Blog Posts by YouBeauty.com

Make mealtime a relaxing and enjoyable event.

Tim West grew up in New York's Hudson Valley, close to the city lights of Manhattan but far enough away to feel like the country. Two-thirds of a set of triplets, he and his brother Chris both got their first jobs at a pioneering farm-to-table restaurant called the Flying Pig Café. "It was there, sitting down to a staff meal and looking left to see the chef who prepared the food and right to see the farmer who'd grown it, that I had an epiphany," says West. "I knew exactly where my food had come from."

MORE: The Low-Down on Genetically Modified Foods

After his time at the Flying Pig, Chris went off to culinary school. Tim went another way. "I really wanted to achieve my own identity, so I headed out west," he says. He enrolled at the University of Colorado in Boulder where he jokes that he "majored in rock climbing and snowboarding the first semester." West had his second food-related epiphany after he got food poisoning at a Taco Bell. "I called my brother and said,

Scotty Reifsnyder

We Asked: Beth Ricanati, M.D., YouBeauty's Wellness Advisor, physician and founding director of Lifestyle 180, a Cleveland Clinic lifestyle modification program.

The Answer: If your urine is bright yellow and you take vitamins and aren't dehydrated, there's a good chance that's exactly what's happening. It's probably a good thing. It indicates that you are getting enough vitamins to begin with and flushing out the excess. (If you don't take vitamins and notice a change in your urine, call your doctor; it could signal infection.)

MORE: Waking Up to Pee? Here's Why.

Your kidneys are a purification system for your body. They filter out the stuff you don't need and get rid of it through your pee. This includes extra vitamins. But not all vitamins are disposed of equally. Of the 13 essential vitamins your body needs to function, nine are water-soluble, which means that whatever your cells don't use right away is excreted in your urine. Examples include C, B and folate

Mimic the natural beauty of a woman in love.

When you're swooning over your new love interest, wearing a perma-grin as cartoon-like hearts float all around you, you positively glow. There's a reason: Love looks good on you.

When you're falling madly in love, your brain releases dopamine as well as other chemicals that give you energy and focus, explains Helen Fisher, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist at Rutgers University and author of five books on love.

"Your energy skyrockets, you're curious, optimistic, motivated and focused," she says. "And this affects your entire body language: you smile, swish your hair, stand taller and your voice goes up-all of this makes you more attractive."

QUIZ: What's Your Relationship Style?

But it's not just romance that boosts your looks in a heartbeat. According to Gloria Brame, Ph.D., a Georgia-based sexologist and author of "The Truth about Sex," having sex, or rather, having an orgasm, will do more for your complexion than any product you'll find on Sephora's

The day of love continues to be hated by many.

The sight of Cupid and candy hearts is enough to make your heart swoon…or make you roll your eyes.

In honor of St. Valentine, you may don bright red heels and get a pink glitter manicure or you might pointedly choose to dress in all black. No other holiday is as polarizing as Valentine's Day-but where do these strong reactions come from?

QUIZ: Are You In Love?

"Valentine's Day is very 'hate it or love it'," says Elle Swan, a life coach and author of "Elle-evate: Change Your Life in 60 Seconds or Less," adding that people's feelings about the holiday often change from one year to the next. "The reason is because, whether we realize it or not, Valentine's Day is a mirror reflecting back to us both our relationship status and our relationship to love."

That kind of introspection can be painful whether you're single, dating or even married. This holiday kind of screams, "It's evaluation time! Prove your love!"

Jane Atkinson, an author who documents her personal

Sure, most nights your go-to bedtime outfit consists of sweats you bought in college and your boyfriend's perfectly worn-in (if a little bit ratty) softball league T-shirt, or if you're feeling fancy, maybe a cami and pajama pants. But special occasions (hello, Valentine's Day!) serve as a reminder that sometimes it's good to step it up a bit when it comes to our sleepwear and lingerie. The idea of baring our best-er-assets may seem daunting, but we've all got something to show off.

Whether you're a Ruler or an Hourglass or are somewhere in between, we've got sexy options made just for your particular body shape. Give 'em a whirl. Dinner and a movie optional.

- by Lesley Kennedy

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A few simple exercises can trim away that belly fat.

Okay, so it's not exactly a newsflash that, along with eating a healthy diet, you're going to have to exercise-and stick with a routine-to reduce a muffin top. "It's not just going to go away overnight," says Fredina Usher-Weems, fitness program manager for the Center of Lifestyle Medicine at The Cleveland Clinic.

MORE: Can Certain Foods Speed Up Weight Loss?

Along with cardio (Zumba, walking, jumping rope-take your pick) and resistance training, it's important to make sure you are doing exercises that specifically challenge and strengthen your core, aka your abdominals. The good news? Simple exercises can help add some definition to your midsection. Best of all, you can do all of these ab moves sitting down.

If you're sitting in a chair right now, notice your alignment. Bet you're hunched forward, forcing your back-rather than your abdominals-to do all of the work. Instead, start practicing exercises that engage your core while sitting in your cubicle at work or

We love rom-coms, love songs and breakup songs as much as the next person, but there are a few lessons they teach us we'd rather do without.

- by Carey Moss

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How Long Should You Wait Before Having Sex?

How to Spot a Psychopath

Are You Dating a Monster?

The science behind those serious pains in the mouth.

The Scientist: Kimberly Harms, DDS, is a spokesperson for the American Dental Association.

The Answer: A canker sore is a little ulcer in the protective lining of your mouth. Unlike cold sores, which are caused by the herpes virus, canker sores are not the result of viral or bacterial infections and are not contagious. They're auto-immune, which means that your body is basically attacking itself.

MORE: Secrets to a Healthy (And Beautiful) Mouth

Ulcer is a catch-all term for any hole in a bodily membrane. In the case of canker sores, the top layer of epithelial cells gets worn away, exposing the blood vessels and sensitive nerves underneath. Think of it like a blister with its outer dome dissolved.

Though they know the immune system is responsible for creating these sores, doctors don't understand what starts the reaction in the first place. They have their suspects. Munching into a sharp tortilla chip, the edges of broken teeth, braces and hard toothbrush bristles