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Bananas are one of the most popular fruits worldwide, and for good reason. Not only are they naturally delicious and versatile, but they are also packed with essential nutrients that can profoundly benefit your body. Incorporating a banana into your daily diet is a simple yet effective way to enhance your overall health and well-being. Curious about how this humble fruit can impact your body? Let’s dive into the science-backed benefits of eating a banana every day. Boost Energy Levels c

I certainly don’t think of myself as an expert in long distance, but rather, experienced in loving someone over a thousand miles away. Otherwise known as a long-distance relationship. Let me take you back to Fall 2019, we went to college together so long distance did not exist, while we are both college athletes, we only lived 5 minutes away, which was so ideal. COVID hit that March 2020, and while there were many negatives, it was the first time we could do normal couple things and not have our sport dictate most of our time, the only problem: he lives in California, and I live in Arizona. It was also at that time I was in the process of transferring colleges and knew once I left, the true distance would start. Yes, some people call a state a way long distance, but I recognize it at short distance.             I moved to the Midwest for my last two years of college, and after my junior year, he got drafted for professional baseball. It was so exciting, but in all honesty, more long distance and we had no idea where he was going until the day he got drafted. I finished up my time in college, and we are currently 1300+ miles away, have a 3-hour time difference, and his schedule has him at the field for 10+ hours a day. How we manage, geez I don’t know, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.             I often see people on social media talking about long distance, or talking with fellow girlfriends and long distance is no easy task. It requires trust, patience, honesty, connecting in different ways, but most importantly, being a person and having a life outside of your significant other. One thing I have found is that long distance requires you to have your own interests and be your own person, achieving your own goals, while having someone you love far away doing the same. We currently cannot achieve our goals at the same location, granted my life is more flexible, but he is on the east coast 7-8 months out of the year for season. So yeah, he doesn’t get to visit me, the only way to see him is for me to spend a day traveling to spend ¾ of my day without him while he is at the field. The best part, I am so thankful for it.             Most of my life consists of long-distance relationships, outside of the relationship with my partner. I have learned the importance of good communication, finding ways to hang out, or go on dates, and not consuming too much of your day talking to them. So, I thought, what better way to talk about this than add a list of tips that get me through long distance. 1.     You are your own person with or without your partner. a.     Having a partner can be a wonderful addition to your life. Key word: ADDITION. Your partner is not your life. Your partner is not your identity. During long distance, use that time to work on your passions, goals, and dreams, while cheering them on in theirs. This is a time where you and your partner can grow together even if you are physically apart. Always remember, you are an individual with your own life and don’t push that aside for your partner, your dreams and goals are just as important. 2.     Agapé a.     I cannot recommend this app enough. My boyfriend and I use it to fill out daily questions about our relationship. I highly recommend this if your love language is words of affirmation, or even if you want something extra to feel loved despite the distance. My boyfriend is pretty busy, so at this point I pull up a question or two occasionally and we discuss it. It is nice to have that time to talk and reflect about our relationship or how we think and feel. Definitely check it out, and it’s free! 3.     Limit texting/being on the phone all of the time. a.     Seriously though. You have stuff to do, so does your partner, so be where your feet are. I’m not saying never text them or have a strict limit but don’t spend your days texting away over nothing. Something that has worked for me is we don’t text too often but facetime here and there for brief times (I’m talking 2–3-minute calls) to check in, catch up, and show each other love. Not spending all day talking or texting makes the phone calls more fun and allows us to do our own thing but being confident in knowing we have each other. 4.     Communication!!!!!!! a.     Long distance is a little different because your partner will not always be able to know or tell how you are feeling, and they are not experiencing everything that you are. You will have to work a lot harder to communicate things going on and continuing to work on communication throughout the relationship is a commitment you will have to make. 5.     Just because you’re not physically together doesn’t mean you can’t have date nights. a.     Date nights to me are anything and everything. They can be staying in or going out, but they range so much in my opinion. For long distance, when we see each other, we call our little meals at 2 am when he picks me up from the airport a date. We watch movies or shows online together and use an online source to play them together or be on facetime to watch together. We have even had dinner dates on facetime, where we order for each other and then eat together, logistically this can be a little challenging with delivery timing, but it is so much fun to eat on facetime together. Turn all … Read more

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Top things to know about vaginas: c An illustration of the vulva and clitoris What is a vagina? The vagina is the tube between the vulva and the cervix. This tube is the connection between your uterus and the outside world. The vagina is what babies exit through during birth, and where menstrual blood exits through during your period. The vagina is also used for insertion, such as with a penis, fingers, female condoms, sex toys, tampons, or menstrual cups. The vagina can also act as a route to other parts of the body. During penis-vagina sex, ejaculate is deposited in the vagina, allowing sperm to enter the uterus through the cervix. The walls of the vagina can also be used as an administrative route for medications and contraceptives, such as intervaginal hormone creams, the hormonal vaginal contraceptive ring, or vaginal suppository medications. Anatomy of the vagina It may seem strange that an organ capable of passing an entire baby through it is also capable of holding a small tampon in place for hours. How does that tampon stay in there? If the vagina is just a tube, shouldn’t the tampon fall out? The vagina anatomy is much more than just a tube. When it is in a relaxed state (not aroused), the walls of the vagina are collapsed against each other, flattened by the pressure of the surrounding organs and tissues within the pelvis. During this state, a cross-section of the vaginal canal (the vaginal lumen) can resemble an “H” or a “W” shape, as the walls flatten against themselves (2). From the sides, the vagina offers movable support and pressure, which allow your tampon to stay in place (2,3). The walls of the vagina are covered by many folds called rugae (3). The walls and folds of the vagina have many purposes, providing both a barrier and access route between the cervix and the outside world. All of these folds allow the vagina to be stretched and expand like an accordion when pressure is applied to the sides (like when a baby’s head is passing through). The walls of the vagina are composed of different layers of tissue. The surface layers of the vaginal wall are made of mucosal tissue—similar to the tissue that lines your mouth, nose, and digestive tract. Underneath the mucosal tissue are layers of smooth muscle tissue, collagen, and elastin fibers, which gives vagina anatomy both structure and ability to stretch (4). Fluids are released through the walls of the vagina to keep the area moist, and during times of sexual arousal, to increase lubrication. The vagina is also capable of absorbing some substances—such as medications, hormonal creams, or contraceptives—into the body (3). How the vagina changes with age The vagina can change a lot throughout a person’s life (1,5). An average adult vagina is slightly curved, and can range between 7 to 12 cm in length (1,3,4)—but every body is different, and there’s no such thing as a too small or too large vagina. The vagina is strongly influenced by hormonal changes throughout the body. During the reproductive years after menarche (the first menstrual period) and before menopause, more layers of tissue are present lining the vagina, due to stimulation from higher estrogen levels in the body (3). The vagina is also influenced by changing hormone levels during pregnancy. Increased blood flow is directed to the pelvis, causing a deeper color change to the vulva and vagina (5). Throughout a pregnancy, the connective tissue of the vaginal walls progressively relaxes, in preparation for the delivery of a baby (5). After delivery, the vagina and vaginal opening temporarily widen, but 6-12 weeks post-delivery, the vagina returns to its pre-pregnancy size (5). icons Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum Sex, fertility, and contraception after birth If you’re not sure how long to wait to have sex after… by Barbara Santen As people age, the walls of the vagina become more relaxed, and the diameter of the vagina becomes wider (1). When it comes to sexual satisfaction, vaginal size does not affect sexual function (6). The perception of vaginal tightness during sex is primarily related to the pelvic floor muscles, which are present around the base of the vagina and not actually how wide the vaginal canal is. After menopause, when estrogen is lower, the walls of the vagina become thinner and frailer, which can cause symptoms of vaginal dryness and decreased vaginal secretions (5). This may result in discomfort during sex and increase the chances of vaginal irritation or infection (5). How the vagina changes during the menstrual cycle The vagina also changes in response to hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle. Around mid-cycle, when estrogen is highest, vaginal tissue becomes thicker and fuller (5). The cervix, at the top of the vagina, moves and changes shape throughout the cycle. Before and after the fertile window, the cervix is low and can be felt in the vagina, with a firm texture, and the hole in the center of the cervix is closed. During the fertile window, the hole in the cervix opens to facilitate the entrance of sperm into the uterus (7), the cervix rises higher in the vagina, and is softer when touched (8).

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When experiencing pain, some people tend to ignore it and avoid seeking medical help for so long that they eventually get used to living with it. However, it is crucial to address any pain as soon as possible, especially if it persists over time.What we should understand is that our body warns us when something isn’t right; we just need to listen to it.Below are some types of pain that may seem minor but can lead to more serious issues if left untreated: c