Gabrielle Kassel

ole-playing, or acting out a particular scenario or scene, isn’t just something you do with a friend before breaking up with your sensitive beau, or with a career mentor before asking for a raise. Role-play can also be used to transport any of your sexual encounters from stale to stimulating, boring to bonkers (in a good way, that is).
In a sexual sense, role-play is a term encompassing any sexual act that involves an element of “pretend,” fantasy, or make-believe for the sake of pleasure, ac...

In our post-pandemic world, “burnout” has become quite the buzzword. Colloquially, it’s often used to describe being sick and tired of pretty much anything, from cooking and cleaning to The Bachelor and Bumble. Despite the ways it’s used in everyday conversation, though, burnout also refers to a syndrome caused specifically by work-related stress and exhaustion—and it’s something employees and employers (and society as a whole) need to take seriously.
As exhaustion and general malaise become ...

Although certain human papillomavirus (HPV) strains are linked to anal cancer, contracting one doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll go on to develop cancer.
“An overwhelming majority of anal cancers are caused by infection with human papillomavirus [HPV],” says Syed G. Husain, a colorectal surgeon at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 7,531 people receive an anal cancer diagnosis each year.
Approximately 9...

If your estrogen levels are low, your brain, bone, heart, and sexual health may be negatively impacted. In cisgender men and others assigned male at birth, estrogen levels can drop for any number of reasons.
What’s the short answer?
You’d be forgiven for thinking estrogen only exists naturally in people assigned female at birth. After all, estrogen is often (confusingly) categorized as the “female” reproductive hormone.
But estrogen is a hormone that everybody naturally has in some quantity. ...

Soothing itchy anal fissures involves remedying current fissures, including with a sitz bath, ointments, and more.
Most itchy anal fissures are not easily reachable, and scratching the ones you can reach is rarely subtle or soothing. But you have options for treatment. Some treatments relieve itching immediately, while others help clear up the fissures over time and relieve itching in the long term.
Read on for a roundup of the best at-home anal fissure treatment options and doctor-prescribed...

can the crowd at the starting line of any long-distance race, and you’ll learn that no get-up is complete without a fanny (or pockets) filled with goos and chews. These tummy-filling carry-alongs aren’t just fashion fodder. The proper fuel can help you meet your race-day goals—so long as you eat the right things in the right quantities.
Wait, do I need to eat during a race?
Whether or not your race would be helped by a mid-run bite depends on the race’s length, as well as your preferences and...

If you have endometriosis elsewhere in your body and think the disease has traveled to your fallopian tubes, or if you’re having difficulty becoming pregnant, you have options.
What exactly is endometriosis of the fallopian tube?
Endometriosis of the fallopian tube(s) is, simply, endometriosis.
Endometriosis is an idiopathic disease where cells similar to the ones all along the lining of the uterus (known as the endometrium) grow anywhere outside the uterus.
While these cells can plant anywhe...

Acne triggered by testosterone therapy varies from person to person. That means there isn’t a universal answer to how long it lasts. Here’s what we know and some treatment tips, like home remedies, drugstore products, and more.
Some people may have initial breakouts as their bodies adjust to new hormone levels, and that’s it. Others may navigate breakouts for the first 6 to 12 months of testosterone therapy.
And some will deal with acne for as long as they take testosterone.
Ultimately, it de...

You may still have endometriosis, even if endometriosis tissues weren’t found during a laparoscopy. You could also have a different underlying condition that causes symptoms similar to endometriosis.
Can another surgery or test be used to look for endometriosis?
There are additional tests that are sometimes used to give a healthcare professional information about the likelihood of endometriosis.
But there aren’t any other surgeries that can be done to determine whether endometriosis tissues a...

Strong glutes are essential for moving about your day and can reduce the risk of knee, hip, and back injuries.
There are plenty of glute strengthening exercises you can do at home or at the gym, with or without equipment.
For larger, stronger glutes, the most important thing is to lift heavy and to lift with sound, proper form.
Strengthening your glute muscles can pay dividends in a number of ways. Not only is it one of the largest muscles in your body, but they're also responsible for mainta...

There's nothing unusual about having a kink — some evidence suggests half the population has one.
A few examples of kinks include bondage, impact play aka spanking, discipline, and role play.
Before exploring kinks with your partners, start with consent, communication, and clear boundaries.
As any pleasure-seeker or social scroller knows, a kink isn't just a knot in your neck. It also refers to your sexual preferences.
"A kink is a sexual interest that is outside of the ordinary," says certif...

Hyperovulation does not usually have symptoms. However, ovulation in general can cause stretchy vaginal discharge, breast or chest tenderness, and pelvic pain.

“Generally, hyperovulation is experienced no differently than normal ovulation is,” says Eric Flisser, MD, medical director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York.

Typically, one mature egg is released from your ovary during the ovulatory phase of your menstrual cycle. From there, the egg flows down to your fallopian tubes, wh...

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives, and danazol can all be used to treat endometriosis.
What’s the overall goal of hormone therapy for endometriosis?
“The goal of hormone therapy is to limit endometriosis growth,” explains Monte Swarup, MD, OB-GYN, founder of the leading vaginal health information site Vaginal Health Hub. Specifically, it works by keeping (or trying to keep) estrogen from stimulating endometrial growth.
Endometriosis...

Cycle syncing may ‌sound‌ like a side-by-side bike ride. But actually, cycle syncing is a practice that involves modulating your movement and meals around where you are in your menstrual cycle. At its most distilled, "it's a practice of working with your body," says Gabrielle Lyon, MD, a board-certified physician and functional medicine practitioner,
The claim behind the practice is that doing so can support your overall hormonal health, which in turn, can help you feel better in your body as...

The kettlebell snatch is a great strength-building move that works your core, hamstrings, back, and shoulders.
But it's not an easy exercise to do without first knowing the proper form and technique.
It's important to master each step of the kettlebell snatch before trying it as one fluid motion.
Using a kettlebell is an excellent way to build full-body strength, work the entirety of your core, and improve stability. And one of the best kettlebell moves that manages to accomplish all three of...