Kara Illig

May 20, 2024 | womansworld.com | Chad Birt |Kara Illig |Alice Chen

It’s no surprise that gardening is incredibly popular: It’s low impact, doesn’t require any special skills and is a proven stress-buster. The hitch? A few hours spent planting and weeding can sometimes trigger pesky musculoskeletal discomfort, especially as we get older. But the good news is that you don’t have to give up planting, pruning and potting (or suffer through the aches!).

Jan 23, 2024 | firstforwomen.com | Kara Illig

We’ve all got a box of toothpicks tucked away in a junk drawer or pantry. Sure, they come in handy for removing food from our teeth, but these tiny wooden sticks are capable of much more! From jazzing up a manicure to getting an old dishwasher working like new, they can save you time and money thanks to their versatility. Below you’ll find 16 brilliant uses for toothpicks. It can be tough to know if a houseplant or seedling is properly hydrated.

Jan 21, 2024 | firstforwomen.com | Lisa Maxbauer |Kara Illig

There’s a reason most diets fail long-term. And the answer may surprise you. It’s not because the plans are too regimented. The human body often craves repetitive habits. Instead, it’s the consistency that may be sabotaging you. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health report that consistent dieting actually has the reverse effect as intended: it slows metabolism and makes it twice as hard for the body to drop excess pounds.

Jan 1, 2024 | firstforwomen.com | Beth Shapouri |Kara Illig

Apple cider vinegar is one of the biggest multitaskers you can keep in your home as it can be used in recipes, for cleaning, to relieve pesky health issues and more. But did you know it can also be a great addition to your hair routine? That’s because the pantry staple does everything from encouraging healthy hair growth to addressing dandruff to adding shine to all hair types. Sound good to you?

Dec 19, 2023 | womansworld.com | Marygrace Taylor |Kara Illig |Diane Hilal-Campo

Feel like your eyesight isn’t as crystal-clear as it used to be? There’s a reason for that. After age 40, proteins in the lenses of your eyes can start clumping together, leading to vision-clouding cataracts. That may leave you wondering how to prevent cataracts naturally and keep your vision sharp for years to come.