well aware
Jaw and Order
Comedian Hannah Berner can joke about her “masseter massacre” now, but it was no laughing matter when injections of Dysport, a neurotoxin that temporarily relaxes facial muscles, left her unable to fully smile or speak clearly. She’d had the treatment for her temporomandibular disorder (TMD) before without issue before and said she didn’t know such severe side effects were possible. Here’s another shocker: While Botox and similar injectables have become a popular way to relax overactive jaw muscles, a 2024 analysis of 14 randomized trials found Botox wasn’t significantly better than placebo at relieving TMD pain.
TMD is an umbrella term for conditions that affect the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, with symptoms like soreness, headaches, stiffness, locking, or even plugged ears. Women are about twice as likely as men to develop it, and researchers aren't sure why, though estrogen could play a role. The reasons may be complicated, but giving your jaw a break doesn’t have to be.
For Your Sanity:
Start simple: Most treatments begin with a warm compress or an ice pack, softer foods during a flare, and a break from habits that overwork your jaw like chewing gum.
Check your sleep setup. A supportive pillow that keeps your head and neck comfortably aligned may help reduce overnight strain.
Be mindful with massage work. Jaw exercises can stretch or strengthen tight muscles, but more pressure isn’t necessarily better. LeAnn Rimes recently made a “deep jaw release” look like an emotional exorcism. Fascinating? Yes. A DIY tutorial? No. Better to talk to your doc.
Well Reviewed
Let it Grow
Bring the outside in with an indoor garden system. There’s nothing that feels more Martha than plucking fresh basil from your counter, but you can also grow larger “crops” in relatively little space. Here’s a roundup of our favorites:
LetPot
LetPot SS Pro Smart Seed Starter is the best seed-starting system.
Lettuce Grow
Lettuce Grow Original Farmstand is the best option for large harvests.
Click & Grow
Click & Grow The Smart Garden is the best option for beginners.
Gardyn
Gardyn Studio 2 is the best smart option.
Here’s the full list of the best indoor gardens, according to experts.
Well Fed
Salad Days
Fall may be fast approaching, but farmers market season is still in full swing, and locally-grown produce can be a safer bet than grocery store stuff while cyclospora continues to circulate. Turn that haul into something flavorful enough to eat solo or serve to a crowd, and sneaky enough to fit an absurd amount of fiber, hydration, and gut-health perks into one bowl.
For the fiber-forward crowd: TikTok's "Dense Bean Salad Girl," Violet Witchel, started the trend — and now there are a thousand versions of it. This one from The Kitchn has a citrusy jalapeño-lime dressing that holds up for days (the beans and veggies just get better as they marinate).
For the hydration-obsessed: An entire cucumber gets the main-character treatment here, sliced into ribbons and tossed in a spicy harissa dressing.
For those who treat gut health like a science experiment: Green goddess salad. It looks like a dip, but it's secretly a microbiome powerhouse — the cabbage brings fiber for your gut bacteria to feed on, and the garlic adds prebiotic compounds that help the good bacteria thrive.
No Notes
well aware
Jaw and Order
Comedian Hannah Berner can joke about her “masseter massacre” now, but it was no laughing matter when injections of Dysport, a neurotoxin that temporarily relaxes facial muscles, left her unable to fully smile or speak clearly. She’d had the treatment for her temporomandibular disorder (TMD) before without issue before and said she didn’t know such severe side effects were possible. Here’s another shocker: While Botox and similar injectables have become a popular way to relax overactive jaw muscles, a 2024 analysis of 14 randomized trials found Botox wasn’t significantly better than placebo at relieving TMD pain.
TMD is an umbrella term for conditions that affect the jaw joints and surrounding muscles, with symptoms like soreness, headaches, stiffness, locking, or even plugged ears. Women are about twice as likely as men to develop it, and researchers aren't sure why, though estrogen could play a role. The reasons may be complicated, but giving your jaw a break doesn’t have to be.
For Your Sanity:
Start simple: Most treatments begin with a warm compress or an ice pack, softer foods during a flare, and a break from habits that overwork your jaw like chewing gum.
Check your sleep setup. A supportive pillow that keeps your head and neck comfortably aligned may help reduce overnight strain.
Be mindful with massage work. Jaw exercises can stretch or strengthen tight muscles, but more pressure isn’t necessarily better. LeAnn Rimes recently made a “deep jaw release” look like an emotional exorcism. Fascinating? Yes. A DIY tutorial? No. Better to talk to your doc.
Live Smarter
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