Raphael Stevens

A nightcap may be nice, but is likely to lead to a fragmented night’s rest.
While it is true that booze acts as a sedative, it also disrupts dreams and shakes up the sleep cycle. It reduces time spent in the stage of sleep understood to be the most restorative, the rapid eye movement, or REM, phase. Prolonged use can cause insomnia, sleep apnoea and snoring.
These are the findings of the London Sleep Centre, which has published a review of all known studies on the effect of alcoholic beverages on sleep in healthy volunteers.
Alcohol: a sleep disruptor
”At all dosages, alcohol causes a reduction in sleep onset latency, a more consolidated first half sleep and an increase in sleep disruption in the second half of sleep,” the authors said in the latest issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Lead researcher on the review, Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, told the BBC people should be cautious about using the bottle to send themselves to sleep.
”One or two glasses might be nice in the short term, but if you continue to use a tipple before bedtime it can cause significant problems,” he said. ”If you do have a drink, it’s best to leave an hour-and-a-half to two hours before going to bed so the alcohol is already wearing off.
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It can also mess with your breathing
”With increasing doses, alcohol suppresses our breathing. It can turn non-snorers into snorers and snorers into people with sleep apnoea – where the breathing’s interrupted.”
Professor Peter Cistulli, the head of sleep medicine at the University of Sydney and director of the Sleep Health Foundation, says there are three reasons for this.
First, alcohol is a muscle relaxant so the throat muscles become vulnerable. Second, the additives in some forms of alcohol, particularly red wine, cause nasal congestion. This means people are more likely to breathe through their mouths and therefore more likely to snore and more prone to sleep apnoea. Third, ”alcohol numbs the brain [so, if for instance] the throat collapses and there is alcohol on board, recognition of that problem is delayed”.
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Booze can mess with deep sleep
From the hundreds of studies assessed by the London Sleep Centre, the most significant finding was the effect of alcohol on REM sleep. This is because the body does not slip into the deeper dreaming sleep state until it has metabolised the alcohol.
”The onset of the first REM sleep period is significantly delayed at all doses and appears to be the most recognisable effect of alcohol on REM sleep followed by the reduction in total night REM sleep,” the researchers said.
REM sleep is still not fully understood, but it is seen as necessary for survival. Reduced REM can also lead to people feeling more fatigued the next day. One British study found almost half of the 2000 drinkers surveyed acknowledged increased tiredness after a drinking session, but 58 per cent did not realise alcohol was the reason. Cistulli said a greater awareness of the effect of alcohol on sleep means people are more able to address sleeping issues.
”Alcohol is a chemical and the brain is a soup of chemicals,” he said. ”Alcohol gets in there and mucks up the soup that is relevant to sleep.”
However, he said the London Sleep Centre review is based on generalisations and ”there are clearly individual variations”. The findings are of most benefit to people who have trouble sleeping and aren’t aware of the impact alcohol is having, Cistulli said. ”Once they start to understand the link, they can start to modify their behaviour.”
Courtesy of Stuff
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Being a woman certainly has its benefits but some aspects of womanhood are far from glamorous, in fact they are down right unpleasant. Bothersome vaginal infections are high on the list, with about a third of women being affected at some point during their lifetime.
Gynaecologist and Lactacyd spokesperson, Dr Lizelle Nortje sheds some light on the topic.
What Are Vaginal Infections, Exactly?
It’s a broad term for a number of feminine conditions, the three most prevalent types are:
• Bacterial Vaginosis (BV); presents with thin, increased, smelly (fishy odour) discharge. This is the most common cause of vaginal infections, accounting for 50% of cases.
• Candidiasis (yeast infection commonly known as thrush); presents with white clumpy discharge and inflammation with symptoms such as itching, redness and/or burning of the intimate area.
• Trichomoniasis (a parasite affecting both women and men, it’s a STI); presents with discoloured, smelly (fishy odour) and increased discharge as well as inflammation with redness and swelling of the vagina. It’s also the most common infection, with about 30 million infections in sub-Saharan Africa.
It’s also quite common to have a mixed infection, which may not be identifiable by one’s discharge.
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What Causes It?
Well, it’s complicated; there are many factors that have an impact on our feminine health. Bacterial Vaginosis is caused by a change or imbalance in the types of bacteria normally found in the vagina. Candidiasis is caused by an overgrowth of normal fungi in the vagina and can cause more serious systemic infections in people with a compromised immune system, such as pregnant or HIV positive women.
Some common triggers include…• Stress• Antibiotics: they destroy healthy bacteria that prevent an overgrowth of yeast.• Allergies to detergents and fabric softeners.• Hormonal changes that may be brought on by menopause, pregnancy or ovulation.• Diabetes, the condition alters the body’s sugar content and therefore the pH is altered.
Tips to help prevent vaginal infections
• Wash with just water, unless prescribed otherwise by your gynae. Feminine hygeine products can be scented and disrupt your natural flora.• Stay, healthy, eat well, get enough sleep and drink enough fluids.• Do not douche: it disrupts the natural balance of bacteria and fungi and alters the pH of your vagina.• Keep your intimate area clean and dry.• Wipe from front to back after urination and bowel movement.• Wear cotton underwear.• Avoid using deodorised pads and tampons.• Don’t use petroleum jelly or other oils for lubricants.• Avoid sexual intercourse until the treatment is completed and you are free of symptoms.
Also, give your body regular breaks from tight clothing; choose natural fabrics over synthetic ones, especially when it comes to underwear; and avoid perfumed feminine sprays.
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When Should You See A Doctor?
Bacterial Vaginosis and Trichomoniasis only respond to antibiotics so you will need to pay your doctor a visit if you suspect one or the other. Pregnant women should always consult with their doctor for treatment as vaginal infections can cause complications in pregnancy if left untreated. You should also see a doctor if you have excessive pain or vomiting and fever. If the infection is recurrent you will need to see a doctor to ensure you are getting the right treatment.
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I gotta be honest— as someone who’s about to turn 22, graduate college, and start life in the big and scary “real world”, I’m scared as hell. For as long as I can remember, I’ve listened to countless songs (“Nothing New” by T. Swift, “Ribs” by Lorde…if you know, you know), watched what feels like hundreds of movies and TV shows, and had a lot of conversations that all revolve around the same gist: your 20’s really are…well, somethin’ else. However, I’ve decided I don’t want to jump into this decade blindly accepting that it’ll be a sh*tshow—and I think a lot of gals in my boat are feeling the same way. 
Lucky for us, there is no shortage of books to read that are here to help take this “figuring it out” era by the horns. Covering everything from friendships, self confidence, finance, sex, love, and literally everything in between, here are some must reads to make these daunting years be more a bit more fun and at least a little less dysfunctional.

Michelle Andrews & Zara McDonald
The Space Between
If your 20’s are known for anything, it’s that weird gap between being a teenager and being a, like, real adult. While it’s wildly confusing, kind of lonely, and sometimes embarrassing, there’s also a whole lot of magic to be found in the chaos. Michelle Andrews and Zara McDonald, creators of the award-winning pop culture podcast Shameless, are two of the many twenty-something women just trying to make sense of it all. They don’t have all the answers. but they do know that mapping out our place in the world is a little bit easier when we do it together. Filled with comforting wit and brutal honesty, these are their personal stories from heartbreak and mental health challenges to overcoming career setbacks and letting go of fear—but there’s a good chance you’ll find pieces of yourself in there, too.

Elif Batuman
The Idiot
Contrary to popular belief, not every must-read needs to be a non-fiction, self-help moment. In ‘The Idiot’, Selin, the daughter of Turkish immigrants, arrives for her freshman year at Harvard and signs up for classes in subjects she has never heard of, befriends her charismatic and worldly Serbian classmate, Svetlana, and, almost by accident, begins corresponding with Ivan, an older mathematics student from Hungary. Selin may have barely spoken to Ivan, but with each email they exchange, the act of writing seems to take on new and increasingly mysterious meanings. For Selin, this is a journey further inside herself: a coming to grips with the confusion of a first love, and with the growing consciousness that she may be bound to become a writer, even though that’s not what she’s envisioned for herself at all.

Dolly Alderton
Everything I Know About Love
I think the cover of this book truly says it all. When it comes to the trials and triumphs of becoming an adult, journalist Dolly Alderton has seen and tried it all. In this memoir, she vividly recounts falling in love, finding a job, getting drunk, getting dumped, realizing that Ivan from the corner shop might just be the only reliable man in her life, and that no one can ever compare to her best girlfriends. This incredibly funny and occasionally heartbreaking book is everything we’ve ever needed regarding bad dates, good friends and—above all else— realizing that you are enough through all of the terrifying yet hopeful uncertainty.

A Lonely Girl Is A Dangerous Thing
Growing up is always hard, but especially when so many think you’re a washed-up has-been at twenty-two. Jena Chung, who was once a violin prodigy, is now a selfish, badly-behaved, full blown sex addict. Her professional life comprises of rehearsals, concerts, and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing family demands, those of her creative friends, and obviously, lots of sex. But then, she meets Mark– and he sweeps her off her feet. Not only that, she gets the perfect internship with the New York Philharmonic at the same time. Thinking that she finally has the life she’s been dreaming of, everything is brought to a halt when Trump is elected and everything about New York, and herself, changes at the drop of a hat. Jena comes to learn that there are many different ways to live and love and that no one has the how-to guide for any of it–we’re all just trying to become the people we hope to be.

Natasha Lunn
Conversations on Love
Love, while beautiful in all its forms, is really f’ing hard to comprehend and navigate. After years of feeling that love was always out of reach, journalist Natasha Lunn set out to understand how relationships work and evolve over a lifetime. She turned to having intimate conversations with authors and experts to learn about their experiences, as well as drawing on her own, asking how we find love, how we sustain it, and how we survive when we lose it. And we’re not just talking romantic— this richly layered novel covers the loneliness of loss, the psychology of being alone, parenthood, and more.

Kiley Reid
Such A Fun Age
Alix is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So, she’s taken aback when her babysitter, Emira, is confronted while watching Alix’s toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local supermarket. The store’s security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. Emira is furious and humiliated as it’s caught on video by bystanders, and Alix wants to do everything to make things right. As Emira has no clue what to do with her life, and the video brings forth some baggage from Alix’s past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves and one another. It flawlessly explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone family, and the complicated reality of being a grown up through a story surrounding race and privilege.

Alice Finn
Smart Women Love Money
One rude awakening of my twenties thus far is that I don’t know how to “be good” with money to save my life. If I only buy two $7 iced lattes in a week instead of five, that’s a win. However, this book takes the conversation beyond saving money and budgeting and introduces us to the power of investing. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience as a successful wealth management adviser, Alice Finn shares five simple and proven strategies for a woman at any stage of their life, whether starting a career, staying home and raising children, or heading up a major corporation. She also provides the tools you need to achieve long-term success no matter what the markets are doing or what the headlines say. So even in the face of uncertainty, you’ll know how to thrive, earn, save, and grow your bag.

Tara Schuster
Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies
There’s no rock bottom quite like drunk calling your therapist, and Tara Schuster can attest to that herself. By the time she was in her late twenties, Tara was a rising TV executive who had made a name for herself in the industry. By all appearances, she had mastered being an adult. But beneath that shiny image of success, she was a chronically anxious, self-medicating mess whose road to adulthood had been paved with depression, anxiety, and shame. In this story of Tara essentially re-parenting herself through simple daily rituals, she shares insight and advice she wishes she’d received in her early twenties: words that are candid, practical, and hilarious, while still teaching the importance of self-love and acceptance.

Bianca Sparacino
The Strength In Our Scars
The process of healing is one that is indescribably hard to work through, but this book gives insight that can make each step of the way feel a bit more manageable. It tackles the gut-wrenching but relatable experiences of moving on and self-love through beautifully written poetry, prose, and compassionate encouragement you would expect only from someone who relates to the exact situation you’re going through. Ultimately, it comes together to show us that the things in our lives that leave scars do not destroy you—they are moments in which we survived, and in that is a sense of hope.

Michelle Zauner
Crying in H Mart
As we grow, it can sometimes be easy to lose touch with where we came from. Michelle Zauner shares her story of growing up as one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon, and how that planted the seed for a need to forge her own identity. She touches on her struggles with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her and on a painful adolescence, yet also on the pureness of bonding with her mother and grandmother during those same years. As she grew up, moving away for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band led her Korean heritage to feel ever more distant, even though she felt like she was finally discovering the life she wanted to live. However, after receiving news of her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis while in her mid 20’s, Michelle had a reckoning with her identity and reclaimed the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

Mary Ann Sieghart
The Authority Gap
As many women enter the “real world” workforce in their early 20’s, being underestimated, under-appreciated, and underpaid is sadly a universal experience most of us will face, especially in male-dominated fields. Despite all of the progress we’ve made toward equality, we still fail, more often than we might realize, to take women as seriously as men. In this fascinating book, journalist Mary Ann Sieghart provides a startling perspective on the gender bias at work in our everyday lives and reflected in the world around us, whether in pop culture, media, school classrooms, or politics. With precision and insight, Sieghart gathers from a variety of disciplines—including psychology, political science, and sociology—and talks to pioneering women from a wide range of backgrounds to explore how gender bias intersects with race and class biases. Through her conversations and other findings, she offers insights on how to counteract systemic sexism and ways to narrow this toxic authority gap.

Florence Given
Women Don’t Owe You Pretty
Say it with me: we don’t owe men sh*t, especially being pretty. Exploring all progressive corners of the feminist conversation from insecurity projection and refusing to find comfort in other women’s flaws, to deciding whether to date or dump them, all the way through to unpacking the male gaze and how it shapes our identity, this book really does not miss a beat. It’s an accessible leap into feminism for people at all stages of their journey who are seeking to reshape and transform the way they view themselves. In a world that tells women we’re either not enough or doing way too much, its time we stop directing our anger and insecurities onto ourselves, and start fighting back to reshape the structures of our toxic patriarchal society.

Brianna Wiest
101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think
This was actually the first self-help type of book I ever personally read, and I’m not being dramatic when I tell you that it quite literally changed my outlook on life. It’s been almost two years since then, and to this day, I still go back and read over some select essays when I feel like I need to. This compilation of Brianna Wiest’s published work features pieces on why you should pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thinking, see the wisdom in daily routine, and become aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life. You’ll find pieces of wisdom you’ve been waiting to hear for years, and even better—ones you had no clue you needed but are so grateful you found.

Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman
Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close
While figuring out self-love and romance are definitely the big themes of your 20’s, the importance of genuine friendship cannot be forgotten. A close friendship is one of the most influential relationships a human life can contain, but for all the cutesy sentiments surrounding friendship, most people don’t talk much about what it really takes to stay close for the long haul. Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman tell the story of their equally messy and life-affirming “big friendship” in this honest and hilarious book that documents their first decade in one another’s lives through all of the joys and pitfalls.An inspiring testament to the power of society’s most underappreciated relationship, this book invites you to think about how your own bonds are formed, challenged, and preserved, and when it’s time to fight for them or let them go.

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In a diet culture where fad diets reign supreme, bread has become demonized for its high carbohydrate (and gluten) content and been avoided by the wellness-obsessed for supposedly contributing to weight gain. While carbohydrate-heavy foods–namely bread–have been ingrained as public enemy #1 when it comes to healthy eating or achieving goals like gut health, I think Oprah speaks for us all when she emphatically expressed her love for it in a now-viral TV commercial (see: “I love bread” Oprah memes). So there’s no question that bread delivers on the deliciousness factor, but is it really that bad for your health that you should substitute it for low-carb or gluten-free alternatives? Or could bread actually be…good for you?
I asked registered dietitians to weigh in and finally put the long-running debate to rest. Read on to find out what they had to say. Spoiler: Bread is not the enemy. It’s time to brush up on those bread-making skills—your gut health may thank you.
 

Health benefits of bread
It turns out that other than just satisfying a craving, noshing on certain types of bread can prevent a major case of FOMO—that is, missing out on key nutrients. “Bread can be beneficial to gut health because of the array of fibers, vitamins, and minerals that are found in certain breads,” explained Johna Burdeos, a registered dietitian. “Fiber in particular is essential for optimal gut health. Think of fiber as nature’s broom for the gut—it helps soften stool and get it moving along the digestive tract.” Wirtz pointed out that bread made with whole grains is rich in dietary fiber and prebiotics, AKA compounds that feed the good bacteria in your gut and promote a better environment for the bacteria to thrive on.
But the health benefits don’t stop there. “Bread can also be a source of resistant starch, which is a kind of starch that can’t be broken down by digestive enzymes,” conveyed Kim Kulp, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the Gut Health Connection. “This undigested starch then ends up in the large intestine where the microbes break it down and produce compounds that decrease inflammation, train our immune system, and protect the lining of the gut.” Of course, bread shouldn’t be the only source of fiber and prebiotics you consume (fruits and veggies are also essential sources of fiber!), but rest-assured, bread packs in more gut-boosting nutrients than diet culture lets on.
Sure, bread is higher in carbohydrates than protein or fat, but foods high in carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet as carbohydrates fuel the body with energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity. What’s more, certain breads are made up of complex carbohydrates—the aforementioned fiber and starchy goodness—that take longer to digest, preventing blood sugar spikes. So you can have your bread and eat it too!

What about gluten–isn’t it bad for you?
Going gluten-free seems to be considered the best thing since sliced bread, but is gluten—a protein found in some grains, including wheat, barley, and rye—really that unhealthy? “With Celiac disease—an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten is consumed—steadily increasing, also came a large trend in non-Celiac individuals avoiding gluten,” explained Mary Wirtz, a registered dietitian and consultant for Mom Loves Best. It’s important to differentiate between people who are allergic or sensitive to gluten and those who steer clear of it because they believe it’s unhealthy. Of course, gluten is not beneficial if you have Celiac or another sensitivity, and if your body feels better without it, work with your doctor or nutritionist to build a diet sans gluten and fill in nutritional gaps, just like you would any food allergy of an otherwise nutritious food, such as eggs and nuts. 
However, for those who ditch gluten because they categorize it as a “bad” food, they may want to think twice. As with any health trend, a low-carb or gluten-free diet should be taken with a grain (pun intended) of salt. Just because a way of eating is trendy, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you (always listen to your gut—literally and figuratively).
Research suggests only 6% of the population is gluten intolerant and about 1% has Celiac. For the rest of us? Gluten-containing products like bread can be a part of a nutritious diet. In fact, swearing off gluten altogether (if you don’t have any of the aforementioned conditions) can lead to missing out on nutritious whole grains, fiber, and micronutrients. Also, gluten-free processed foods are often lower in nutrients and higher in sugar (always check the ingredients!). Bottom line: Despite gluten’s bad rap, gluten-free doesn’t equal healthier, unless you have an allergy or intolerance to it.

What type of bread should you opt for?
Not all breads are created equal. Just like all other store-bought foods, some products contain minimally-processed and nutrient-rich ingredients while other products are highly-processed and void of nutrients. As a general rule of thumb, Burdeos suggested opting for whole grain breads (think: 100% whole wheat), which consist of the entire grain, including the parts most concentrated with fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, and healthy fats, as opposed to refined grains (i.e. conventional white bread, processed bakery items, etc.) that strip a lot of the nutrients away. “When buying bread, look at the ingredients to make sure the first ingredient says whole wheat,” Kulp affirmed. “If the word “whole” isn’t there, then the fiber has been removed.” 
Another expert favorite? Good ol’ sourdough. Wirtz explained that some research suggests that sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic to feed the gut bacteria. Because it undergoes a fermentation process, eating sourdough bread allows better digestion, promotes higher nutritional uptake of minerals and vitamins, and improves gut health. The main takeaway? Not every type of bread will be high in nutrients, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep it at arm’s length in order to have a healthy diet.
 

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