I lost my mother to cancer when I was 19, and like most people who suffer that kind of loss, I wanted answers — some kind of explanation for what happened to my mom, and as it happened, many of the other women in her family too. My mother, who was Jewish, died from pancreatic cancer when she was in her 40s, and many of her maternal aunts, also Jewish, suffered from breast cancer.

I felt there had to be a connection between all of these cancer cases, but over the years, all of my doctors always said no — breast and pancreatic cancer aren't related, and because I don’t have any maternal aunts with breast cancer, I'm not considered "high risk."

More: 3 Women on How Breast Cancer Affected Their Lives

Then one night, while browsing Johns Hopkins Pancreatic Cancer Research Center’s website (you know, a typical Saturday night), I was surprised to learn there can be a hereditary connection between some forms of breast and pancreatic cancers in Ashkenazi Jews. Unfortunately, the testing for that mutation wasn’t covered by insurance at that time, so it would cost thousands of dollars. But several years and a Supreme Court decision later, my health insurance was finally able to cover the testing.

I met with a geneticist this past summer and we went over my entire family tree — my mother, her brother, her aunts, my father, my grandparents — as many family health histories as my dad could remember, plus my younger sister and my two kids. I kept staring at the many names on the page, trying to keep all of these connected histories straight. The nurse took some blood. I went home and then did my best over the next several weeks to avoid thinking about cancer.

When I came back to get the results, my anxiety was at a fever pitch. The doctor met me in the waiting room, and as we rode the elevator up to her office, she turned to me and asked, “Did you cut your hair?”

What does that mean, I wondered. Is she trying to cheer me up before she gives me bad news? Or is she so relaxed, thanks to my good test results, that she just wants to chat about my haircut.

More: Why Losing Your Hair to Chemo May Be a Thing of the Past

“Mmhmmm,” I nodded and began furiously chewing my lip off. After what may have been the longest two-minute elevator ride of my life, we finally arrived at her office.

I didn’t test positive for any of the breast or pancreatic cancer mutations. Not one. But before I could react, she told me I did test positive for a mutation associated with a moderate risk of colon cancer. Colon cancer?

“But no one in my family has ever had colon cancer,” I stammered. It turns out the risk for that mutation is only about the same as having a relative with colon cancer. And risk isn’t the same as a diagnosis. You can have a mutation without ever getting cancer.

All these years, I’ve been waiting for science to give me answers, but now I only had more questions. Did the results mean I didn’t inherit the mutations my mother and aunts had or did it mean they never had those mutations to begin with? Because most cancers are “sporadic” rather than “inherited,” there’s a chance my mother and even her aunts’ cancers weren’t inherited conditions.

This year, I had my first of (hopefully?) many colonoscopies, as I’ll need to get them every three to five years from now on. My sister, and eventually, my kids should get tested too. I was hoping genetic testing would give me a sense of certainty, but I often feel anxious and overwhelmed. I’m seeing a gastroenterologist for the colon cancer risk, a breast cancer oncologist for the still unexplained breast cancer in my family, and I’m supposed to get on the registry for pancreatic cancer at Johns Hopkins. These appointments feel like a constant reminder that illness and death lurk around every corner. Was the testing worth it? I don’t know.

More: Promising New Vaccine Could Use Your Own Cells to Fight Breast Cancer

I met with the breast cancer oncologist a few weeks after my genetic testing results. For years, doctors have more or less just shrugged their shoulders at my family history, but this doctor, perhaps because she’s a breast cancer specialist, took one look at my chart and said, “This definitely looks like a hereditary cancer.” I’d been waiting for something definitive and, well, here she was. We made a plan: I asked my dad to get further testing to see if we could trace the colon cancer mutation, scheduled my mammogram and agreed to come back in six months and reevaluate.

It turns out my dad does have this same mutation, which means this testing isn’t just about me or my mom. It’s my dad, my sister, my kids — a never-ending set of calculations. Genetic testing doesn’t give you answers; it just gives you information. Figuring out what comes next is no easy feat.

It's Saturday afternoon, and I've managed to slip out of my house without sending my 5-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son into a frenzied chorus of pleas to tag along. With my husband holding down the fort, I head to a place I can be alone with my thoughts for an hour: the grocery store.

Mamas, you know what I'm talking about.

Only on this day, I don't mindlessly move up and down each aisle, tossing the typical weekly assortment of items into my cart. On this day, the voice inside my head is Kristen Bell's, reminding me that, as mothers, we have the power to make tiny tweaks in our lives that can affect great change.

More: How One Mom Is Making a Huge Impact on the Syrian Crisis

I grab two jugs of Tide Purclean, toss them in my cart and — quite possibly for the first time ever — I feel proud of my laundry detergent purchase. As I enter the self-checkout line and slide the jugs across the scanner, I think, "Huh... sometimes it really is that easy."

You see, earlier that week, I'd hopped on a phone call with Bell as part of SheKnows' new #MamasMakeChange series. Through the series, we shine a light on women who aren't just shaping tiny humans, but who are also affecting change in their communities and the world at large.

Bell, an outspoken advocate for many causes, was a natural pick for the series — especially in light of the fact that she recently partnered with the World Wildlife Fund and Tide Purclean to encourage energy-saving habits with the #CleanPledge Challenge.

The premise, Bell shared, is simple.

"The #CleanPledge is basically just a series of really small challenges to create a better environment for our kids and everyone on the planet," she said. "It's washing with cold water, using a high-efficiency washer if you can, and really looking at the tag and washing it properly to extend the life of your clothing so that less clothing ends up in a landfill."

Making minor adjustments like this, even just to your laundry routine, can have a big effect on the planet, Bell underscored. Bonus? For every person who takes the #CleanPledge Challenge, Tide will donate $5 to the World Wildlife Fund to help their global conservation efforts.

The eco-conscious campaign is well-timed, with Earth Day right around the corner. And, given the changes to the Environmental Protection Agency proposed by the current administration, Earth Day seems to bear added resonance this year.

With such large-scale environmental programs being met with so much dissonance, making small changes sometimes seems hopeless. However, with moms like us lending momentum, those small changes add up to a big message about the importance of things like sustainability and conservation.

"It's easy to feel powerless," Bell admitted. "But I think the way to make change is to demand and then support big companies that are making a difference." In fact, this is why Bell gravitated to her current eco-conscious collaboration.

More: These 11 Hollywood Mamas Are Bringing Change Into Their Communities

"That's why I love this campaign so much, because I love it when I see a huge company like Tide making sustainable efforts, answering the eco-consumer's question and responding with a plant-based detergent. With Purclean, the whole system is eco-friendly — it's produced in a facility that sends zero manufacturing waste to the landfill, it's made with wind-powered electricity and it's free of dyes," she said.

Pausing for a moment, Bell continued, "If we don't feel the government is protecting the world around us, we as the consumers need to make our voices heard to the companies we buy from. We vote with every single one of our dollars."

If swapping out your laundry detergent sounds like a no-brainer way to help the planet, it's because it is... and it is just one of many ways we can all strive to make every day more eco-friendly.

When asked about how she incorporates conservation into her everyday life, Bell shared, "You know, it changes all the time depending on what I'm using or what I'm doing, but I just try to stay woke in general."

Of course, as a busy mom herself, Bell understands this can be easier said than done.

"I mean, it's hard. Listen, it's really hard. But I just kind of ask myself subconsciously before I go to the trash, 'Can this be used anywhere else?' And then when I'm looking at [leftover] noodle water, I'm like, 'Duh, it can go on the tree outside,'" she said. "Or I can use this toilet paper roll and dip it in paint and the kids can make circle stamps as an art project — which also gets them off my back for the next hour, and then I have a chance to just sit down and rest. Everybody wins."

For Bell, being woke stretches beyond eco-conservation. She is also a passionate advocate for mothers and children working with nonprofit organizations like Baby2Baby, No Kid Hungry and Alliance of Moms in Los Angeles.

And although she confesses that working with these organizations has "lit a fire under [her] ass" to be more involved, she also stresses that effecting change can be as simple as saying hello to a neighbor.

"We can just look at other people and say, 'What do you need?' It doesn't have to be someone across the globe — it can be someone in your community. What are the needs in your community?" Bell said.

"Also, since I've had kids, I do think every kid is my kid. It's like a lesson my mother-in-law always says. Whenever we see any negative story, even if it's about a criminal and a victim, she always says about the criminal, 'You know what? That person was brought home from the hospital and their parents opened cigars. That person was celebrated when they were born,'" she shared. "So many things happen when you're on Earth that can mess you up, so isn't the goal to make sure the vast majority of us don't get messed up?"

More: These Daily Texts Make It Easier Than Ever to Make a Political Statement

Alas, life is hectic and we, as mamas, juggle a million things at any given moment (including trying not to mess up our own kids). How do we effect change when we're spinning in so many different directions all the time?

"No. 1 would be slow down — nothing's going anywhere. Panic helps nothing," Bell gently reminded, adding, "Live with intention and follow your instincts. Your instincts... not anyone else's. Take in all the information, and then follow your instincts."

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

There's no such thing as the perfect parent. We all screw up sometimes. When we do, we can take the opportunity to model good behavior to our kids and become better parents at the same time. All we need to do is say two little words: "I'm sorry."

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The thing is, those words don't always come easily, and might not always be appreciated by our kids. So how can parents make sure their apology hits the mark?

Rachel Kazez, licensed clinical social worker and founder of All Along, believes a good apology includes some version of three fundamental elements: an admission of being wrong, an expression of being sorry and a commitment to change. "A parent should apologize to a child when the parent has done something wrong or when the parent has allowed something bad to happen," said Kazez. "Another type of apology is a general expression of being sorry for unhappy circumstances, when a parent could apologize for something that has generally gone wrong."

Kazez suggests using "I feel" statements during an apology and avoiding saying, "I'm sorry, but…" because the "but" negates the apology. "This is often a way to try to pacify someone so they will listen to a directive, rather than to truly apologize," she explained.

It's important to think about why we're apologizing, rather than just go through the motions. "Are parents trying to stop the child from feeling a negative emotion? Or to reduce their own feeling of guilt?" asked Kazez. "Exploring why they want to apologize can help parents understand how to word it, how they'll know if it was taken well and whether they want to apologize at all." You might have missed your child's recital. You might have been late picking them up from school. You might have lost your temper and screamed at them over the breakfast table. Whatever the reason, if you have hurt your child or disrupted their trust (even momentarily), your behavior has impacted them and an apology is in order. It's important to know the difference between this situation and an apology that stems of feelings of guilt — for example when someone has done something for you — and "thank you" is the right thing to say, not "I'm sorry."

According to Carrie Krawiec, licensed marriage and family therapist at Birmingham Maple Clinic and executive director of Michigan Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, it's not the words you use to apologize as much as a change in action that has a lasting effect. "Saying you're sorry without an explanation for why you did what you did or how you wouldn't have done what you did if they hadn't done something else is crucial," she said. "But the more important thing is 'What can I do help you, now?'" It's crucial to take all necessary steps to make sure the behavior doesn't repeat itself.

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This is where empathy is key. "The ability to recognize a feeling in someone else is not required to change the feeling or make it go away, but simply to understand what it is, even if you don't feel the same way about the same thing at the same time," said Krawiec. "Helping your kid to know what feeling they are having (disappointment, anger, resentment, sadness, hurt) helps them to move from the limbic system (our flight or fight response) and into the prefrontal cortex where reason and thought and language occur. Acknowledging what feeling you caused and not being afraid or ashamed of it, but instead being validating and understanding will help your child learn to recognize their feelings and what they need to feel better."

Apologizing to our kids when we mess up doesn't just have a positive effect on our relationship with them. It also teaches kids how to be honest and accountable for their own actions. "By acknowledging your behavior, not making excuses, and showing them that you understand the impact of your actions, you are easing anxiety and rebuilding trust," said therapist Bethany Raab. "These actions also show your child that it is all right to be imperfect and to make mistakes."

Raab recommends keeping the actual apology simple. "Too much explanation can sound like excuses and undermine the real goal of saying that you are sorry," she said. Raab's basic formula is: "I am sorry for ____. I understand that my action(s) affected you." If you are ready to take it a step further and ask about their feelings, Raab suggests getting right to the point: "How are you feeling about what happened?"

By apologizing to our kids, we teach them empathy, respect and how to deal with mistakes — because we all make them.

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After spending 45 minutes cooking dinner, it's understandable that sometimes you just want to scoop up what just came out of the pan or oven, throw it on a plate and dig in with family, friends (or solo!). And sure, that's NBD on weeknights when you're more interested in filling stomachs, finishing homework and dealing with bedtime routines.

But other times — say, when you've spent a while preparing a nice dinner with your S.O. on date night in or when you're having a couple of friends over for homemade brunch or appetizers — it's nice to honor the time you spent on the meal by plating it prettily. It's not just about looks (the more practical among us would argue that there's no point dressing up our dishes at home because there's no one watching and it's about to disappear anyway). It's about taking a moment to appreciate the ingredients and the work that went into making them delicious — and it doesn't hurt that it makes it even more appetizing.

Since most of us probably don't have the time to or interest in spending more than two minutes prettying up any given meal, regardless of the scenario, I asked pro chefs for their easiest, quickest, nonchef-friendly food presentation tips. Steal them, below.

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Be organized in the kitchen

Do all the prep work — even grating cheese or chopping herbs for garnishes — in advance. That way, everything will be ready and you won't be scrambling to figure out the final steps to make your food look good. "If all your ingredients are set up correctly, you can focus more on the plating itself," says Chef Ricardo "Ricky" Arias of New York City restaurant Dinnertable.

Keep it simple

Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Yes, the fancy food bloggers you follow on Instagram might have elaborate plating tricks that you're tempted to try, but simple sophistication can be just as lovely. "Less is more," says Arias. "Nobody needs tweezers and gadgets to make beautifully presented food. Practice simple platings with few components. Get comfortable with the basics: knife work, using your plating spoon, executing your food correctly, etc. Then move onto more complicated dishes. Start slow!"

Practice makes pretty

Then again, when you do feel ready to try more advanced stuff like creating artistic designs and patterns with spices, herbs, and sauces, don't put too much pressure on yourself to get it right the first time. "Practice, practice, practice! The more you practice presentation, the more natural it becomes," says Arias.

Pick fun dishes

While we're fans of classic white bowls and plates (especially the super-affordable ones from Ikea, which cause zero stress when there are chips or breaks!) consider adding a few pieces with personality to your collection. "My biggest tip for presentation is to think about how best to showcase your dish," says Executive Chef Travis Taylor of Oregon's Sunriver Resort. "Choose an interesting plate or serving vessel." And they don't have to be expensive! Check out a few affordable picks here.

Experiment

Don't take food too seriously — instead, think of the dish or bowl as a canvas where you can be as creative as you want. "Use interesting sauces or seasonal ingredients that bring out different aspects of the food or add beauty to the final presentation," says Taylor. "This is your chance to tap into your inner artist — don’t be afraid to experiment, and above all, have fun!"

Go for authentic garnishes

Chef Cal Stamenov of Lucia Restaurant & Bar in Bernardus Lodge & Spa in Carmel Valley, California, says where you shop for ingredients can impact how your food presents when it's cooked. "Go to a nursery for herbs rather than Whole Foods," says Stamenov. Not only will herbs at a nursery or local farmers market be priced cheaper, they'll also have more flaws and character — which can give your dish rustic authenticity.

Play with scent

Though it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about food presentation, scent is just as important to making a beautiful impression as aesthetics are. Stamenov has a few unique tricks to make your dishes extra-fragrant. "Before serving meat, add some dried rosemary or thyme sprigs, and then torch them like a candle for a great herb scent as you bring them to the table. You can put the sprigs in the oven for a short while to dry them out beforehand," says Stamenov. "While slow-grilling meat, add citrus leaves, rosemary sprigs, wild fennel or even walnuts and almonds, as they give off a great sweet, nutty smoke."

Avoid splatters

Taking a moment to wipe down the edge of a plate or bowl to get rid of drips can make a big difference. “When you think of kitchen tools, most people think of knives, spoons, or pots and pans, but one of the greatest tools in the Ai Fiori kitchen are plate wipes," says Chef Scot Schneider of Ai Fiori in New York City. "We use a white textureless towel soaked in water and white vinegar. The vinegar helps to cut down any water streaks left on the plate. When a guest in our restaurant receives a dish, the food should be what the eyes see — not a finger print or sauce spot on the edge of your plate.”

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The Supernatural star Jared Padalecki and his wife Genevieve Cortese welcomed their newest addition to the Padalecki family on Friday, March 17.

Odette Elliott will join their two insanely cute sons, Shepard, 3, and Thomas Colton, 5, in their family home in Austin, Texas.

More: Genevieve Padalecki Is Way More Than Jared’s Wife & Co-Star

Cortese Padalecki announced their daughter’s birth on — where else? — Instagram. The couple used their announcement not only to brighten your day with a snuggly baby picture, but also to raise funds for two charities in need.

Collaborating with accessory brand Pop & Suki, the Padalecki family showed off two personalized leather hearts created especially for their daughter. By purchasing a monogrammed heart tag, $20 from each leather heart will be donated to Planned Parenthood, which supports women’s health, and the Human Rights Campaign, which supports LGBTQ rights.

"Help us spread the love and joy Odette has brought us by monogramming your own heart tag. They are super limited edition so will run out quickly!" Cortese Padalecki wrote in her caption.

The Padalecki's have now morally justified our obsession with celebrity baby births — how's that for a memorable birth announcement?

After meeting in 2015 on the set of The Way We Get By, announcing their engagement six months after that and then sharing their vows during a small, private ceremony earlier this month, Amanda Seyfried and husband Thomas Sadoski have officially welcomed their first child — a baby girl — into the world roughly a week after their marriage.

More: Amanda Seyfried Is Very On-Trend Right Now By Secretly Marrying Thomas Sadoski

The couple is known for keeping their lives as low-key as possible, keeping most private details as they intended: private. But Seyfried has had babies on her mind, expressing in an interview in 2015, “I need to get on it. I want a child badly. I want to be a mother badly.”

More: Amanda Seyfried's Favorite Daydream: Motherhood

The two decided to elope on March 12 with just the company of an officiant somewhere in the countryside. Their marriage announcement was also delayed to the public, so it makes sense that not much is known yet regarding their newborn daughter —not even her name.

Fans sure are keeping a close eye on The Walking Dead (har-har).

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They've always been good about spotting errors in the show, and Sunday's episode was no exception. In "Something They Need," Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, and his crew invade Oceanside to try to take some guns. There's a hostage situation that gets a little tense, but then walkers attack and everyone becomes friends by fighting a shared enemy (awwwww).

One little issue though. In one scene showing Carl (Chandler Riggs) aiming his rifle, there's an eye-opening error.

More: The Walking Dead Should Surprise Us All and Let Sasha Live

Whoops. Carl is aiming his gun with the eye he lost back in Season 6. Plenty of people noticed because this is obviously kind of a glaring error and took to the internet to make jokes.

Even Riggs had some jokes about the gaffe.

Suffice it to say, that error didn't go unseen by many (I'll show myself out).

More: The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun Has a New Baby

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Image: AMC

My pinkie finger on my right hand felt cold, tingly and slightly painful one afternoon in the frozen food section of the grocery store. I looked down at my white, pasty, throbbing finger and had no idea what was wrong. This continued to happen any time my hands or feet would get cold or wet.

After talking to a few other women, they said they had the same symptoms, but had no idea what it was. I scheduled a visit to my doctor and she told me I had was experiencing attacks caused by Raynaud's disease.

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What Is Raynaud's?

Raynaud's disease (or Raynaud's syndrome) was named after the French doctor Maurice Raynaud after he recognized the condition in 1862. It causes blood vessels to narrow, which limits circulation to certain areas of your body (especially your fingers and toes, but can also occur in other places such as your nipples), which feel tingly and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress.

These areas must be warmed in order for blood flow to return, then can take up to 15 minutes to feel normal again. You may experience redness and throbbing as this happens. It's slightly painful and there is no way to know when you are going to have an attack. For me, my Raynaud's is particularly painful right before my menstrual cycle, and I'm not the only one.

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Who can get Raynaud's?

Approximately 28 million people in the United States have Raynaud's syndrome. While it can affect anyone at any age, it typically starts between the ages of 15 and 40. Women are nine times more likely to suffer from Raynaud's than men, and it also appears to be more common in people who live in colder climates.

Types of Raynaud's

Primary Raynaud's is very mild, and attacks typically don't interfere with daily life. In this case the best thing you can do is try to prevent symptoms or treat them during an attack.

Secondary Raynaud'susually starts later in life, and is common in patients with scleroderma, lupus or arthritis. It is much more serious than primary Raynaud's and can leave you with tissue damage and ulcers.

More: 7 Things You’re Doing Now That May Cause Diabetes Later

Treatment

While there is no cure for Raynaud's at this time, prevention is key, and since everyone who suffers cannot move to a warm climate, it's good to know there are options available.

"The best solution is to live in a warm climate where there are no triggers or symptoms," Dr. John Lindsey of Crossroads Healing Arts in Elkhart, Indiana, told SheKnows. "A more pragmatic way is for those in cold climates to make sure to wear the warmest socks possible and warm, lined gloves when they go out in cold weather."

Lindsey also recommends keeping your home and work environment at a consistent and warm temperature or using prescription vasodilators.

"In functional medicine, we prefer biofeedback as the primary treatment," he explained. "We also use supplements such as L-arginine, which safely improves blood flow to the extremities. In patients with poor blood flow attributed to plaque burden, chelation therapy can be very effective."

After I stopped growling at my computer screen and the red I was seeing had faded from my vision, I attempted to parse what I was looking at as I watched Cuba Gooding Jr. lift up Sarah Paulson's skirt at Paleyfest. The action, caught on video and documented in photographs, appeared unsolicited. There appeared to be no warning from Gooding that he would do it, no indication that Paulson in any way enjoyed it and no reason it should have happened.

More: American Crime Story Really Put Cuba Gooding Jr. in a Dark Place

This video is jarring, disturbing and, frankly, as a woman it's infuriating to watch. Paulson is standing up onstage welcoming her American Horror Story co-star, Kathy Bates, who is walking over to join the rest of the cast. The cast is in a line, all facing toward Bates, so Gooding (who's behind Paulson) has the element of surprise on his side. As Paulson opens her arms to Bates, Gooding ever-so-slyly stoops down, picks up the hem of her skirt and begins to draw it up. Paulson shrieks. The skirt drops. She plays it off by holding up her hand, presumably signaling that it's no big deal. She's a better woman that I am because I would not have handled the situation so calmly.

My first question here is: What the fuck, dude? You couldn't have just kept your hands to yourself the entire time, like adults are known to do? Gooding's actions are disturbing to say the least because there is a sense of entitlement and toxic presumption happening in his actions. There is a chance Cuba Gooding Jr. believed he was acting in a humorous way and may have believed that Paulson (with whom he has co-starred in both AHS and The People v. O.J.: American Crime Story) might have taken it as a joke too. I'd argue Paulson's shriek and pulling down of her skirt indicate she did not find it funny at all.

And so, intended joke or not, I call Gooding's actions entitled and toxic because the ways in which Gooding thinks he can just mess around with Paulson — intimate, potentially embarrassing ways no less — betray a sense of male entitlement to female bodies that women know all too well. It may not have been Gooding's intention to sexualize or embarrass Paulson, but that's sure as shit what happened when he decided to lift up her skirt. At a professional event in front of their fan base, Gooding acted in a way that made him look like an entitled brat and reduced Paulson down to a joke, a joke she didn't ask to be part of. That entitlement is toxic behavior, without a doubt, and there's no reason that he should have ever done that.

More: Is Sarah Paulson Playing Hillary Clinton in American Horror Story Season 7?

Gooding's actions caused a widespread negative reaction on Twitter. People immediately reacted to the video with disgust and outrage, calling his actions "gross," "disrespectful" and "not funny":

More: Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor are the Greatest Love Story of Our Time

Since the incident occurred, there's been no reported explanation from either party and no apology from Gooding, which is unfortunate but expected. What could he possibly say that wouldn't put salt in the wound? Paulson did not deserve to be treated like this. A woman whose body can become the target of a joke or turned into something to gawk at by a man who thinks that it's funny to look up her skirt at her genitals (in public, mind you).

I strongly encourage Gooding to consider his next career move in something other than comedy, because right now, he's the least funny person in Hollywood.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

The biological clocks of teenagers are, as we know, a bit skewed, making them naturally want to sleep well into the afternoon and remain alert longer into the evening. And often, when the alarm goes off for school, teens are left feeling exhausted. As the popular argument from angsty teenagers and concerned parents goes, delayed school start times would efficiently solve this problem and create ensuing world peace. However, new research suggests that this isn’t quite the case.

More: Why Teens Sleep Patterns Change

A team of mathematicians and sleep scientists from The University of Surrey and Harvard Medical School recently found that delaying school start times is not enough to reduce sleep deprivation in teenagers. Researchers first took three factors into account: whether the person was a morning or evening person, the impact of artificial and natural light on the person and the typical alarm clock time. Then, using a mathematical model, they were able to calculate sleep deprivation.

Surprisingly, they found that the biological clocks of adolescents are still a factor when it comes to faulty sleep scheduling, but early school start times aren’t to blame for any sort of sleep deprivation. The main cause of this exhaustion? Too much exposure to light in the evening — bedside lamps, book lights, Twitter-Instagram-Facebook-Snapchat-Tinder feeds. You get the gist.

The research shows that later school start times would have no effect on sleepiness in teens if the over-consumption of light, especially late at night, remained unchanged. The teenager’s internal clock would simply adjust to the new start time, leaving them feeling just as tired as before.

More: How To Tell If You’re “Just Tired” or Full-On Sleep Deprived

As it turns out, catching up on sleep during the weekends isn’t the solution, either.

"During the working week our alarm clocks go off before the body clock naturally wakes us up. We then get insufficient sleep during the week and compensate for it during the weekend. Such patterns of insufficient and irregular sleep have been associated with various health problems and have been termed 'social jet lag'," co-author Professor Derk-Jan Dijk said.

So if you’re concerned about your exhausted teen, writing to the school board might not be the best option after all.

Try limiting their exposure to bright light from television, cellphones and laptops later in the evening. And if achieving such a goal seems relatively unlikely (we know it is), you’ve got other options. You can also lower the lights in your home as evening approaches and get your teen to download apps like F.lux or Twilight that adjust the concentration of blue light (the type of light that messes with your natural sleep rhythm) on devices after the sun goes down.

Anything to avoid another early morning battle, right?

Chris Evans just learned the hard way that there are certain rules that come with being on set with a 6-year-old.

Evans was joined by his pint-sized co-star, Mckenna Grace, at a press junket for their upcoming film, Gifted, where they revealed a little bit of what it's like to combine some salty Hollywood types with a first-grader. It all started when they were asked what they do to make the set feel more like home. Grace had a lot to say about that one.

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"I packed a bunch of Barbies whenever I went on that trip," she shared. "I always pack my one stuffed seal that I take everywhere with me — he was even in the movie! I try to sneak him in… I love him very much. He’s been in our family for a while because my mom’s had him since she was 6. I have a special pillow that I like to sleep on, so I bring that. I bring my special baby blanket. I bring a lot of things that help me feel at home there."

Then she added, "It makes me feel more at home whenever I’m surrounded by people like this."

Amid all the awws from the crowd of reporters at the event, Evans interjected, "I pay her to say that."

And that's when Grace let their secret slip when she quipped, "You never paid me on set!"

More: Jeremy Renner and Chris Evans Slut-Shame Scarlett Johansson's Character (VIDEO)

It turns out there was a little rule for the grown-ups during filming. If they used any coarse language around Grace, they had to pay up for her swear jar. And Evans admitted at the event that he still hasn't paid up what he owes.

When asked by a reporter how much he owes, Evans had to do some quick math.

"Was it five bucks a swear?" he asked.

Grace replied, "Five bucks a swear word but 10 for the F-word."

Evans quipped, "So I’m in deep."

There's a happy ending to this story, though. Grace donated all her swear jar earnings to charity when filming wrapped. All the more reason to pay up, Evans!

Check out Mckenna Grace and Chris Evans in the exclusive clip below, and don't forget to see Gifted in select theaters next Friday, April 7 and nationwide Friday, April 21.

More: Watch Chris Evans Grab His (and Others') Left Boob 9 Times

Glitter eyeshadow, ombre lipstick, white eyeliner: How come the most impractical makeup trends are always the prettiest? This time around, face gloss has taken the beauty world by storm, and I might as well be leading the charge: A few years ago when highlighter became A Thing, I decided to sit on the sidelines, waiting until something slightly less sparkly—and, well, less iridescent—came along.

In the meantime, I used RMS’s Living Luminzer, a glitter-less highlighter that I waxed poetic about for months, until one day last summer when I made a fortuitous discovery: I has dispensed way too much Glossier Balm Dotcom from its tube, so I rubbed a bit on the apples of my cheeks, up toward my cheekbones. The result? I looked well-rested, and a few years younger, if I do say so myself. Eventually I started using it in the center of my lids for an all-over refreshed look.

More: The Lipgloss Hack That Makes Me Look Awake In Seconds

It was three months later that I found out face gloss was an actual thing, and not just a hack I’d been taking credit for throughout the tail end of 2016. Applied (almost) in the same way you’d wear highlighter—to the points of your face, like your cheekbones, just above your outer brows, and at your Cupid’s Bow—face gloss extends beyond looking naturally dewy and instead escorts you directly into angelic territory.

As with most products, face gloss is buildable, and though you can go from dewy to editorial to greasy in three second flat, it’s mostly a godsend. I like to apply my CC cream as usual, then use my Beautyblender to dab some gloss on my cheekbones, eyelids, and even into the corners of my eyes. Yes, it feels a little tacky, and yes, it takes some getting used to, and yes, you will look approximately one million times better than if you were to pile on enough highlighter for the same effect. Just know that your hair will stick to your entire face, should the wind blow—they still haven’t figured out how to fix that when lip gloss was a thing in the ‘90s.

Ahead, the best face gloss products to shop now—including two that aren’t face glosses at all.

More: 31 Super-Pretty Makeup Looks To Copy

MAKE Face Gloss

One of the first to debut a face gloss, MAKE’s formula creates an even, glossy sheen. Just don’t wear it over powder foundations, lest your face turn into one big cakey mess.

MAKE Face Gloss, $25; at MAKE

Milk Makeup Face Gloss

If you’ve spent at least one minute on Instagram, you’ve seen this product at work. It’s high-shine and a tad gummy, but not in an Elmer’s Glue way. Pro tip: A little goes a very long way.

Milk Makeup Face Gloss, $20; at Sephora

Glossier Balm Dot Com

Perhaps the most fortuitous discovery I made last summer was when I dispensed too much of the brand’s Cherry Balm Dot Com and used the excess on my cheeks and eyelids. For days when my eyes are actually bloodshot, I swap in the original.

Glossier Balm Dot Com, $12; at Glossier

NYX Cosmetics Lid Lacquer

This budget formula works surprisingly well over powder- and cream-based products.

NYX Cosmetics Lid Lacquer, $6.99; at Ulta

M.A.C. Clear Gloss

It’s a little tacky, but slightly creamier than its competitors. It’s also great for mixing pigments to create your own shade.

M.A.C. Clear Gloss, $22; at M.A.C.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Sure, it’s not technically a face gloss, but throw some on your cheekbones and tell me you don’t look radiant—I dare you.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment, $4.99; at Target

Originally posted on StyleCaster.com

Marriage comes with a lot of surprises, including that much of what I believed about sex after getting married was actually a myth. We are oversaturated with images portraying married sex as being as boring as it is infrequent, but that doesn’t need to be the case. Based on my experience, here are five myths that need to die now.

The risks are gone

At some point during the immersion of false images, I was told the myth that married sex was a walk in the park. Protection? Throw it out! Pull out? Who needs it! Twenty-four-hour access, here we come!

Except it's not like that. Just because you are in a monogamous relationship doesn't mean you are issue-free. Being married does not mean you are ready for a child, so protection still matters. But pregnancy isn’t all you have to look out for. Yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections don't take a hike just because you’re married. Self-care is still needed.

More: 6 Unexpected Ways to Be More Confident in Bed

Scheduled sex sucks

Finding time to have married sex can be hard. Between kids, jobs and other life stressors it becomes easy to forgo altogether. So sometimes, you have to schedule it. As unromantic as that sounds, prescheduled sex can not only be fun but it can become the highlight of your week.

The level of anticipations that comes with prescheduled sex adds to the excitement and gives a wonderful opportunity for foreplay. Besides, there’s some pleasure in knowing you were so important that you’re guaranteed a time slot. So grab a calendar, pick your favorite coding color and shoot that flirty text.

More: How 15 Moms Keep Their Sex Lives Hot After Having Kids

Great sex is a one-partner job

Along with having to prioritize sex, I’ve learned the importance of effort — no one wants coma coitus. In order for sex to be mutually gratifying there has to be mutual effort. It didn't take long to realize one of the easiest ways for my husband to lose interest was for us to have sex without me being engaged.

At first, I didn't see the big deal. Society has convinced us that men don’t care what kind of sex they have as long as they get to have sex, but in my experience, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Men, like women, have a desire to have emotionally gratifying sex, and they deserve it too. That engagement shows itself in different ways. Sometimes, it's through obvious things like being on top, while other times it's small things, like eye contact, comforting words and back rubs.

It’s better to lie and pretend you like it

OK, your partner may not always have the best moves. It is important to remember that bodies are not automatically sexually compatible and from time to time you will have to give your partner constructive criticism.

An incompatible position is a great opportunity to have a discussion about what does and doesn't work for each partner during sex. It’s better to talk about what might not be working early on than hold your tongue to keep from hurting their feelings. It's a lot more hurtful to find out years down the line that sex with you is more like a chore than a pleasurable bonding experience. After opening your legs, be sure to open your mouth.

More: An Erotica Author's 7 Best Sex Tips — Plus, Her Hot Picks to Read and Watch

They owe it to you

During the first year, I had two unrealistic ideas about sex. The first was that my husband would want sex all the time. The second was that when one of us wanted sex the other was required to give it to them. That’s not true.

Married does not equal indefinite consent. There will be times for both parties when one partner will feel like having sex and the other will not.

Instead of guilt-tripping your partner, take that time to further explore what you like. You would not force a person to eat when they’re not hungry (hopefully); don’t try and force people to have sex when they aren’t in the mood.

I am only two years into this married sex thing, so I don’t know everything there is to know yet. But like everything else in marriage, I see sex as a journey — find out what works for you and your partner and you’re on the right path.

I recently walked into a restaurant and saw an entire family, parents and three kids, all on their own devices. Heads buried down, not looking or talking to each other. How depressing, I thought. Fast-forward 20 minutes later, and I've handed over my own phone to my 3-year-old to keep him from using everyone's water glasses as a gigantic science experiment. That will teach me to be so smug.

The struggle is real for all of us to keep cellphones from dominating our lives. Or, at the very least, our meal times.

More: Cellphones don't ruin relationships, bad habits do

Now some restaurants are trying to make the struggle a little easier. Sarah's Corner Cafe in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, offers a 10 percent discount to families if they can go the entire meal without looking at their phones. Yup, that means no quick glance of Twitter or opening your latest Snapchat. The sign says it's for families of four or more, but the owner says he will honor it for families of all sizes.

Once you tell your waiter that your family is taking the challenge, you drop your phones in a basket and they bring old-school games like hangman and tic-tac-toe to the table. The owner hopes this will allow families to connect while waiting for their food. The idea came after seeing a family who came in every week who was constantly on their phones.

Café owner Barry Lynch told ABC News, “I just thought it was such a shame not to have more time together just to talk,” he said. “Look at my eyes. I’m here with you. How was your day?” 

Fast food giant Chick-fil-A has also done something similar. Last year, they offered free ice cream if you could just put your phone away for the entire meal. My kids were very on board with that plan. And we did manage to earn our dessert!

I think it's great when restaurants offer an incentive to stay off phones because I absolutely can get through my Cobb salad without seeing my friend Margie's new puppy on Facebook. At least I think I can. It's a very cute puppy, and she's probably posted a new video by now — good Lord, how long does the food take to come?!

More: Restaurants Spark Controversy by Banning Kids

Even if your fave eatery doesn't offer any incentives to actually talk to your family, there is another way. Leave your phone in the car. It will be there when you return. And I promise, your withdrawal symptoms will probably fade before the bill comes.

Updated March 28, 2:43 p.m. PT: Bill O'Reilly released a statement addressing the comment toward Maxine Waters:

"As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs. I said that again today on Fox & Friends calling her 'old school.' Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize."

Original article:

Maxine Waters is quickly becoming our favorite woke Congressional bae, for obvious reasons.

Waters, who represents California's 43rd district, gave an impassioned speech against Donald Trump and the Republican Party, saying, "We’re fighting for the democracy. We’re fighting for America... you’re not nearly as patriotic as we are."

More: Fox News' Chinatown Segment Is the Most Racist POS We've Ever Seen

A clip of Waters' speech was shown on Fox & Friends, where it got exactly zero analysis because O'Reilly Factor host Bill O'Reilly was too busy being a racist POS and talking about such important things, like Waters' hair.

"I didn’t hear a word she said," he claimed after being asked what he thought of Waters' speech. "I was looking at the James Brown wig."

No one at the table bothered to acknowledge the inherent racism in O'Reilly's comment, but Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt did try to rebuke him for one thing.

"You can’t go after a woman’s looks," she said. "I think she’s very attractive."

More: Bill O'Reilly Attacks Beyoncé and Her "Exploitive Garbage"

O'Reilly's response was to double down.

"I didn’t say she wasn’t attractive," he said. "I love James Brown. But it’s the same hair James Brown had."

Is it just me, or does that phrase sound a little too close to, "I have black friends! I can't be a racist!"?

O'Reilly later invited Waters to come on his show, saying, "You’re all wrong about Maxine Waters. She’s a sincere individual. Whatever she said, she believes. And that’s old-school. We’re giving Maxine a break here. I love you Maxine."

More: Montel Williams Has Got Beef With Bill O'Reilly After an Unpleasant Visit

Sorry, O'Reilly, but maybe next time you feel like "giving Maxine a break," you can not say something that's totally racist. Or better yet, just show yourself the door.

Things are getting scary between Jodie Sweetin and her ex-fiancé, Justin Hodak.

Sweetin took out a temporary restraining order against Hodak after an argument they had allegedly turned violent, and court papers alleged Hodak "engaged in violent arguments with Sweetin in which he threw objects at her." Now, he's been arrested — for the third time in a week — for violating the order.

More: Jodie Sweetin Has the Kindest Words for Her Full House Grandma, Doris Roberts

Court papers filed by Sweetin allege that after the pair broke up, Hodak showed up unannounced at the Warner Bros. lot where she was working, "demanding to see her and engaging in a dispute with the security guards there. He also waited for Sweetin to confront her at her children’s school."

This comes just a week after Sweetin and Hodak announced their split. They got engaged in January 2016 after two years of dating.

More: Jodie Sweetin Is Refreshingly Honest About Her Failed Past Relationships

In her court filings, Sweetin claimed that Hodak became abusive, suicidal and addicted to drugs at the end of their relationship. The Fuller House actress claimed he showed up without warning at her home on March 18 and "said he was going to take a 9 millimeter pistol with him and use it to kill himself."

She also alleged he had been abusing steroids and testosterone supplements, which made his bad temper worse, and that the night he threatened suicide, he had been drinking and smoking marijuana.

Sweetin has two children from previous relationships, 9-year-old Zoie and 6-year-old Beatrix. We only hope they can all stay safe while they work through this scary split.

More: Fuller House Star Jodie Sweetin Is Using Her Troubled Past to Inspire Us All

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Updated March 28, 1 p.m. PT: Abby Lee Miller announced in an emotional Instagram post that she's decided to leave the show amid an ongoing investigation against her for fraud.

"The majority of children that follow me may be fast asleep, however now is the critical time to make the following statement: I WILL NO LONGER TAKE PART IN DANCE MOMS," she wrote. "FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS/ SEVEN SEASONS I HAVE ASKED, BEGGED, AND EVEN DEMANDED CREATIVE CREDIT FOR ALL THE IDEAS, AWARD WINNING ROUTINES, THEMES, AND COSTUMING - TO NO AVAIL!"

She continued, "I don't have a problem working with any kid, I love children and have dedicated my life to making other people's children successful! I JUST HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BEING MANIPULATED, DISRESPECTED, AND USED - DAY IN AND DAY OUT BY MEN WHO NEVER TOOK A DANCE LESSON IN THEIR LIVES AND TREAT WOMEN LIKE DIRT! #dancemoms #season7 #ALDC #aldcalways #newbeginnings #aldcla #alllovedancecourage."

Us Weekly reached out to Lifetime, where reps for the network declined to comment.

Original story:

Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller has one last attempt to avoid prison time in her bankruptcy fraud case.

More: Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller is actually cracking jokes about her fraud charges

Miller will be sentenced in a day's time, but on Tuesday, Jan. 17, her legal team filed a sentencing memorandum, obtained by E! News, claiming that a probation sentence is sufficient.

"Ms. Miller was overwhelmed and under-equipped, and this led to her failure to respect to [sic] the bankruptcy process," her legal representatives state. "Her engagement of lawyers, accountants, and other professionals was haphazard, episodic, and at times, counter-productive."

More: Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller isn't going to prison on fraud charges — yet

Her representatives also claim that she has suffered a "very public humiliation" and that she has since learned from her mistakes and acquired the help of financial experts "to ensure that she will not recreate the circumstances that led to this sentencing."

Miller could face up to five years in prison (a hefty prison sentence that would no doubt destroy her career), as well as a $5 million fine for the $755,000 in income she concealed in 2010.

However, the U.S. Attorney's office is not impressed with the sentencing memorandum, and according to E! News, they filed their own documents on Jan.17 stating that they recommend Miller receive a "guideline sentence." The reason for this recommendation is that they believe she "committed multiple offenses for which she accepted responsibility in the context of the bankruptcy. She both schemed to defraud the court, conceal assets, and falsify bankruptcy schedules while under oath."

More: Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller is in deep financial trouble

They reportedly also noted several emails that Miller sent to her accountant following a 2013 hearing —where a judge reportedly demanded that she reimburse her creditors — as the reason for their recommendation.

Do you think Abby Lee Miller should go to prison? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Earlier this month, writer Beth Jacob and her 5-year-old daughter were online shopping in the girls’ section of Gap, and they couldn’t seem to find anything that fit the young girl’s tomboy-ish personal style. They found princesses and flowers, but no dinosaurs or superheroes. As any parent with a young child knows, getting kids to wear something they dislike is a serious challenge. We want our kids to feel comfortable in what they’re wearing (and, for Pete’s sake, just get dressed for school, already).

Rather than continuing the search on a different site or simply buying from the boys’ section, the young girl decided to take matters into her own hands.

More: Mom Tells Lands’ End That Girls Like Science, and They Listened

She wrote her complaints directly to the CEO in this letter:

“Dear Gap,

"My name is Alice Jacob and I am almost 5-1/2 years old. I like cool shirts like Superman and Batman shirts and race car shirts, too. All your girl shirts are pink and princesses and stuff like that. The boys’ shirts are really cool. They have Superman, Batman, rock-and-roll and sports. What about girls who like those things like me, and my friend Olivia?

"Can you make some cool girls’ shirts please? Or, can you make a ‘no boys or girls’ section — only a kids’ section?

"Thank you,

Alice Jacob”

Alice’s polite yet firm requests were swiftly sent off to Gap Inc. — but the family didn’t expect what happened next. Before they knew it, Alice’s letter was gaining national attention, even being published in The Washington Post. A few days later, an email arrived from Jeff Kirwan, the CEO of Gap.

More: Buying Pink for Your Sons Is a Step in the Right Direction

“Hi Alice,

"I got hold of the letters you sent in and wanted to be the one to reply to you. I’m Jeff and I’m the head of Gap.

"You sound like a really cool kid with a great sense of style.

"At GapKids, we try to always offer a wide range of styles and choices for girls and boys. This includes a selection of girls’ tees with dinosaurs, firetrucks, sharks, footballs and some of our superheroes. Our latest Disney Collection, Beauty and the Beast, is also all about the strength and bravery of girls, and that’s something that’s really important to us.

"But, you are right, I think we can do a better job offering even more choices that appeal to everyone. I’ve talked with our designers and we’re going to work on even more fun stuff that I think you’ll like.

"In the meantime, I’m going to send you a few of my favorite tees from our latest collection. Please check them out and let us know what you think. Our customers’ comments are very important to us, and they help us create even better products with each season.

"Thank you again,

"Jeff

"Gap Brand President & CEO”

Whoa. Did this company just listen to a 5-year-old’s fashion advice? You bet they did.

But this goes beyond just fashion, of course. Through its agreement to make more gender-neutral apparel, Gap is being extraordinarily open-minded to a child's expressions of individuality and a parent's encouragement of choices. As new generations of children become more aware and accepting of differences found among the people around them, this support is something that all leaders of the fashion and corporate world need to value over profit margins.

More: How Gender-Neutral Parenting Encourages Healthy Development

In her own response to Kirwan, Beth Jacob said, “We both have an opportunity on our hands: to help kids learn why being different is an act of bravery; why asking for something unfair to change is worthwhile.”

And she’s right. Will every CEO respond to every child’s letters? Probably not. But what you as a parent can do is encourage your kids to develop and embrace their own unique opinions and show them that their voices are heard.

Three years ago, my husband of 17 years started an affair with a young Japanese intern. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I’d always considered us the lucky ones. We had sex that was stellar, varied and memorable. We had great conversations. We’d loved and liked each other — until the moment he texted the girl who’d just flown into Tokyo on business and was getting settled in her room at their hotel: “Are you awake?”

The affair went on for five weeks until the young lady in question boarded a plane back to Japan a few weeks later. But after my incessant beating of the suspicion drums, my husband confessed that they’d intended to keep it up a month longer until her internship ended.

I started with the basics, winging and shattering his cellphone followed by his laptop, whose life ended cockeyed in a snowbank outside our condo in Vermont. Though my husband deleted the most damning correspondence, the leftover bits were plenty painful. No one can predict which remnants of information left behind will scald with a ferocity that continues to stun to this day. Over time, I strung what remained together into a timeline (through, at times, admittedly weird levels of sleuthing).

If you’ve ever watched slalom ski racing on TV, you’ve seen how the athletes’ descent is tracked simultaneously on screen, and eventually you can see where one starts to make mistakes and fall behind. I made the timeline to try to pinpoint where I fell behind in my marriage. What small mistakes echoed out to become the clarion call for a third person to join the party?

Our first therapist announced that she only accepted couples who wanted to work things out. And while agreeing to that was like putting a cigarette out on my arm, my husband’s chant was, “I’ll do anything to make this work,” and so trying became our tenuous way forward. I couldn’t fathom how to counterbalance a future together with a shame as big as the world — of being a cliché, of being compared, of being traded in for a woman whose prefrontal cortex was still in flux for another three years.

On confession day, I took off my wedding rings forever. My husband clung to his band, but once I pointed out that his ring had been elbow deep in some other DNA pool, he threw his ring in the garbage (and later fished it out because it protected our privacy as we bushwhacked our way forward).

More: 6 Smart Strategies to Keep Money Stress From Poisoning Your Relationship

The intern had gone back to Tokyo to graduate college, so there was no issue there. She admitted in texts to me that she’d used her youth and beauty as power over my husband. She told him that her seduction plot was really meant for the head of sales (also married with children), but he didn’t happen to go on the trip. So my husband was not only joining me as a stereotype, but had the bonus of being runner-up as well.

Now that our marriage was gasping for breath, we chose our therapeutic team wisely — one for him, one for me, and one for us (who could, thankfully, dispense drugs as needed). Two years in, I found temporary carbon rings for us both on Etsy. Retail price: $40. Commitment level: perfect.

As a couple, my husband and I have always coped by being productive. Since Kana, we’ve pretty much changed every aspect of our lives. My husband stopped working for the first time since high school. We up and moved to Miami, and looking for our new house was middle-aged porn real estate fun. The house came with a beautiful, unused pizza oven in the backyard, so my husband has become a bread baker.

One day I woke up wanting real wedding rings. On a lark, we went to Cartier and got matching gold bands. It was romantic and overwhelming. The saleswoman thought us sweet and said love must be in the air because just before us, a young Japanese couple from Tokyo had come in to buy a ring for the young woman. My husband and I couldn’t even look at each other. Later, when we talked about it, gallows humor prevailed.

Our new reality was always tapping us on the shoulder like that, right on schedule. How many movies had we rented over the past three years, only to seize up when the subplot involved a cheating man whose wife gives him the posthaste boot? It usually involves a scene where she throws clothing from a second-story window while stridently reviewing her self-respect — and all the other qualities that I apparently fail to possess because I stayed.

More: 11 Men on Why They Love Committed Relationships

People who write about staying together after betrayals tend to gush about being closer than ever. I beg to differ. We were close before, and we’re close now. We’ve solved some problems and reconstructed a common purpose and culture — all with gobs of therapy. But I hold a sizable piece of myself in reserve. Not for any other plans, but because I must. The good days are often followed by deep emotional hangovers, and that’s when my husband knows to come looking for me at the bottom of the well. Shame still hides behind trees. It flattens out, back to bark, head cocked to one side listening for me.

When my husband bakes bread in our backyard oven amid the rustling of the palm trees and soft tropical nights, I ponder something I saw on an episode of Michael Pollan’s series Cooked. Of food scientist Bruce German, Pollan says, “He told me something I didn’t realize. That if I gave you a bag of flour and water, and you had nothing else to live on, you could live on that for awhile, but eventually you would die. But, if you take that same bag of flour, and water, and bake it into bread, you could live indefinitely.” Maybe my husband and I had the ingredients all along, but they weren’t mixed together in the right way to sustain us and prevent malnourishment.

After we bought our new rings, we went to celebrate over lunch at a little spot near Cartier. The young Japanese couple was already there. Can you beat it?

More: My Married Co-worker's Affair Is Stressing Me Out

So, you’re pregnant, and everything is going great. Sure, having something press on your bladder may mean more trips to the bathroom, but it's not always as easy to go No. 2.

Pregnancy and constipation pretty much go hand in hand, but why is that?

"Constipation is common in pregnancy because of higher progesterone hormone levels in a woman’s body," Dr. Heidi Cough, an OB-GYN from Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, tells SheKnows. "The progesterone hormone slows down the intestinal tract so the stool sits in the bowel longer and more water gets taken out of it. That’s why the stool gets harder, resulting in constipation."

Here are some tips straight from doctors to help you get through (probably) one of the toughest parts of your day.

1. Drink water

This is definitely great advice for people who experience constipation in general, not just during pregnancy. The most important part to preventing constipation under any circumstance is to drink lots of water. Dr. Yen H. Tran, an OB-GYN from the Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, recommends drinking around a half gallon a day.

2. High-fiber foods

Foods that are high in fiber content can always help since fiber is customarily known to help with constipation issues. Eating fruits like prunes, dates, green apples, peaches and grapes can help, while vegetables like asparagus, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, artichokes and legumes can help soften things up in your colon. Other high-fiber foods include nuts, oatmeal and bran muffins — or any foods related to those — and they can also help a great deal. Doctors often recommend around 20 to 35 grams a day of fiber.

"It is important to know that fiber found in citrus fruits and legumes also can stimulate the growth of colonic flora, thereby increasing fecal mass," Tran says. "The recommended amount of dietary fiber is 20 to 35 grams a day. In addition to consuming foods with high fiber, patients may add raw bran (2 to 6 tablespoons with each meal) followed by a glass of water or another beverage to achieve the fiber intake goal."

More: How to Relieve Constipation

4. Iron can make things worse

Keep in mind that sometimes foods or supplements with iron can make constipation much worse. Tran suggests avoiding iron supplements unless you are anemic, especially since prenatal vitamins usually have iron in them already.

5. Massage your stomach

Tran recalls one effective technique she was taught during her medical training: stomach massage.

“It involves massaging your abdomen from the right lower quadrant area up to right upper quadrant area and across your abdomen,” she explains to SheKnows. "Then you can massage down from the upper left quadrant to the lower left quadrant. This can help in freeing any potential impacted stool caused by gravid/larger uterus.”

More: Why Do I Need to Take Iron Supplements During Pregnancy?

5. Laxatives

An obvious medical answer that doesn’t necessarily need a doctor’s consultation can be the use of laxatives. Bulk-forming laxatives can be used during pregnancy to help alleviate symptoms of constipation. Saline laxatives like Milk of Magnesia — or water containing high amounts of magnesium — can also be helpful, according to Tran.

6. Stool softeners

When in doubt, you can always go to your pharmacy for some extra help. Both doctors recommend taking a stool softener, like docusate sodium (Colace) in doses of 100 milligrams twice a day, from your local pharmacy.

More: Constipation Remedies: Natural Ways to Stay Regular