Blog Posts by Refinery29

By Andrew Gurwitz, Refinery29

What's as small as the head of a pin, but (almost) as healthy as freshly grilled fish? It sounds like a riddle, but the latest superfood to arrive is chia seeds, peppering everything from juices to granola with odd little specks of black. Eerily suspended in our favorite kombucha, they look like something from the future, but in reality it's the same seeds we came to know so well in our youth. (Ch-ch-ch-chia!)

While nutritionists have always known about the powerful punch of these tiny black seeds, it seems the rest of the world is only just now getting in on the secret. Somehow over the last few years, chia seeds managed to leap out from the bulk bin, sprinkling themselves everywhere we look. These tiny, tasteless seeds can be added to just about anything to deliver rare omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, protein, and calcium.

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"They are just super easy," says Britanny Mullins, a holistic

By Sarah St. Lifer, Refinery29

Admit it, just the other day you were cruising around your neighborhood, and couldn't help but stare at the newest apartment complex that just popped up (seems like overnight, right?). It turns out those units are in serious demand, and not just because of the primo locations - home hunters are settling into multi-family buildings and taking full advantage of those amenities, namely the fitness centers.

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With that in mind, the folks at Apartment Guide gathered all of their data to determine the top 10 fittest cities in the U. S. of A. How? Well, for starters, the much classier version of Craigslist found that the toughest aspect of getting in shape isn't measly motivation, but measly income. Therefore, folks are hesitant to splurge on that spendy gym membership, and are searching for abodes with gratis fitness centers. With little excuse to bypass that elliptical, AG has concluded that San Diego is the city

By Tara Rasmus, Refinery29

Ah, PMS: that lovely time of the month where you hate all things, eat all things, and slowly want to curl into the fetal position and stay there 'til the storm passes. It's an unavoidably miserable time for most women, but according to the New York Times, a recent study suggests that your iron intake may be linked to the severity of your symptoms. Kale chips, sauteed spinach, or steak, anyone?

In the study, 1,057 women with PMS were evaluated and compared against 1,968 control subjects. The women self-reported their intake of food and supplements, and then their PMS symptoms (or lack thereof) were clinically diagnosed. While many minerals have connections to PMS symptoms, one of the most major correlations was found with iron: The women with the highest 20 percent of iron intake were 40 percent less likely to experience PMS symptoms.

RELATED: Oops! Did Kate Middleton Just Spill Big Details on the Royal Baby?

Interestingly, the opposite was true with

By Lexi Nisita, Refinery29

The world is hungry for royal baby news, but so far, Kate & co are keeping it locked down pretty tight. But we're all human, right? Yesterday, while visiting her subjects in Grimsby, the Duchess had a bit of a slip that we can't help but find very revealing.

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When a woman reached out from the crowd to give her a teddy bear, Kate said the following incriminating phrase: "Thank you, I'll take that for my d..."

"For my d..." Her d. Do you realize what this means? There may be a royal daughter on the way! Another member of the crowd immediately jumped on the opportunity, and asked if she was indeed going to say "daughter" - to which Kate replied "no, I don't know." Prince William cut off the conversation by confirming that no, they're not telling. As E! so astutely points out, she may have been referring to her dog. But that's no fun, is it?

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By Gina Marinelli, Refinery29

Never has the phrase "beauty is pain" been more true than after a day in a pair of to-die-for shoes that leave you rubbing your arches and reaching for the epsom salt. And, while achy soles could lead you to sit out a few dances, there are also some serious, life-long risks at stake when we over abuse our feet.

We are not in any position to rain on your shoe parade (nor would we ever want to!). And if we said we'd ditch our pumps and platforms upon learning the not-so-pretty reality about our favorite footwear, well, that be a gross exaggeration. But nonetheless, knowledge, like the right pair of shoes, is power. Therefore, we turned to two of our trusted sources Dr. Thomas Novella, D.P.M., and Jim Wharton, musculoskeletal therapist, for answers.

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These experts broke down the six basic styles we all love to wear and filled us in on what exactly our shoes are doing to our bodies - the immediate effects as well as

By Holly E. Thomas, Refinery29

Sometimes, the reality of living in a tiny studio can be a little overwhelming - so, we've called in the big guns to help all you small-space dwellers outsmart your square footage and actually love where you live. Our team of experts includes local interiors pros and design bloggers, and they all know a thing or two about making the most of mini abodes. Excuse our hyperbole, but their so-smart tips (and decor finds!) might just change your life.

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By Megan McIntyre, Refinery29

We have a love/hate relationship with at-home manicures. On the one hand, they're awesome because they are cheap, we can do them while sitting on our couch in PJ pants, and they allow us to play around with the billion polishes we currently have in our collection. On the other hand, it seems like they just never last, smudging and chipping mere days (or in some of our cases, minutes) after completion. Topcoats promise to keep them in place, but outside of Seche Vite, we've never been able to find one that can make our polish paint jobs last longer than a few days.

Enter gel topcoats. Unlike those weird, at-home kits that have been all the rage lately, these new toppers do not involve any sort of at-home UV light. They're just a simple topcoat, infused with polymers or an epoxy resin, that you brush on over your polish and they claim to keep your digit decor in place for double the time of a regular topcoat. It's the Holy Grail of manicures, people.

By Lauren Caruso, Refinery29

Here at R29, there's no such thing as premature spring shopping. In fact, we're convinced temperatures that don't require two pairs of socks, three cardigans, and a wool beanie are right on the horizon. Even if it's just wishful thinking, we're anything but hesitant to stow away those cold-weather boots we've been donning all along in exchange for something a little more sharp: flats.

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Both practical and chic, the right warm-weather stepper can breathe some much-needed fresh air into any tired, winter wardrobe. So, from a studded, lace-up oxford to an unabashedly ladylike, polka-dot skimmer, we rounded up 10 pairs of flats that'll you'll be happy to march in all spring (and summer!) long.

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