
Mom and health nut-approved: This $13 ‘candy-like' multivitamin is my top pick for kids
Taking care of your health is one thing.
Making sure your kiddo is getting the best-of-the-best is a whole other ball game, and most parents agree — you shouldn't have to make any sacrifices. That's why I like SmartyPants Kids Multi & Omegas Gummies.
As a toddler-mom and health and wellness writer, I've become extra particular when it comes to ingredients, testing, and labeling. SmartyPants is one of the few supplement brands that meet nearly all my requirements for a well-rounded, third-party tested kids' multivitamin — and now, ahead of Labor Day, a 60-pack supply is marked down to just $13 on Amazon.
Reviewers rave about the 'adequate vitamin content,' sweet 'candy-like' taste, and mention notable improvements in their children's daily health after consistent use.
'I feel so much better knowing he's getting all these essential nutrients in just one serving,' one shopper explained. 'The ingredients are high quality, and I appreciate that it's made for kids 4 and up — no artificial colors or weird aftertaste. His energy and focus have improved, and even his pediatrician was happy with the choice.'
Kids prefer the taste, parents say it works, and pediatricians approve. Really, what more could you ask for in a kids' multivitamin? Stock up on SmartyPants now, and save over 30% before Labor Day.
Always consult your physician before starting a new supplement.
Smarty Pants
SmartyPants' clean-certified formula combines essential nutrients like vitamins B12, A, E, K1, iodine, and Omega-3s (DHA & EPA) to deliver the benefits of a multivitamin and omegas in one easy dose. The soft, tasty gummies are made with bioavailable, high-quality ingredients for better absorption. With nearly 30,000 purchases in the past month, many parents call them a 'game-changer' for supporting kids' bones, immunity, eye health, and everyday wellness.
This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Journalist. As a Gen Z first-time mother of one, Miska tests baby, maternity and postpartum products ranging from stylish new kids clothes to long-trusted diaper brands with her daughter. She evaluates baby- and mom-approved products for practicality and quality, and consults medical and parenting experts to weigh in on safe ingredients, usage and more. Before arriving at the Post, she covered the lifestyle and consumer verticals for the U.S. Sun.
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Cosmopolitan
3 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
TikTok's Obsession With Hormone Balancing Fact-Checked by Experts
Hormones…are confusing. They're these little invisible chemicals that ultimately control nearly every major thing our bodies do, like our metabolism, mood, sexual function, and sleep cycles. Lately, they've been getting a lot of attention, especially on the Internet. By now, your FYP has likely fed you the phrase 'hormone balancing,' a trending term that's touted as a cure-all for essentially everything. Some creators on social media discuss them while hustling supplements (Magnesium! Folic acid! Zinc! Ashwagandha! B6! Inositol!) that allegedly balance your hormones to fix mood swings, weight gain, gut issues, lack of energy, allergies, PMS and menopause symptoms, and more. Over on Amazon, you'll find dozens of books making similar claims; some of which also promote following a special diet to do the trick. And brick-and-mortar clinics and at-home hormone testing have popped up, offering tests that promise to check for these hormonal imbalances. Doctors are seeing an uptick in questions about hormone levels too. "Patients are pointing to symptoms that a lot of people may feel, like fatigue, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, mood issues, and problems with sleep and libido,' says Karen Tang, MD, a board-certified gynecologist at Thrive Gynecology in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and a TikTok creator with more than 465,000 followers. But these kinds of symptoms can show up for a wide variety of reasons, really; experiencing one or more of them doesn't immediately mean that something is off with your endocrine system, aka the group of glands (think: ovaries, testicles, pancreas, thyroid, pituitary) that makes and regulates your hormones. Most people seeking out this information are just trying to get some relief or make some type of progress on the symptoms they're experiencing. But with so many conflicting messages and grifts out there, it's hard to know what to trust. 'People are taking advantage of women's genuine confusion and lack of answers from the traditional medical establishment,' says Dr. Tang, who is also the author of It's Not Hysteria. "There's a lot of room for science to give people more accurate guidance and information. Because right now it is sort of the wild west, where people can kind of make up any sort of claim.' We've tapped experts to bring some clarity to the table. Keep reading for the five must-know facts about hormone balancing that you probably wouldn't see on your Explore Page. There's actually no such thing as a hormone imbalance. 'Hormone imbalance' isn't a recognized medical term, but you can have a hormone disorder, or what is formally called an 'endocrine disorder,' aka when one or more of those glands we mentioned earlier makes too little or too much of a specific hormone, according to the NIH. Determining an endocrine disorder can get complicated sometimes, but in general, doctors are able to see this through blood tests (because your glands pump hormones straight into your bloodstream!). Your physician will know what's normal (if you want to get a baseline understanding for yourself, check out this infographic), but if you want a more specialized approach, you'll need to see an endocrinologist. In short, endocrine disorders are the more official term for what TikTokers are calling hormone imbalances. A lot of different kinds of these exist (more on that below) and they can be difficult to manage since they impact nearly every part of your body, from your reproductive organs to your mental and physical health. Endocrine disorders aren't as common as the internet makes it seem. "A lot of people have endocrine disorders, but definitely not as many as you would expect based on social media," says Dr. Tang. Common endocrine disorders include PCOS, type II diabetes, insulin resistance, and hyper- and hypothyroidism. PCOS affects about 10 percent of people of childbearing age with ovaries, and about one in eight women develop thyroid disorders in their lifetime. Your primary care doctor or gyno can usually diagnose and treat PCOS, thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, or pre-diabetes, according to Alexis Melnick, MD, an ob-gyn and reproductive endocrinologist at New York-Presbyterian in New York City. This can involve a slew of options, but generally some kind of medication will be a part of treatment (unless you go see a DO, who may provide non-medication options). There is no "normal" hormone level. Think of 'normal' hormones like a kid's growth bell curve, says Angela Koenig, MD, an ob-gyn at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon, New Hampshire: You can be on the very low or very high ends of the height range and be perfectly healthy. And since it's normal for hormones to fluctuate, 'there's really not a clear definition of what having 'balanced hormones' means,' says Dr. Melnick. Hormones can vary a ton from person to person, day to day, sometimes even hour to hour, especially when the menstrual cycle is at play. Some people naturally have lower or higher baseline levels than others, without having a hard-and-fast hormone disorder. There isn't one test to determine your hormone levels. "Patients will say, 'Can you test my hormones to see if they're balanced?' but I don't have a test for that," explains Chantel Cross, MD, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at Johns Hopkins. Doctors only check hormone levels if you have a collection of symptoms that might point to a specific endocrine disorder. "At that point, you test the relevant hormone,' says Dr. Melnick. This is usually a blood test. For example, if you experience irregular or missed periods, your doctor may suspect PCOS or hypothyroidism and test for those hormones to determine their levels. A doctor will also want to rule out non-hormonal conditions like autoimmune diseases and endometriosis, which sometimes can look like endocrine disorders with symptoms like fatigue, pelvic pain, bowel problems, bloating, and migraines. "A lot of people have those [symptoms] and they're like, oh, must be my hormones?" says Tang. "It's a little dangerous to not investigate other conditions that could explain it." Many influencers who talk about hormone imbalance might have negative opinions on birth control, which doctors say is misplaced. 'You could make the argument that if you want to balance some of these hormones, nothing does that as well as the birth control pill because it keeps them at a constant level," says Dr. Melnick. While birth control isn't for everyone, for some people it can be "life-changing" when it comes to hormones, says Dr. Tang (and in general, it is a life-changing and essential medication to prevent pregnancy!). "Birth control pills are so effective because they really lower the estrogen levels that can be 'out of balance' in PCOS," says Dr. Cross. "It also can block the receptor for androgens at the hair follicle. So it really helps the skin." Dr. Cross suspects birth control gets a bad rap because it tricks people into thinking their cycles are normal. When people quit birth control for whatever reason, as some have recently, they're often frustrated when irregular periods return because the underlying condition is still there—the birth control just stops the symptom, it doesn't cure the entire endocrine disorder. No matter why you're experiencing your symptoms, if you don't feel they're are being taken seriously by physicians, definitely speak up for yourself and seek out new care or a second opinion if necessary. "I think so often, especially as a woman of color, we're told [our symptoms are] 'normal,'' says Courtney Minors, RD, a registered dietitian specializing in PCOS and the supervisor of clinical nutrition services at Bethesda Hospital in Jupiter, Florida. 'But you don't have to feel that way. You can get help, you can make changes, and things can improve." Colleen de Bellefonds is a freelance journalist and editor who covers science, health and parenting. Her reporting and writing regularly appears in Well + Good, US News & World Report, Women's Health, The Bump, What To Expect, SELF and many other publications. She lives in Paris, France with her husband and two kids. See more of her work at or follow her on X @colleencync and Insta @colleendebellefonds.


New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
I put an end to a decade of period bloating with this free dietitian service — it also left me more energized and less moody
New York Post may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Weight gain and bloating are pretty standard PMS symptoms, but that doesn't mean you should have to live with them. I'd been riding that rollercoaster for nearly a decade, and frankly, it was getting old. What concerned me was how there was almost nothing that I could do to control them. I felt like I'd tried everything: cutting back my salt and sugar intake, popping some purple PMS-relief gummies the Flo app sold me on and I even adjusted my workouts to align with my cycle, easing up during my luteal and menstrual phases. At some point, I finally gave up and bought myself a pair of jeans in the next size up so I could just stop fighting with the dreaded period bloat. I write about health and wellness for a living, and know that I'm fortunate that I've never dealt with intense cramps, headaches and other PMS symptoms that some women experience. But the water retention and weight gain, which always seem to hit the few days before my period, have been a constant struggle I could never seem to shake. That is, until I heard about Nourish, a telehealth site that connects users with a personal telehealth dietitian, mobile nutrition-tracking app, recipe ideas and plenty of other resources to help them hit their goals. Nourish set me up with a dietitian who specializes in the areas I was looking to optimize — women's health and weight stabilization. And just a few weeks after starting Nourish, I've already seen the proof it works. After a few meetings with my dietitian and a couple of weeks of implementing her advice, I'm already seeing that period bloat melt away. What is Nourish? Most Americans have insurance that covers working with a registered dietitian, but fewer than 1% utilize this benefit. Many also don't know that it exists (admittedly, I was one of these people). When Nourish launched in 2021, its founders set out to take on the broken U.S. healthcare system by creating a bridge to better care. In a nutshell, Nourish's overarching mission is to make it easier and more affordable for people to eat well and live longer, healthier lives. The type of support they offer depends completely on the person. When users sign up for Nourish, they can select their goals — whether it's to lose weight, improve sleep, build an exercise routine or eat more intuitively. Nourish pairs users with a registered dietitian for telehealth appointments and hyper-personalized, clinical care. But, beyond one-on-one health counseling, Nourish users can utilize a fleet of resources, including a mobile app that provides unique recipe ideas, a curated to-do list, AI-driven daily nutrition tracking and progress charts that sync with the Apple Health app. The best part about Nourish? Almost 95% of patients pay $0 out of pocket. The service is fully covered by insurance and available in all 50 states, which means there's really nothing to lose by trying it out. Signing up is simple, and after a quick questionnaire, you can choose your dietitian and set up your first appointment. My review I've been meeting with my Nourish dietitian every week, and have used Nourish's mobile app for almost three weeks. Since starting Nourish, I've been tracking my meals and leveraging Nourish's recipe idea section to select ingredients and cook meals that help my body during my cycle. Read on to see exactly how this personalized health service works. A typical meal I ate for lunch, per recommendations from my Nourish dietitian. Miska Salemann How Nourish works Signing up for Nourish was straightforward. Beyond standard steps like entering my insurance details and confirming my location, I answered basic questions about my current health habits, diet, and goals. The prompts were familiar — things like 'How many days do you work out on average?' and 'What's your typical vegetable intake?' There were also questions covering mental health, medical history and caffeine and alcohol consumption. Near the end of the questionnaire, users are prompted to select their specific goals. For me, that included managing PMS symptoms like bloating and weight stabilization, along with improving gut health and practicing intuitive eating. After that, I was presented with a list of available dietitians to choose from. If I wanted, I could have started sessions as soon as the next day — there was plenty of availability. I browsed the profiles and picked a dietitian specializing in women's health and weight management. Honestly, booking an appointment has never felt that quick or effortless. On my first call, which took place over Zoom, my dietitian introduced herself, spoke a bit about her background, and then opened up the floor to my concerns and goals, in which I quickly recounted the last decade of frustrating PMS symptoms, including everything from 'feeling like I gain give pounds overnight,' to 'becoming a whole different person the week before my period.' She nodded along, listened, and asked some more questions about my medical history and relationship with food. I told her it has been generally positive, besides the fact that I sometimes skip breakfast, crave too much chocolate, and skip the home-cooked meals in favor of whatever sounds good in the moment, especially the week before my period. During that introductory session, she said she would put together a list of meal recommendations that were packed with protein and healthy fats, which could help offset some of my sweet and salty cravings. She also suggested that I start tracking my food intake on Nourish's mobile app and incorporate more quick and easy breakfast ideas to avoid skipping that first meal of the day. Nourish After we finished up, I went ahead and downloaded the app and logged into my account. All my information was waiting there, right down to my to-do list, and a section where I could browse different recipe ideas. There's also a message channel, where users can connect to their dietitian if they have any questions or need to reschedule their appointments. I'm not someone who follows recipes to the T, but I did spend some time browsing for inspiration. This isn't the place for your basic chicken-and-rice dish — my daily recommendations included everything from sesame salmon and asparagus with nori, to baked fennel and chickpea mayo. You can also filter by dietary preferences and allergies, which makes it easy to find meals that actually suit your needs. Mostly, the recipe recommendations helped convince me that I could whip something together from my own kitchen, rather than resort to a late-night Uber Eats order. My dietitian did make it pretty clear that some of my PMS symptoms can be exacerbated by eating a diet high in processed foods and sugar (ie, whatever I order when I'm eating out or ordering in). For the next few weeks, I tried to limit my consumption of artificial coffee sweeteners, vegetable oils, and carb-heavy dishes. Every time I had a craving, I reached first for a protein snack — something like a bag of Quest Chips or a scoop of peanut butter. Originally, I'd imagined that I would end up still eating that sweet treat I wanted, but I was surprised to discover that a quick hit of protein did fill me up. Nourish Over just two weeks, I got pretty consistent with AI-powered meal logging, and it paid off. The Journal tab in the app makes it easy: users can snap a photo of their meals or jot down a quick description, and the app takes it from there. It scans the ingredients and automatically logs everything into your daily nutrition tracker (that includes calories, protein, carbs, fat, fiber and even hydration). The feature is surprisingly intuitive, and I found myself making better choices almost without thinking. Part of it was the gamification; filling the rings each day felt like closing my Apple Watch activity goals. But it also came down to accountability. My dietitian reminded me that managing PMS isn't just about the week before your period — it's about building healthier habits throughout the month. Just two weeks into the process, I'm already seeing results. My weight typically fluctuates by three to five pounds the week before my period. But this month, that didn't happen. I also felt more energized, a little less moody, and more comfortable in my clothes. None of this is rocket science. I probably could have done it without Nourish if I really wanted to. But would I have? Honestly, I'm not so sure. How Nourish compares to competitors There are several telehealth sites that offer similar services to Nourish. Apps like Wellory and Healthie also provide a space for people to connect with healthcare providers, but I'd argue that they're not quite as convenient, intuitive or affordable as Nourish. Nourish distinguishes itself with a broad in-network insurance model. By partnering with major payers, including Medicare, Aetna, and United, most Nourish users are able to access their care for free. About 95% of patients pay $0 out of pocket, which speaks for itself. Nourish also employs 3,000 dietitians who are employed as W‑2 employees (rather than contractors), and the quality of care speaks for itself. Nourish's platform is impressively user-friendly, thanks to its seamless AI integration. Logging meals is quick and intuitive, and session notes with your dietitian are automatically transcribed — so nothing gets lost, and no time feels wasted. Pros and cons Pros: Nourish offers broad insurance coverage, with most users paying $0 out of pocket Users receive one-on-one counseling from credentialed registered dietitians who are matched to their unique needs and goals The mobile app is very intuitive, offering features like AI-powered meal logging and quick transcriptions of session notes Nourish houses up to 3,000 dietitians — and they are employed as W‑2 employees rather than contractors, which could improve the quality of care for patients Cons: Some reviewers have mentioned that their dietitian wasn't the right fit for their needs — or provided guidance that didn't align with what they wanted There's no way to confirm results; the payoff depends largely on the user's approach to using Nourish Final verdict For someone as busy as me, Nourish offers real value. Between a demanding 9-to-5 and chasing after a toddler, my own health often falls to the bottom of the priority list. Nourish helped fill that gap — not just through regular check-ins with a dietitian, but by keeping me more in tune with my daily nutrition and overall habits (ie, meal logging). None of this felt forced; using Nourish was actually pretty fun. Maybe, even addictive. But, in a healthy way — not in a shameful way. The app also offers a range of tools I didn't even fully take advantage of, like symptom and movement tracking, as well as recommendations for people managing allergies or syndromes like PCOS and ADHD. It's hard for me to find any major flaws with the service. I've seen some reviews from people who didn't feel their dietitian was the right fit, but that wasn't my experience. Nourish is truly tailored to individuals' needs, and I believe that what helped me see real progress in easing my PMS symptoms. Considering it's a free service, I'm genuinely impressed with what Nourish offers. How we tested I met with my Nourish dietitian weekly and used Nourish's AI-powered meal logging feature for roughly three weeks. While testing the service, I considered how user-friendly it was, the quality of care provided and the overall impact Nourish had on my health. Miska Salemann User-friendliness: As with any telehealth app, it's very important that users can navigate the website offerings, app features and sign-up process with ease. With Nourish, I evaluated the time it took for me to sign up and input my insurance information, and considered the questions asked during the introductory questionnaire. I assessed how easy it was to find a dietitian that suited my needs, navigate the platforms (on desktop and mobile) and book/change appointments. Finally, I tracked how simple it was to log my meals and find different resources through the Nourish app. As with any telehealth app, it's very important that users can navigate the website offerings, app features and sign-up process with ease. With Nourish, I evaluated the time it took for me to sign up and input my insurance information, and considered the questions asked during the introductory questionnaire. I assessed how easy it was to find a dietitian that suited my needs, navigate the platforms (on desktop and mobile) and book/change appointments. Finally, I tracked how simple it was to log my meals and find different resources through the Nourish app. Quality of care: Nourish is primarily an online health service, but real, credentialed dietitians are still at the heart of this kind of personalized care. I looked into each provider's education, licensing and experience, as well as the variety of specialists available. During my sessions, I paid close attention to my dietitian's professionalism, communication style and how effectively they addressed my concerns with practical, evidence-based guidance. I also made note of how easy it was to get in touch with my dietitian for additional support through the process. Nourish is primarily an online health service, but real, credentialed dietitians are still at the heart of this kind of personalized care. I looked into each provider's education, licensing and experience, as well as the variety of specialists available. During my sessions, I paid close attention to my dietitian's professionalism, communication style and how effectively they addressed my concerns with practical, evidence-based guidance. I also made note of how easy it was to get in touch with my dietitian for additional support through the process. Impact on health: For me, the goal of using Nourish was to learn how to better manage my PMS symptoms. I tracked short-term changes in my eating habits and mindset, as well as the education I gained around intuitive eating and my personalized nutrition needs (daily calorie, protein, carb requirements, etc.). For longer-term outcomes, I focused on whether my efforts led to noticeable improvements in managing my PMS symptoms and how motivated I felt to maintain the progress I was making. This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Writer/Reporter. As a health-forward member of Gen Z, Miska seeks out experts to weigh in on the benefits, safety and designs of both trending and tried-and-true fitness equipment, workout clothing, dietary supplements and more. Taking matters into her own hands, Miska intrepidly tests wellness products, ranging from Bryan Johnson's Blueprint Longevity Mix to home gym elliptical machines to Jennifer Aniston's favorite workout platform – often with her adorable one-year old daughter by her side. Before joining The Post, Miska covered lifestyle and consumer topics for the U.S. Sun and The Cannon Beach Gazette.


New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
Get up to 35% off Crest 3D Whitestrips with 90,000 already sold last month
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. Tired of stained, yellow teeth that ruin the moment from first dates to job interviews? We've got you. Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects Kit just dropped in price for Amazon's Labor Day sale, getting your smile in ship shape. This number one bestseller has nearly 100,000 rave reviews and 90,000 sold last month alone, and now it's just $29.99, a fraction of what you'd pay for an in-office whitening session. With professional-level results up to 19 shades whiter, this kit lets you enjoy the same transformation without dropping hundreds of dollars at the dentist. Thanks to the advanced no-slip grip, you can wear them while talking, moving around, or even sipping water, making it one of the most convenient ways to refresh your smile before work, dinner, or a big event. We also found Crest toothpaste for sensitive gums at 24% off and an Oral-B electric toothbrush at a $30 discount! If you're not already a Prime member, get a free 30-day trial that provides fast shipping at no extra cost to you, streaming and more. Amazon Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects lift away years of tough stains, revealing a visibly brighter smile in just days. The enamel-safe formula delivers professional-level whitening you can trust, all from the comfort of home. With consistent use, you'll see long-lasting results that rival a dentist's office treatment at a fraction of the cost. And with 22 treatments included (20 standard + 2 bonus), you're getting more than enough to complete a full whitening cycle and keep your smile looking fresh. Think of it as self-care that pays off every time you flash your smile, without the sky-high dental bill. For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America's go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance. We're not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products, and consult experts on any topics we aren't already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we're known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.