork belly is the best/worst meat in the world — best in that it’s so delicious it makes me believe there is a God, worst in that I realize God is trying to kill me. Pork belly is the basis of bacon, and I believe the internet has done a swell job in telling us how it feels about that.

While not something that should be eaten on a regular basis if you want to live past 40, pork belly can reasonably make it onto your menu once a month, provided you keep your meat portions at a sane size. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever made in my slow cooker, which means it’s perfect for impressing people with a minimal amount of work. Pork fat has a way of making that sort of magic happen.

Mushrooms

There is so much to taste in this world beyond plain ol' white button mushrooms, and nowhere is it more affordable than here. Shiitake, enoki, oyster, wood ears — and those are just the fresh kinds! I always keep a few bags of dried mushrooms on hand for those nights I forget to plan ahead for dinner. They work just as well in meatloaf as they do in miso soup. Throw some into the slow cooker with the pork belly, and be amazed.

Ramen

It may make you think of those times in your early 20s, when more of your food budget went to beer than it should have, but ramen is not just for the broke and foolish. While the classic 12 for $2 has its merits, there are some fancier ramens that are most definitely worth your time, and they’re cheap enough that you can try them all to find your favorite without going broke. Or just skip straight to the Shin Black ramen, because that will literally change you. Do you know how much time I wasted cooking for myself when all I needed to do to be happy was cook up some fancy ramen with a few poached eggs and sambal oelek? Speaking of which...

More: 12 original ways to rock your ramen

Sambal oelek

Sambal oelek makes Sriracha sauce look like a little bitch. It’s a thick chili garlic paste, where the peppers are crushed instead of puréed. Whereas many hot sauces exist just to burn your face, sambal oelek is bright, flavorful and an all-around champion. You can buy it in tiny little jars or in massive jugs, because there really is no in-between with this condiment. You try it once, and it quickly escalates to “all in.”

Gochujang

Asian markets are where ingredients hang out before they get famous. This is where the behemoth that is Sriracha sauce toiled in obscurity for years before becoming the Drake of condiments. Now all the cool kids feel it’s overexposed and are moving on to gochujang paste. Think of it as a cross between miso and hot sauce: a fermented blend of red chili, soybeans, sticky rice and salt. A small spoonful added to a sauté, stirred into a soup or stew or blended into a marinade will make you look like a goddamn culinary genius. All the cool kids will want to come over. Your slow cooker pork belly with dried mushrooms and gochujang will erase the years of psychological damage middle school inflicted on you.

More: 15 condiments to try if you're so over ketchup

“Health food”

Asian markets are, in many ways, like Whole Foods, except they’re cheaper, and you don’t want to punch everyone in the face. Because of Buddhism, veganism and vegetarianism have been a serious cuisine for hundreds of years before your college roommate discovered it and began posting PETA memes on Facebook 10 times a day. Even in many omnivorous households of East Asian descent, meat doesn’t end up on the plate at every meal. Tempeh, tofu and seitan are commonly used meat substitutes you can also find in health food stores, the only difference being that there they cost significantly more money.

Korean pears

In Asia, fruit is often given as a gift, much like wine is given to a host here in America. Certain fruits are even treated as luxury items. There are boutiques in Japan where a single piece of exceptional fruit can set you back over $100. It sounds crazy, but when you indulge in a “splurge” fruit like a perfectly ripe Korean pear for around $5, you’ll understand. These pears are — and I say this without a moment of hesitation — the greatest fruit I have ever put into my mouth. As a professional chef by trade, I have tasted a lot of fruit, so consider this an expert opinion. A Frappuccino or a fast-food combo meal costs more than luxury fruit, so why not spend your money on something that’s not only better for you but that tastes finer than most fancy meals you’ve ever eaten?

Kasugai gummies

These candies from Japan are my favorite. They're better than chocolate, if you can even believe such a thing is possible. Intensely flavorful without being overly sweet, they are the only fruit-flavored junk food I have ever tasted that truly, vividly tastes like fruit.

In addition to being absurdly delicious, each bag comes with a delightful Japanese-English idiom to describe its contents. While I love all dozen or so varieties, my heart belongs to muscat. It’s a type of grape used to make some of the world’s finest wines and is also the inspiration for the greatest product description of all time:

"Its translucent color so alluring and taste and aroma so gentle and mellow offer admiring feeling of a graceful lady."

If that doesn't convince you that you need to try these, I feel for your sad, dark soul. Because it's true: You will feel the admiring feeling of a graceful lady — Helen Mirren-level graceful — and the joy you will feel is explosive. And you'll have candy!

There is no way to start this story that makes any sense. It’s the definition of a WTF moment. A few months ago, Karen Huger, one of the stars of Real Housewives of the Potomac, posted a video to her Instagram that showed an adorable baby girl practicing her make up. The caption of the video read, “Introducing my family's youngest little #divaintraining #babies #babygirl #babyfashion #RHOP”

When she uploaded the video, it got a little love and everything was ok. But last night a woman named Nicole Milfie went off on Huger because she is actually the baby’s mother.

Here's the recap of the story just so you can fully understand how strange it is. Huger saw a video of a child, put that video on her own Instagram and claimed it as her own family. But then the baby’s actual family found the video and started attacking Huger for being a crazy person.

The whole situation is a cross between catfishing and virtual kidnapping — something we didn't even know was a thing. But it gets even weirder.

More: Not even Andy Cohen believed Karen Huger's pathetic RHOP apology

When the child’s mom, Nicole Milfie, called Huger out, Huger didn’t acknowledge that anything she did was out of line, and she didn’t act like she was going to take the video down. She actually stood by her decision, commenting, “Why u so stupid? Love has no boundaries! #onelove”

Like I said, W.T.F?

As you might imagine, the mom was livid by Huger’s response. She’s been using her Twitter and her Instagram to get the attention of Kruger, Bravo and Andy Cohen trying to talk some sense into someone. I’m sure that if Huger had changed the caption, or apologized to Milfie, this would have been a non-issue.

But when Huger called Milfie stupid for being offended by the post, she crossed the line and everything blew up.

More: 5 ways Karen Huger is wrong to keep her daughter away from Ashley Darby

Now, both Huger and Milfie have given official responses (read: posted a screenshot of an iPhone note to Twitter) to clear the entire thing up.

Apparently, Madison’s, the baby from the video, grandfather is a close friend of Huger’s mom, who is very ill. The grandfather explained to Milfie that one of the only sources of happiness for this sick elderly woman is pictures of Madison, so Milfie would send photos and videos to her grandfather to show the woman.

Huger, grateful to Madison for bringing joy to her sick mother, posted one of those videos to her Instagram to talk about the happiness she has brought to her family. And thus the drama began.

But now, everything seems to be fine between the two women. Huger said, “Madison is a beautiful baby girl who lifts the spirits of everyone around her. I never claimed that this child was my own. What I did say (check your facts) is this child is family. And she very much is. You don’t have to be blood related to consider others family.”

Which Milfie followed up with by writing, “My apologies for the confusion! I have spoken to Karen and she is a very kind woman, we apologize for the rukus.”

More: RHOP's Karen Huger has no right to relate womanhood to motherhood

This is a lot of drama for a Monday afternoon, but we’re glad everything has worked out (and that Huger isn’t as oblivious as some reports made her sound earlier today).

I was still just a kid myself when a friend pointed out that in almost every single Disney movie, sometimes both parents but at least one — almost always the mother — had or would meet his or her untimely death, and therefore almost every Disney protagonist was motherless if not a total orphan.

I asked her why she thought that was and she shrugged. "Disney rules, man. That's just how it is." And she was completely right. If both parents weren't dead, it was definitely always the mom who'd kicked it. Even in my favorite movies at the time. Aladdin was an orphan and Jasmine just had her dad. Belle, too, had a bit of an idiot for a father, and Ariel and Pocahontas were similarly motherless.

More: Pete's Dragon: Will kids love it as much as you loved the original?

Le gasp.

My kid has never been a Disney fan herself, but her all-time favorite movie of all time when she was a toddler was Finding Nemo, a film that she insisted on fast-forwarding until after the post-barracuda blood bath so she could get to the happy times between Marlin and his main dude Nemo. Point being? More dead moms. What the hell, Disney?

There are a whole lot of ways that you can try to suss out the "why" of mothers meeting their untimely demise in kids' flicks. People have approached it through the lens of critical feminism. They've pointed out that most Disney movies require the child to go through some kind of transformation or journey, which is tough to do when your parents are hanging around. They've even speculated on whether or not it's actually a result of Walt Disney's own mother's death.

Who knows? All we have is what we end up with, and what we've ended up with here is a slew of dads doing it for themselves.

Think about it. Nemo's father Marlin, for all of his neuroses, was a dedicated dad who ended up following his son to the ends of the ocean to get him back. King Triton ultimately backed Ariel up, and when worse came to worst, even the Sultan of Agrabah finally found a spine (although maybe he could have done that before his daughter was about to choke on sand in nothing but a Leia-style bikini, no?).

It might be sad that all of the moms are off on a farm upstate where they're free to run and play with lots of other moms, but there's no denying that images of dads being good at being dads is hardly a bad thing. Kids get to see fictional fathers stepping up to be the opposite of what fictional fathers usually are. Instead of being aloof and stingy with the hugs, Disney dads are typically pretty devoted creatures who don't mind braving a wall of poison jellyfish to keep the promises they make to the kids they love.

More: The question we really need to stop asking little kids about sports

In a world where we're really trying to make it normal for dads to do what moms are typically expected to, can it really be ultimately negative for some of the first images of fathers that kids see be Marlin types? Images and words matter. If they didn't, people wouldn't be so vigilant about what kinds of media their children consume. So it is ultimately beneficial for Disney dads to present words and images that ever-vigilant kids can connect to their own lives.

Case in point: How many times have people complained that when girls are force-fed a steady diet of Princess paraphernalia, that's all they'll want to be? It's more than worth it to demand positive role-models for our girls — looking at you, Tiana, Merida and Elsa — so why not do the same with boys? Instead of presenting them with Disney dudes that are limited to invisible dads (Cinderella) or a man-child for every day of the week (Snow White) why not give little boys a devoted, present dad to watch on the big screen?

More: 24 offensive kids' T-shirts that have made headlines

There's another reason that dead and absentee parents aren't necessarily a bad thing for kids to see. Remember that conversation I had circa Disney's Golden Age with my friend about "Disney rules?" The realization left an impression on me for one big reason: not every family has two living or present parents. Some don't even have one. It's really cool to see a family that looks a little more like yours in the theater sometimes, even if the similarities end where the magical voice-stealing seashells begin.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

My friendship love affair with the so-called "brazen hussies" of the world began in kindergarten. My teacher assigned me a seat next to a pocket-sized blonde who looked like Tinker Bell but had the mouth of a pirate. While my plan was to pretend I didn't have a bladder that first week of school, she'd stand up in the middle of story time and announce to 23 5-year-olds that she had to pee.

Before our teacher gave her permission to go, she's be halfway out the door with a bathroom pass attached to a string dragging on the floor behind her. If the boys required a verbal ass-kicking, she could slay them in three words and win back the toys they stole from us. One day, while coloring pictures in our phonics books, I looked over and noticed Tinker Bell had taken a purple crayon to all of our perfectly nice, beige two-dimensional phonics people. After that, I made it my mission to become her best friend.

More: 16 Amazon reviews that are pure comic genius

Tink now lives in Massachusetts with her wife and three children, where she continues to defy stereotypes and pee whenever the hell she damn well pleases. The world needs Tink — and quiet introverts like me need bold, nervy and, yes, vocal women like Tink. You are the peanut butter to our chocolate. We're both delicious enough on our own, but put us together and we become the most mind-blowing of combinations.

Tink eventually moved from our neighborhood and changed schools. Over the years, we grew apart. But other Tink-types would replace her and it didn't take long for me to realize I mesh well with vocal women. While I refused to settle my gaze within 10 feet of my junior high school crush, my daring BFF was moseying up to hers every morning in the gymnasium and slipping him love letters. She couldn't have cared less whether he felt the same way about her.

The important thing was that she felt the love and she was going to make him know she was the best thing to ever walk in Doc Martens. I didn't understand how she could be so bold and she couldn't fathom why I'd waste precious time pining in secret and penning poetry about this boy when I could find out, that very afternoon, where I stand and simply move on if my love was unrequited.

More: Please don't judge that poor person using a fancy cellphone

Smart girl.

In the years that followed, other strong, but totally not silent types, would enter my universe and fill it with adventure and life lessons. People would always label me the "quiet one" and call my friends the "crazy ones" or the ones with "big mouths." Most couldn't understand why we chose each other at all. Each time I brought a new friend home and my mother heard that laugh — the uninhibited, throaty, gorgeous laugh all "wild" girls share — she would raise her eyebrows and tell me in private that they were going to get me in trouble. Their moms, on the other hand, loved me, which pissed off my friends to no end. "It's because you're quiet. She has no idea how you really are."

I sometimes wonder what my brazen friends got out of our friendship deal. Loyalty, maybe, and trust. The knowledge that whatever they confided in me was never repeated. I gave them a white room where they could paint their thoughts in bold, squiggly streaks of crimson and, when I contributed my own, they appeared in straight lines of China blue. Neither style nor shade is better than the other and we both purged in ways that were comforting to us, without judgment and without competing for the brighter color.

And I love them — their madness, their ability to live on 11 and shout "fuck you!" and throw their arms around someone without wondering if there will be a consequence.

But I can't help but feel they've given me so much more.

The co-worker-turned-friend who realized I admired her lax attitude toward casual sex and her amazing stories, but encouraged me to honor myself and not aim to be a person I'm not.

More: I was that secret shopper quietly judging everyone in the store

The friend who told me I'd be crazy not to wear that short red dress on my first date with my husband.

The friend who pointed me in the direction of therapy when she noticed I was running away from past issues. Being the "quiet one" isn't the same thing as being the "emotionally bottled-up quiet one" and she was honest enough with me to not allow me to become a shadow of myself.

The bold sister-in-law who wouldn't let me stoically suffer in silence in the hallway of a hospital when I was in labor — who told my doctor to get his F-ing act together.

Brazen, outgoing women, we love you, we need you, we honor you. Never change.

Baby boys, baby girls — both genders are sweet as pie. You may have not have a preference when it comes to your child's gender, but that doesn't mean you aren't intensely curious starting the second after you get a positive result on that pregnancy test. All gender-reveal methods aren't created equal, of course, so we rounded up some of the most trusted and interesting of the bunch, as well as a few wild-card ways that some people swear you can actually influence your baby's sex at conception.

From invasive tests that will make you squirm to think about them, to good old-fashioned links between nausea, pickle cravings and gender, here are 11 ways you can tell the sex of your baby and how much faith you should have in them.

More: 45 celebrities whose baby names we want to steal

1. Chorionic villi sampling

Chorionic villi sampling is one of two invasive tests that learn the chromosomes, or gender, of your baby, says Dr. Sherry Ross, OB/GYN and Women’s Health Expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. "(CVS) is done between 11-14 weeks and involves a needle that is inserted through the vagina or uterus under ultrasound guidance to collect cells from the placenta," Ross says. "The placental tissue removed is tested for chromosomal analysis." The objective of the test is to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome in women if there's a family history of genetic and chromosomal problems or if the mom-to-be is 35 and older. The test is performed in the first trimester and there are small, but very serious risks associated with invasive testing, says Dr. Sarah Yamaguchi, OB/GYN at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. The accuracy rate with CVS is close to 100 percent.

2. Amniocentesis

An amniocentesis (also called an amnio) is sampling of the fluid around the baby done in the second trimester, usually after at least 15 weeks, Yamaguchi says. "It is close to 100 percent accurate, as it is a test of the cells from the pregnancy," she says. "The risks are minimal, but can be severe. There is a small risk of miscarriage or fetal injury." Other risks Ross cites include amniotic fluid leaking, infection, needle injury to the baby and Rh sensitization occurring less than 1 percent of the time. Like CVS, an amnio is traditionally offered to women who are over 35 or who are high-risk for chromosomal abnormalities.

More: You're darn right I ate my placenta!

3. Non-invasive prenatal testing

This new test, which Ross describes as the "popular kid on the block," is both non-invasive and takes maternal blood to determine chromosomal abnormalities and gender as early as 10 weeks. "The NIPT is cost effective, no risk to the baby and has a 98 percent to 99 percent accuracy rate," Ross says. "Pregnant women of all ages, high- and low-risk, are interested in learning as much as they possibly can about the health and gender of their unborn baby, especially with non-invasive testing." During NIPT, fetal DNA, which is circulating in the blood of the mom, is extracted from the blood of the mom and tested for the presence of a Y chromosome, Yamaguchi explains. If it is present, then it is a boy. "This is not as accurate as invasive sampling, but almost as accurate," Yamaguchi says."

4. Ultrasound

Out of all of the in-office tests a pregnant woman can rely on to find out the gender of her baby, the ultrasound scored lowest on the list for both Ross and Yamaguchi. "Ultrasound has been around since the 1960s and is generally safe, since this form of acoustic energy [uses] sound waves so no radiation is used," Ross says. "There is heat generated by these sound waves and excessive exposure may lead to tissue damage, but more studies are needed to know how this affects the baby and the mother. Ultrasound can be used to check the baby’s anatomy and size, check the placenta location and also determine gender. The best time to perform the ultrasound to determine gender is between 18 and 22 weeks. The accuracy rate will be completely dependent on the ultrasound experience of the doctor or ultrasound technician performing the scan. Ultrasounds during pregnancy should only be doctor-recommend."

More: Parental Advisory: Not everyone loves your 'cute' pregnancy announcement

Yamaguchi says doctors look for either labia or testicles and penis (commonly referred to as the “hamburger sign” or the “hot dog sign”). She agrees that the accuracy of fetal gender depends on who is doing the ultrasound. "A general OB/GYN is able to see the sex of the baby with fairly good accuracy, but is likely not as accurate as a perinatologist who does detailed anatomy scans and has years more training in fetal ultrasound," Yamaguchi says.

5. The "squeamish" test

Polish researchers at the University of Wroclaw in Poland recently discovered that most of the 92 pregnant female subjects they questioned who were carrying boys reportedly shared one thing in common: They felt "squeamish" and experienced far more feelings of "disgust" than women carrying girls. Not to be confused with pregnancy nausea, this squeamishness may be a way for mothers to protect their male embryos, which other studies have found are more vulnerable than growing female embryos. What do experts think? Both Ross and Yamaguchi are skeptical.

"It’s great to see researchers looking at different emotional reactions affecting pregnant women to see if there is any relevance in predicting gender that doesn’t involve the usual channels traditionally used," Ross says. "However, until more extensive and valid studies are performed, I would not bank quite yet on emotional reactions such as 'squeamishness' being a definitive prognosticator of the baby’s sex."

6. Gender prediction kits

You've seen scores of them in drugstore and you've probably wondered about their accuracy. Gender prediction tests, many of which swear they can tell you the sex of your baby in as early as six weeks and can be performed in the privacy of your bathroom, are alluring because they're affordable and satisfy our curious minds. But many experts say the science behind them is faulty. After peeing in a cup, the test purportedly searches for traces of testosterone (proving you're carrying a boy) and your urine changes color to reflect the baby's gender. But experts say six weeks is still far too early to find chemical changes in urine as a result of testosterone.

Pricier gender kits actually involve taking your blood sample and sending it to a lab — but again, doctors warn that there's a difference between testing your own blood at home at such an early stage of your pregnancy and having it done in a lab. The bottom line is: Think twice before shelling out the money for these kits.

More: Cloth diapers so stinkin' cute we almost want another baby

7. Pop an aspirin

A recent study shows that women with a history of miscarriages who take aspirin around the time they have sex and conceive a child increase their likelihood of having a boy by one third. Because male embryos are more vulnerable than females, inflammation in the womb reportedly decreases, thanks to the aspirin, and there's less of a chance that the immune system sees an embryo as a foreign body it has to attack. It's an interesting and novel concept that still likely requires more research to prove its accuracy, but the findings — 31 percent of the women in the studies who took aspirin had a boy — are definitely interesting.

The Get Down, created and directed by Baz Luhrmann, is a colorful, fast-paced and tuneful romp through a 1970’s tough Bronx neighborhood during the birth of hip-hop in the heady, crazy days of New York City’s wild recent past.

More: Gilmore Girls: 10 Things we must see in the Netflix revival

Flavored with the graffiti on trains, walls and subways so prevalent in that era, the series lives up to the hype. It’s a terrific take on the musical hip-hop and disco worlds of that era and is well worth your time.

The series creator and director, Baz Luhrmann, also did Romeo and Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001) and The Great Gatsby (2013). This series has a similarly rich, colorful and fast-paced musical style. You either love his style or hate it; I personally enjoy it. OK, so we’re actually watching an hour-long music video with dialogue, but I don’t care. I dig it.

Justice Smith is excellent as the tormented artist Ezekiel, who loves Mylene (played by the outstanding newcomer Herizen Guardiola), but Mylene has a strict preacher father who won’t hear of her singing anything other than church music and is dedicated to her career and won’t let love interfere with her ambitions. Both actors are accomplished singers too, particularly Ms. Guardiola, whose soaring vocals enrich and dazzle the production.

More: 13 British crime shows that are even better than Law and Order: SVU

Other casting tidbits: Jaden Smith, Will Smith’s talented young son, plays Marcus Kipling in the series, a poetic and gifted graffiti artist. Jaden is very good, as usual. Jimmy Smits (remember him from NYPD Blue?) is outstanding and nearly unrecognizable as Francisco Cruz, Mylene’s uncle, who is in the music business too and tries to help her deal with her controlling, conservative father.

The first six episodes were released August 12, 2016, on Netflix. The first episode was one and a half hours long; the other five are an hour in length. You can watch all six episodes at once or savor them one at a time, like I am. But you’ll have to wait until sometime in 2017 for the next six episodes of the first season. Netflix usually releases all episodes at once for their series, but in this case, the second set is definitely worth the wait.

Nas, the mega-talented hip-hop musician and producer, was executive producer on the series. You can sense his influence throughout. You can also buy the outstanding soundtrack exclusively on iTunes, also released on August 12, 2016. It features Christina Aguilera’s soaring “Telepathy,” Jaden Smith’s “Losing Your Mind” and many other delicious songs from the series. The soundtrack is a delightful mixture of hip-hop, disco and R&B songs that will rock any party. And The Get Down is a most enjoyable series that will carry you through the dog days of summer on a song.

More: 11 sitcoms and dramedies you can't stop binge-watching

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s divorce continues to get messier and messier. Now, Depp’s camp is accusing Heard of having an affair with actor Billy Bob Thornton while she was married to Depp.

Recently, it was revealed that during one heated argument between Depp and Heard, things got so out of hand that Depp severed his finger. According to People, back in March 2015, Depp accused Heard of cheating on him with Thornton and was so angry during the fight that he lashed out violently enough to mangle his finger.

More: Johnny Depp reportedly abused Amber Heard days before divorce

After that, Depp allegedly dipped the damaged finger into a can of paint and wrote “Billy Bob” and “Easy Amber” on the mirror in their home in Australia.

Not only has Heard adamantly denied the cheating accusations, but a source told People, "Billy Bob definitely, absolutely did not have an affair with Amber.”

There are a few things wrong with this story, so we’re just going to take it one by one.

First of all, Depp is accused of cheating and there are multiple pictures that show a bruised Heard — not to mention calling your wife “easy” is it’s own form of mental abuse. And yet, despite the actual evidence, people are still searching for a reason to blame Heard for Depp's actions.

More: Johnny Depp hides on private island after Amber Heard granted restraining order

There’s no way the problems in this marriage are any one person’s fault completely, but based on the evidence we have, Heard is the victim here. We need to stop looking for reasons she “made” Depp act the way he did. The victim is never the reason they got attacked. Ever.

Secondly, it’s completely ridiculous that people demand answers from Thornton and his camp before they entertain the thought of believing Heard. It’s as if a woman can’t possibly know what happened in her own sex life — anything she says had to be validated by the man. It's a habit we all need to break. Immediately.

But most importantly, if Heard did have an affair (she didn’t) it still doesn’t excuse Depp’s behavior. No matter how hurt or embarrassed or angry a person is, it’s never ok to abuse another person, physically or mentally.

It’s time to change the conversation and the way Heard is being treated by everyone. She doesn’t deserve any of it.

More: Apparently, spies are watching Amber Heard and her new billionaire 'friend'

The horrifying news of the murders of three female runners last week has terrified women, making all of us who love to run outside rethink our exercise choices.

Alexandra Brueger, 31, was shot in Michigan; Karina Vetrano, 30, was raped and murdered in Queens, New York; and Vanessa Marcote, 27, was murdered in Massachusetts — all while running on well-marked trails or streets during daylight hours, just like we’re all told to do. Police do not think the killings are connected (which may be the scariest news of all) and all three murders remain unsolved. This has left female runners in a terrible position. The sheer awfulness of the crime has forced us to decide whether it’s worth the risk to run outdoors or if we should just stay in on the treadmill.

More: The solution to harassment of female runners isn't 'don't run alone'

But while this is a deeply personal choice and will be different for each person’s situation, it is still summer — prime time for beautiful, balmy runs in the sunset. So if you do decide to head out but want to have a little extra protection, here are some safety gadgets designed specifically for women.

1. Go Guarded

Scratching is a natural self-defense move, but unless you get steel-reinforced gel tips filed to a point as part of your weekly mani, your nails may not be optimal weapons. But now Go Guarded, a plastic and metal “claw” you wear on your finger like a ring, turns your tips into talons Wolverine would be proud of. Best part: It’s lightweight and automatically accessible so you don’t have to waste time getting it out of a pack or pocket. (GoGuarded.com, $16)

2. TigerLady

One claw is great, but when if you’re facing down an assailant, you might prefer a whole handful of razor-sharp claws. The TigerLady is a felt pouch you wrap around your hand, like a hand-held water bottle. But instead of water, when you squeeze it, out pops a set of steel claws, similar to the way a cat’s claws extend and retract. The makers also included a groove under each “nail” for gathering DNA from an attacker. The company motto — “You don’t have to see him to ID him” — says it all. (TigerLady.com, $29)

3. Blingsting

Pepper spray is every woman’s self-defense standby. And Blingsting takes pepper spray to the next level, packing a potent spray in a tiny quick-spray bottle that’s camouflaged to look like a blinged-out lipstick. While you still have to carry it somehow, either inconveniently in your hand or in a pack or pocket, you have more range to use it than claw or punching devices, and it’s just as good at deterring a human attacker as it is a canine one. (Blingsting.com, $22)

4. Knuckle Lights

A headlamp will give you light on a nighttime run, but these knuckle lights give you trail illumination with the added bonus of brass knuckles. Throwing a punch wearing these won’t be fun, but in a tight situation the metal and glass should make it more painful for them than for you. And with 280 lumens of brightness they might also help temporarily blind an attacker or scare off an animal. ( KnuckleLights.com, $40)

5. Emergency Whistle Necklace

Whether you’re injured, scared or lost, sometimes a girl just needs to make a little (or a lot) of noise. This stainless steel necklace whistle by Guardian keeps a low profile under your top and is tough enough to stand up to a workout. And if the worst happens and you do need it, it’s just a quick tug away. (Amazon.com, $16)

6. Vigilant Wrist Alarm

This tiny wrist alarm packs a powerful noise: At 130 decibels, it is louder than a jet engine taking off and definitely louder than you can scream. It looks like a simple silver watch and is easily activated with just a quick push of a button. (Vigilantpps.com, $25)

7. Zipper Pull Whistle

A safety device can only work if you have it so remembering to bring yours is priority No. 1 in self-defense. One way to make sure you never forget your emergency whistle is to attach it to your running jacket or top. You can buy small, plastic whistles designed to be attached to any zipper pull or some jackets, sweatshirts and backpacks even have them built in. (Amazon.com, $10 for 10)

8. Road ID

While this isn’t a self-defense device per se, Road ID definitely improves your personal safety by making your emergency information readily available in case you are found unconscious. The plate, which can be attached to a bracelet, anklet or tied to your shoe, contains your name, any relevant medical information and emergency contact numbers. (RoadID.com, $20)

More: Three women murdered jogging in a week is making me question every run

9. A note

It's the most low-tech item on this list, but it may also be the most important. Safety experts say that letting people know your route, the time you left and the time you expect to be back is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself. A quick note left on the counter or a text to a friend can help people recognize quickly if you’re in trouble.

The new trailer for Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna's reality show Rob & Chyna makes Kardashian look like a doting fiancé while Chyna, well, not so much.

More: Rob Kardashian took on way more than he could handle with Blac Chyna

In one scene, Kardashian lovingly kisses Chyna's tattooed baby bump.

"I fell in love with you because I know how good you are and how loyal you are," he tells her.

She then asks him, "Are you ready to be a daddy?"

To which Kardashian responds, "That's what I always wanted."

Unfortunately, those cute moments are interspersed with some raging, crazy ones from Chyna.

"Are you still texting bitches? Yes or no?!" she demands while, we assume, talking to Kardashian on the phone. She then chucks a bouquet of flowers into the pool.

The trailer includes the tagline, "They're cute, they're complicated and they're about to become family."

More: The bun in Blac Chyna's oven is helping to win over the Kardashian clan

But, uh, this trailer makes it seem like "complicated" is just a nice way of saying Chyna has got some issues, because the clips lob from the couple lovingly kissing with a hillside view behind them to Chyna partying and rubbing her baby belly and then to Khloé Kardashian admitting she's so confused by Rob's desire to suddenly be so public.

Don't worry, Khloé, we were all really confused by it, too.

TMZ reports that the couple's fights will be at the center of the new show. They apparently fight about everything from Rob's weight to social media to money and fame.

Meanwhile, Us Weekly is reporting that Rob is already so over doing the show that he has been a no-show for multiple days of shooting.

"He’s struggling to readjust to the grueling work schedule," a source told the outlet.

More: Kim Kardashian blasts Rob Kardashian & Chyna for not supporting the family

Of course, it's rumored that creators and producers of the show are loving the spats because it only makes for better television. And, obviously, all of the press leading up to the show doesn't hurt.

Check out the full trailer below.

Rob & Chyna premieres on E! on Sept. 11.

Do you think Chyna is a little off her rocker or is the trailer simply edited to make her look bad?

Ever since Vanderpump Rules' Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney got engaged, fans have been waiting to see the two finally walk down the aisle. Well, it's happening soon and the details surrounding their upcoming nuptial sound absolutely gorgeous.

More: If Katie Maloney’s wedding isn't on Vanderpump Rules, we'll freak out

While chatting with E! News, Tom and Katie dished about their wedding day. Based on the teasers, it definitely sounds like their big day will be exactly what they've been hoping for. Unfortunately, they didn't reveal a date or the venue, but it will take place in Northern California with around 100 guests in attendance.

"The thing I'm excited about most in regards to the wedding is the venue," Tom revealed. "It's picturesque. We wanted to be secluded and in the woods and we are just that. It's so pretty. Our theme is woodsey-elegance and the thing I'm most, most excited about is that we get to have so many of our close family and friends there. It just makes it that much more special."

Doesn't that sound like Tom and Katie? They are unique and it appears that their wedding will incorporate that.

Their outfits fall in that category, too. Tom is wearing a custom-designed tuxedo. As for Katie, she can't wait to walk down the aisle in her gown. "My dress, when I put it on, I got goose bumps and I knew that was the dress I was going to marry him in and it had all the elements that I really, really wanted," she told E! News. "I tried on some other dresses that were a little too bridal for me and then I put this on. For me, it's unique and its different and it's very me."

More: Vanderpump Rules' Katie and Tom did more than get engaged in the off season

Based on their Instagram accounts, it seems like the wedding is right around the corner. The happy couple and most of the Pump Rules cast went to New Orleans for a joint bachelor and bachelorette party, E! News reported in July.

Pretty much everyone in attendance shared photos through social media and it looked like the celebration went off without a hitch. Though, there easily could've been drama, because this the SUR gang, right?

Here's hoping not only their trip to The Big Easy was filmed for Season 5 of Vanderpump Rules, but so will Tom and Katie's wedding. I'd be surprised if neither were, because when don't these reality stars share everything about their lives on the small screen? It'd be disappointing if fans didn't get to watch the wedding go down (especially since it took forever to Tom to propose).

Maybe, just maybe, Tom and Katie will even get their own wedding special. Though, if Scheana Marie and Michael Shay didn't, then their friends/co-stars probably won't either. Whatever the case, it wouldn't be a Pump Rules wedding without it being filmed for TV. Now, let's just keep those fingers crossed that their wedding will live up to all of the hype.

More: 8 details about Vanderpump Rules' Katie Maloney & Tom Schwartz's wedding

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

In the world of performance fitness apparel, a little bit of healthy skepticism goes a long way. Ever since Nike released the Air Jordans, consumers have been ready and willing to open their wallets in the hopes of being like their favorite athlete.

And while I think it's doubtful that most of the young basketball players who paid good money for a pair of Air Jordans ever made it big in the NBA, that doesn't mean gear can't make a difference in exercise performance. It can.

This fact took the world of swimming by storm in 2008 and 2009 with the introduction of full-body polyurethane swimsuits that led to an unprecedented number of world records. However, the performance-enhancing buoyancy and drag-reduction technology of these suits were ultimately determined to be too great, leading to a ban in 2010 to maintain the integrity of the sport.

That's just one extreme example of the improvements seen in performance apparel over the last 30 years, but it's one that proves the right clothing can, and does, make better athletes. Physiclo — a brand of workout apparel featuring built-in resistance band technology — claims their pants were designed to boost calorie burn and reduce workout time.

So I decided to investigate.

What's the big deal about resistance band technology?

The concept and development of Physiclo's patent-pending resistance band technology is actually pretty cool. Unlike other compression-style garments designed to, well, compress your muscles and fascia to boost circulation and enhance recovery, Physiclo combines compression pants with custom resistance bands and panels that wrap around your hips and thighs within the pant to counteract your movements. So, for instance, when you drive a leg forward to take a step, the resistance bands stretch, making the movement more difficult, especially at the apex of a full range of motion.

More: Resistance band workouts that tone

The end result is that each step you take is more difficult (though not exceedingly so) because you're working against the garment's built-in resistance. And because resistance bands provide variable resistance in every direction, it doesn't matter whether you're running forward, backward or side-to-side; the increased resistance is present whenever you move.

Do they really work?

The gold-standard evidence for any scientific claim or health benefit comes from university or third-party-led studies. Physiclo can't claim this yet, although they have plans to have such studies performed in the coming months and years.

What they do have, however, is an in-house pilot study on marathon and half-marathon runners during a 10-week training period. While the study itself was small, consisting of just 37 runners, the results were impressive.

• Testers wore the pants on roughly 64 percent of their training runs, typically during shorter, midweek runs rather than long weekend runs.
• Testers averaged fewer miles and slower speeds during training (possibly due to the more challenging task of running against greater resistance) than those wearing their own gear
• But at the end of the training period, testers averaged a seven-minute, 53-second improvement over their previous personal best running time, with 68 percent of testers setting a personal best record.
• The control group, however, saw no significant improvement in running time, on average, although half of the group did still set a personal best.

What these results seem to imply is that if you train with Physiclo pants, you can train at slower speeds, run fewer miles and still manage to improve your performance.

The second in-house study performed using Physiclo involved the use of electromyography to test muscle activation and electrocardiography to gauge calorie burn and heart rate. Again, results were significant. Wearing Physiclo pants resulted in: 

• 23 percent greater muscle activity in the hamstrings and quads
• 14 percent increase in calorie burn
• 9 percent rise in heart rate

I'm certainly not scoffing at the potential, but I still want to see those third-party studies because without 'em, it's hard to know how different variables were controlled or whether there may have been other factors that contributed to the results.

What are they like to wear?

When I received a pair to review, I was impressed by their weight. These things are not your basic yoga pants — they're heavy, sturdy and clearly have resistance bands woven into their layers.

And because Physiclo garments are compression pants with the added tightness of resistance bands, they're not the easiest to put on. Once on, they're pretty comfortable though.

Word to the wise: Do not try to put them on immediately after a shower. It'll be worse than trying to sausage yourself into a wetsuit.

I ended up wearing them during a combined cardio and strength training routine, alternating among slide board training and upper-body and core exercises. What was interesting is that it wasn't that each individual movement felt that much harder; rather, it was the accumulation of added resistance that did the trick. I just found myself more tired than usual by the middle of my workout.

More: 10 stores with cute workout clothes that aren't Lululemon

Training like an Olympian

Can Physiclo pants help you train like an Olympian? Well... sure, why not? Given that a number of Olympic athletes do, in fact, wear the pants during training.

Will Physiclo help turn you into an Olympic athlete? Probably not. It takes a whole lot more than a pair of pants to make that happen — like years of training, stellar genetics and hours upon hours of personalized coaching.

If what you're really looking for, though, is a way to enhance your training, then Physiclo might be a good option. If you're looking for a boost without drastically changing your exercise routine, they are worth a shot.

Kailyn Lowry does not appreciate her ex-husband Javi Marroquin moving on from their relationship. At least, that’s the way it looks on Twitter. Marroquin recently gave an interview to Radar Online where he mentioned that he is dating “I actually went on a date this past weekend. But right now we are just friends taking it slow. We both have a lot going on.”

When the story broke, all hell broke loose on Lowry’s Twitter. Although she never mentioned Marroquin by name, most fans and followers could tell that she was tweeting about her ex.

More: It looks like Kail Lowry and Javi Marrowquin are finally, officially calling it quits

She said, “People mistake my kindness for weakness.” Then quickly followed up that tweet with, “Lmao when people think I’m stupid.”

Those could really be directed towards anyone, but it was Lowry’s retweets that gave her away. In the next few minutes, Lowry retweeted everything from someone saying, “honestly done giving so much effort for people who don’t care,” to another user who said, “Once u find a loyal one keep her. Most these chiccs look good but ain’t really worth shit.”

More: Teen Mom star Kailyn Lowry has undergone dramatic butt surgery (PHOTO)

It’s obvious that Lowry feels the sting of Marroquin moving on in such a public way.

To be fair, she’s not the first Teen Mom to air some relationship dirty laundry on Twitter, and I’m sure she won’t be the last. It’s hard to deal with divorce correctly at any age, let alone in your early twenties with the whole world watching.

But her reaction was unexpected. Since the exes announced their divorce, Lowry has been photographed with and rumored to be dating one of her female friends. She’s posted pictures of the two of them together drinking and kissing on the beach. We would have expected her to be fine with Marroquin finding someone knew if she had.

More: Kailyn Lowry posts sassy response to trolls hating on her rumored butt-lift

But maybe him moving on makes the whole thing final — something she might not have been prepared for.

Luckily, both of Lowry’s sons, Lincoln, who she shares with Marroquin, and Isaac, who she shares with ex-boyfriend, Jo Rivera, are too young to see any online drama so they won’t be affected at all. Silver lining in all of this, right?

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

I’m what’s known as a Sidewalk Advocate for Life at my Baptist church. That means I stand outside abortion clinics to counsel, pray with and pray for the women who feel as if aborting their baby is the only choice they have left.

Being an advocate does not mean I yell at women. I am not protesting. I don’t hold signs or wear demeaning shirts for shock value. I consider myself to be loving my neighbor. I am loving her to a place where she can better know how to make a decision that won’t hurt her in the end.

More: Please don't judge that poor person using a fancy cellphone

We do not heckle or insult the women who come to the clinic. We let them know in a non-threatening manner that if they wish to speak to us or pray with us or need our help to move forward in their lives, that we are there for them... literally.

I think this work comes naturally for me because I know what that woman is feeling like.

I was 19 and 9 weeks pregnant when I walked into an abortion clinic with my now husband. The smell of antiseptic and blood will always haunt me. I had made a mistake, and I was terrified that my transgressions would bring my family shame. I had no idea what else to do but to have an abortion.

I gave my name at the receptionist desk and sat down to wait my turn. It seemed to take forever. I truly believe now that God was trying to stop me from doing what I was about to do by making me wait so long, but I didn’t see it then. I was taken to a room where there was a small round table where I was asked a series of questions to make sure no one had forced me to be there that day. The nurses, or whoever they were, were not outgoing or kind to me. They didn’t ask me about my emotional health or even tell me what I might feel after having the abortion and going home. It was just another day at their job for them.

I was taken to what looked like a doctor’s examination room. It was cold and very uninviting. It had plain white walls and no pictures or anything to look at. I remember thinking to myself, I really don’t want to do this. The doctor gave me a sonogram, and I wanted to see it but had I seen it, I wouldn’t have been able to go through with the abortion. He looked quickly and that was that. He never said one word to me the entire time. In fact, no one spoke to me, not even the ladies who worked there. My boyfriend wasn’t allowed back there with me, and in the silence, I felt more alone than ever.

More: Even my family judges me for my 'weird' religion

The procedure itself barely took five minutes. I was given some nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas. They used a device that would dilate my cervix, and then they suctioned out my baby. I did not watch, and before I knew it, the abortion was done. I had felt tugging, but no pain. The shame I immediately felt was unmistakable. Next, I was walked into a room with two La-Z-Boy-type chairs. I was given some Ibuprofen, cookies and a juice box, which made me feel like a child. I laid in the chair for about 30 minutes and just stared at the ceiling, trying not to think about what I had just done and hoping that they wouldn’t bring anyone else in to sit in the second chair in the room with me. I was allowed to go home at that point with more Ibuprofen. However, I never took it. I think I wanted to feel the pain. I believed that I deserved it.

I didn’t feel anything emotionally until a few weeks later. My boyfriend and I had gotten engaged shortly after the abortion, but at what should have been the happiest point in my life, all I could think of was my little baby. I wondered what my body would have looked like if we had gotten married right away to raise our baby and what our baby would have looked like.

My abortion changed me. No one told me what to expect afterward, like the feeling that it took something away from me. In order to complete the abortion, I had to have a certain mindset in which I had to deny my baby’s humanity. I had to take the emotions away from it. Soon after, I felt like I was left with the emotions and no idea what to do about it. No one told me what to do, and it wasn’t like people were just lining up to talk about their own abortions.

I went on and married my husband. In the years following, we had three beautiful children. It took me nearly 10 years before I could deal with the pain that I was harboring deep inside and learn how to forgive myself for what I had done. It is true that not everyone feels pain, and sometimes they even feel instantly better, or even relieved. But that was not me.

I chose to read Surrendering the Secret. It is a religious post-abortion Bible study. It helped me to push past the heartbreak. It truly helped my heart heal, even just by saying out loud, "I had an abortion and I regret it."

Once I was able to talk about my story without crying, I realized I needed to tell other women who were in the same situation what I faced and how to overcome it. I landed on the Sidewalk Advocates for Life. They inspired me to tell my account of my abortion. They are a peaceful, prayerful and law-abiding option with love at its centerpiece.

More: I was that secret shopper quietly judging everyone in the store

I don’t want to take the choice of abortion away. What I do want to do is make sure women know what they could feel afterward and to let them know that even if they feel like they don’t have a choice that they do have a choice and there are people out there to help them. I want someone to speak about the pain and torture you might feel. No one should have to feel what I felt. No one should be left alone to walk through that.

If Full House fans are still hoping to see Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen pop up in Fuller House, they better stop holding their breath. At least in Season 2, the twins who brought Michelle Tanner to life probably won't be showing up.

More: Uncle Joey has a Fuller House family and it's not the one you've met — yet

Jodi Sweetin dropped the bombshell to Entertainment Tonight and said, "We've tried everything. I think we've kinda given up." So I guess that means viewers better give up on it, too. Michelle's absence was addressed in Fuller House Season 2 with Danny saying his youngest daughter was busy building her fashion empire in New York. Get it? You know, since the Olsen twins are actually building a fashion empire? After Danny's declaration, the cast stared at the camera making their dig even bigger.

In January, creator Jeff Franklin expressed his hope for the two returning at some point to E! News, but based on Sweetin's comment, it's not happening anytime soon. "I am still hopeful that Mary-Kate or Ashley or both of them will come back and be a part of it, even if it's just for an hour," Franklin said at the time. "We miss that. Everybody does feel that hole in the family. But it's like, all family reunions, there's always somebody that doesn't show up. But hopefully next time around, we'll have them back."

Yeah, probably not. Based on executive producer Robert L. Boyett's comments to People in January, Mary-Kate and Ashley just don't have the time or the acting bug anymore. "Ashley said, 'I have not been in front of a camera since I was 17, and I don't feel comfortable acting.'" Boyett added, "Mary-Kate said, 'It would have to be me because Ash doesn't want to do it. But the timing is so bad for us.'"

More: Fuller House Season 2 is happening! 9 things we need to see

Even though it would be great to see them reprise their role as Michelle, does it really matter? Based on the first season, Fuller House was a success and managed to be entertaining without them. Yeah, it wasn't perfect, but bringing the Olsens on wouldn't make it without flaw. Plus, let's just be thankful that most every other original cast member is part of the revival.

At this point, the conversation of "Will they or won't they?" is so old that I, personally, am over it. If they want to take on Michelle again, they will. If they don't, then they won't. Like Sweetin said, it's time for everyone to give up and stop harping on the status of the Olsens.

All that said, it would be fantastic if they made a surprise cameo without anyone knowing. What Full House fan wouldn't enjoy that?

More: 7 times Fuller House dropped surprisingly inappropriate sexual innuendos

Fuller House will return for Season 2 on Netflix.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Going to the supermarket and buying pasta seems so much easier than making it yourself, but that isn’t necessarily true. You don’t need a bunch of gadgets and tools to make fresh pasta. All you need are your hands and a couple of ingredients to get the job done. It's super easy.

More: How to make homemade gluten-free pasta

How to make fresh pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 cups superfine flour
• 3 large eggs
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Sift salt and flour together and shape into a mound on your countertop. Create a hole in the center of the mound. Pour the eggs into the center of the hole and beat with your fingers.
2. With your hands, start incorporating the eggs and the flour together, working inward to create a ball of dough. The texture of the dough will be similar to play dough. If your mixture is too sticky (which can happen to the best of us), you can add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until you get a more dough-like consistency. If your dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you get the right texture.
3. Form the dough into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour.
4. Dust a rolling pin and your work surface with flour and roll out your dough. Start at the center of the dough working outward. Alternate rolling dough and turning 90 degrees. Keep doing this until all of your dough is evenly rolled out about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Fold the dough in half, roll it out again using the same technique and continue until the pasta dough is super thin, around 1/8-inch thick.
6. Now you can shape your pasta as you like. Lay it flat on your work surface and slice it into ribbons for linguini or spaghetti. Or cut it into squares or circles to make ravioli. After adding the filling, you'll brush the edges with an egg wash so they stick together, top it with another piece and press the edges together.
7. Use it right away or toss the pasta in flour or cornmeal and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

It is that simple — no crazy gadgets, just fresh pasta for you to enjoy for dinner tonight.

More: Homemade tortellini

Tip:

Sometimes while you're rolling out your dough, one side will roll out thinner than another. The best way to fix this is by cutting the dough into pieces. If one side is perfect leave it be and do not roll it out any more. Cut off the perfect piece and set it aside. Now work with the thicker, rolling it out using the same technique until all of your pasta pieces are 1/8 inch thick.

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A Madonna documentary is currently in the works that promises to show footage of relationship with Dan Gilroy. Emmy and the Breakfast Club will show Madonna and Gilroy’s relationship between 1979 and 1982, right before Madonna found fame. According to Page Six, part of the documentary will include recordings of “bedroom talk” between Gilroy and Madonna.

The director of the documentary, which Madonna hasn’t given her consent to, said the film will show everything from “sweet little love notes that she would leave for Dan” to “very poetic love letters ­expressing her feelings for him and the struggles of their relationship.”

More: Madonna's latest Instagram caption reads: 'This is artistic rape!!'

One portion making big news is the 20-minute recording the couple made in bed, which captures the pair “having fun with each other and bedroom talk, and also getting into a little philosophical life discussion.

The director described it as, “silly, romantic bantering.”

There are two ways to look at this documentary. It might be a wild invasion of Madonna’s privacy — basically a glorified sex tape. If that’s the case, we’re definitely boycotting the whole thing. Even if it happened over 30 years ago, exposing someone’s intimate moments without their consent is definitely always wrong.

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But, it could also be another type of art born out of a very important relationship. The bedroom talk could be innocent pillow talk between two young people, one on the verge of making history. In that case, the documentary could be totally innocent. People have been making works of art based on their relationships for decades and the fact that the other person happens to be Madonna is just a coincidence.

And we’d be happy to watch that documentary. Excited even.

But because those are two totally different directions, we’re going to need more information on the documentary before we decide whether or not we’re going to support it. Let’s all hope that it’s innocent and sweet, because otherwise it’s just gross.

More: Check out Madonna's new 24-year-old boy toy

What do you think? Does the director have good intentions? Let me know.

Katrina and I say all the time that abs are made with your workouts but revealed with your nutrition plan. Working out, strength training and cardio will definitely burn fat and tone your muscles, but if your diet isn’t the best, then you won’t reveal all your hard work. This is where nutrition is key. So what’s the deal? Are abs really made in the kitchen?

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There’s this thing in nutrition called total energy expenditure. It’s all the energy burned by your body in a day. It breaks down to three main parts: thermic effect of food (TEF), basal metabolism and physical activity. TEF is the energy it takes to break down the food you eat — think digestion. Some foods take a little more energy to break down (like protein), giving them a higher TEF. On average though, TEF is about 10 percent of your daily calorie burn. Then there’s basal metabolism, which accounts for all your body's normal functions like breathing and thinking. This takes up 50-70 percent of your body’s total energy spent. Lastly, there’s physical activity. Here, we burn 15-30 percent of our total energy expenditure. This obviously includes exercising and doing your TIU workouts! Here is when you’ll build beautiful lean muscle.

When it comes to food, the most control you have over calories isn’t over how much you burn but how much and what type of food you consume. You take in less calories when you eat healthy, good-for-you foods because fruits, veggies and whole grains are all packed with fiber that triggers your stomach to tell your brain that it’s full. Plus, eating complete proteins, like our organic, non-GMO Perfect Fit Protein, ups the satiety level of your food even more. When you eat fruits, veggies, lean meats and whole grains, your body is given all the vitamins and minerals it needs for beautiful skin and hair. Toned muscles and clear beautiful skin?! Talk about a win-win.

More: 5 ways to stay healthy and fit before your wedding day (even with the cake tastings)

The best way to take control over what goes into your body is by cooking your own meals. We know it can be time consuming, but this is why we love meal prepping on Sundays. It cuts out a lot of prep time for you during the week. Katrina and I go grocery shopping and then spend some time hanging out while making our dinners and lunches for the week. We think of it as a gal pal date! There are thousands of easy make-ahead meals in our Tone It Up Nutrition Plan. We are currently obsessing over our Lemon Honey Overnight Oats! You can make a whole batch of them for the week and then just put them in your fridge to grab on your way to work or school. They literally only take minutes to put together. As for dinner, try our Chopped + Crunchy Summer Veggie Salad or Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili! Both are great recipes to make in advance and have throughout the entire week.

When it comes to revealing your abs, remember that both fitness and nutrition are important. Your workouts will give you definition and strength while your nutrition will give you beautiful hair and skin and unveil your sexy core!

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Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott are the founders of Tone It Up — a fitness and lifestyle brand.