Woman To Woman, I Tell You This Because I Care About You:

4 ways to use ginger 🫚 to heal blemishes

Ginger can be used in several ways to help with blemishes due to its anti inflammatory & antioxidant properties

🫚 Topical Ginger Mask

Fresh ginger, honey, and lemon juice.

Ginger reduces inflammation & redness, honey hydrates and heals the skin, while lemon juice brightens dark spots

Instructions: Grate a small piece of fresh ginger. Mix with 1 tbsp of honey & a few drops of lemon juice, apply to affected areas and leave for 10-15 mins

🫚 Ginger Toner

This helps reduce inflammation and prevents breakouts due to its antibacterial properties

Ingredients: Fresh ginger juice and water

Instructions: Extract the juice from fresh ginger by blending or grating & then squeezing through a cloth. Dilute the ginger juice with equal parts water. Using a cotton pad, gently apply the solution to blemish-prone areas. Let it sit for 5-10 mins

🫚 Ginger Tea for Internal Benefits

This helps reduce inflammation internally, which can improve skin clarity over time

Instructions: Boil a few slices of fresh ginger in water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink as tea, optionally adding honey or lemon for taste

🫚 Ginger Essential Oil

Ginger essential oil can reduce inflammation & fight bacteria on the skin

Instructions: Mix a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil (like jojoba or coconut oil). Apply to blemishes as a spot treatment

Dating 101 (From a Man's Perspective)

One thing that's given me a huge advantage when it comes to dating is the fact that I'm always trying to understand men better. I've pulled aside nearly every single man I've grown close to at some point and asked "So, what do mean really want?". And what I've learned is that most men are pretty much the same when it comes to relationships. So with that, here's the tea on dating from a man's perspective!

All men are obsessed with one thing: Sex.

At their very core, men are obsessed with sex. They think about it constantly. They think about it at the gym, on the subway, at work, at the bar- it's on their minds basically 24/7. And most men will do everything in their power to get sex, including manipulating you to no end just to get your clothes off. So when you meet that gorgeous banker at the club that seems super attentive and engaging, don’t be naïve to the fact that at the very forefront of his mind is likely the hope that you’ll give it up to him by the end of the night. Too many women assume that the initial attention they get from men is genuine when for the most part, it's based on their need for sex. While this reality may be a bit disappointing, it's also kind of amazing. Why? Because if sex controls men, knowing how to use sex to your advantage allows you to control of men. Which brings me to the next point:

Nothing beats delayed gratification.

And I mean absolutely nothing. I know this is a hot take but ultimately, every man I’ve talked to on the matter feels the same way. Withholding sex for as long as possible only facilitates a deeper connection. When you immediately have sex with a man, your physical intimacy level doesn’t line up with the emotional intimacy you’ve built up to that point which can cause issues. It can cause him to value you less (it's silly, but things that are harder to attain are always perceived as more valuable) and lose interest because without an emotional connection, he'll feel like he's gotten what he wanted out of you. So wait for intimacy and once you've waited for as long as you can stand it, wait another month or two. That extra time will allow you to build a deeper emotional connection, allow the pent up excitement to magnetize x1000, and allow the first time to actually mean something. Also, some food for thought: a 2012 study from Cornell University surveyed couples about their relationship happiness, habits, and other intimate questions. Researchers said that participants who waited at least six months to have sex with their partners were actually happier than those who didn't.

Men get insecure too.

If you think you're the only one in the relationship that doesn't like the way your body looks or doesn't feel good enough for your job, you're mistaken. Just because your man isn't as vocal about his insecurities doesn't mean he has any less than you! Men just don't vocalize these insecurities because those who own up to them often feel as though being vulnerable is akin to admitting inadequacy. So they suffer in silence. And so a compliment here and there goes SUCH a long way because frankly, they need it. I always make a point to tell my man when his outfit looks great or when he does a great job on a task and every single time I do the sense of relief and gratitude is palpable. So try to become really attuned to your partner's insecurities and make sure to use compliments to buffer against them!

“He’s just not that into you".

Men are simple: if they want you, they'll do everything in their power to have you. Men have gone to war for women, lost their families for women, and even lost their lives for women. My own grandfather wrote letters every day to my grandmother for an entire year before she let him take her on a date. Trust me when I say that if a man isn't putting his all into a relationship, he's just not that into you. It's not his mommy issues, it's not his shitty job, it's not his depression, he's just not that into you. And as a woman, you have to be able to identify the fact immediately and walk away because it's simply not going to happen. Don't waste your time, just go find a man that is actually into you.

Most men watch porn.

And 99% of the men that do watch porn dedicate a horrifying amount of time watching porn. This is very important to know going into dating because porn creates an utterly false impression of what a normal body looks like and what sexual behavior is really about. It also creates a huge disconnect in a relationship because a relationship is meant to be a mutually satisfying expression of love but porn is about self-gratification and often involves dominating or mistreating the other person. So you have to understand how a man's relationship to porn can or will impact your relationship with him. If you're not comfortable with that impact, you have got to have an honest conversation about it. Personally, I don't feel comfortable with my man watching porn because most of it is downright abusive so I've had to have those uncomfortable conversations and while they're not fun, they're important. But moral of the story: yes, most men watch porn.

All men want to be heroes

And more importantly, they want to be heroes in the eyes of their partners. They need to feel like the knight in shining armor, the protector, and the savior to be content in the relationship. The "Hero Instinct" coined by Bauer, in a nutshell, is the fundamental need that men have to feel irreplaceable. When you take that role from them, they resent you. So sit back and let them feel like heroes. Let them hold the door open for you, replace that lightbulb, wipe your tears when you're sad, rescue you from an uncomfortable situation, etc. Most importantly, compliment them liberally when they do step up. Doing so will allow them to feel secure and in control, and in return allow you to feel cherished and cared for.

No man can resist one thing

If there's one thing that's irresistible to all men, it's motherly love and affection. A man's relationship with his mother is what allows him to develop vulnerability and intimacy in romantic relationships. So when you give a man that warm and loving energy, all guards will drop. He will become more attentive and caring, he will become more honest and respectful, and he will trust you more. Don't believe me? Next time you have some free time, gently grab your man by the arm, lead him to a comfortable sitting area, pull his head into your lap, and stroke his hair. Don't say anything, just allow him to lay and relax. I can guarantee you that he'll become putty in your arms and open up in ways he never has. So try to show your man that nurturing side of you whenever you can and watch the relationship transform significantly.

Lovingly,

Elle

How suppressing emotions affects your body

We may think holding back feelings, especially difficult ones, helps us cope. However, neuroscience shows that bottling up emotions, particularly negative ones, directly impacts our brain and body

Fear, anger, and anxiety trigger the body's "fight or flight" response. Suppressing them keeps the body in a prolonged stress state, leading to cortisol release, a weaker immune system, high blood pressure, and increased heart disease risk

Suppressing emotions doesn’t stop stress—it lets it fester. Ever feel your shoulders tense or jaw tighten when stressed? That’s your body storing emotions, which can cause chronic muscle pain, headaches, and tension

The brain and gut are deeply connected. When overwhelmed with suppressed emotions, the gut responds with bloating, constipation, and IBS. Emotional suppression also affects mental health, increasing anxiety, depression, and emotional numbness. The brain struggles to regulate emotions when they remain unprocessed

Long term suppression raises inflammation levels, contributing to autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and heart disease. A mental block can escalate into serious health issues if emotional stress is ignored

No emotion, good or bad, is harmful—emotions are signals guiding us. Anger can push us to take action, sadness helps us process loss, and fear prepares us for challenges. The issue isn’t the emotions themselves but how we handle them. Suppressing them only prolongs their impact

By embracing our emotions we can maintain a healthier mind and body. It’s not the emotions themselves that cause harm, but our resistance to them

It’s okay to feel. Your body and mind will thank you

got any more article recs?

PubMed Central (PMC)

The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health

The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional communication network that links the enteric and central nervous systems. This network is not only ana

hold on a second man…

next time if you ever feel like falling back to old habits just remember this

personally, there's no better motivation than remembering that there's probably many people out there who don't want me to succeed.