Men's Health (Credit: Canva)
Bulking is one of the most reliable methods that lifters can use for muscle mass. When considering how to bulk up properly, it's important to recognize the bigger picture. Far too often, lifters rush into the process of bulking up without enough context.
Moreover, it is important to note that nutrition on its own won't end in muscle mass. You also have to perform the right kind of exercise. Health experts recommend that heavy strength training combined with traditional bodybuilding workouts make up the majority of your training, with high-intensity interval training to help lower the amount of weight you gain from fat while bulking.
After a sweaty workout, many athletes and fitness enthusiasts focus on recovery routines that include stretching, foam rolling, or using specialized devices. However, one underrated yet highly beneficial method for recovery is stepping into a steamy sauna. Using a sauna post-workout can help your muscles relax and extend the benefits of your exercise routine in several remarkable ways.
Credits: Instagram
Lorna Luxe's Husband, 64, John Andrews passed away after a three-year-long cancer battle. On February 11, the British influencer shared a post on her Instagram. The 43-year-old wrote: "My beautiful, brave John died yesterday. I am heartbroken. We were together to the every end, at home, in our own bed and holding hands which is exactly what he wanted."
John, a former banker, was diagnosed with stage three cancer in 2023. He had been receiving treatment over the last three years. John's cancer also entered remission and it returned in 2024 and spread to his brain.
He underwent a surgery in 2025, however, he was back in hospital in December after a complication with his chemotherapy treatments. This led to organ failure.
In January this year, Lorna told her followers that she was "looking for a miracle" and shared that his cancer had "progressed to his other organs" and treatment was "no longer an option".
“I think he's possibly the bravest person. And I suppose at this point we're looking for a bit of a miracle and we're going to take each day as it comes,” she wrote on her post.
In her post that announced John's death, she wrote when she asked him how he was feeling, her husband responded, "Rough, but in love".
Read: Catherine O'Hara Cause Of Death Is Pulmonary Embolism; She Also Had Rectal Cancer
While John's cancer has not been specified, but the reports reveal that his cancer spread to other organs. According to National Institution of Health (NIH), US, the spreading of cancer to other parts of the body is called metastasis.
This happens when cancer cells break away from where they first formed, and travel through the blood or lymph system. This could lead to formation of new tumors in other parts of the body. Cancer can spread to anywhere in the body, however, it is common for cancer to move into your bones, liver, or lungs.
When these new tumors are found, they are made of the same cells from the original tumor. Which means, if someone has lung cancer and it spread to brain, the cells do not look like brain cancer. This means that the cancer cells in the brain is metastatic lung cancer.
Cancer cells could also be sent to lab to know the origin of the cell. Knowing the type of cancer helps in better treatment plan.
As per the University of Rochester Medical Center, in some cases, chemotherapy could cause permanent changes or damage to the heart, lungs, nerves, kidneys, and reproductive organs or other organs.
For instance, some anti-cancer drugs cause bladder irritation, it could result in temporary or permanent damage to kidneys or bladder. In other cases, chemotherapy could also have potential effects on nerves and muscles. Chemotherapy could also damage the chromosomes in the sperm, which could also lead to birth defects. In females, it could damage the ovaries and could result in short-term or long-term fertility issues.
Chemotherapy could also induce menopause before the correct age and could cause symptoms like hot flashes, dry vaginal tissues, sweating, and more.
For some, it could also cause a 'chemo-brain', which is a mental fog that many chemotherapy patients face, that could affect memory or concentration.

Bijou Phillips Hospitalized, Needs An Urgent Kidney Transplant, Says ‘Time Is Of Essence’(bijouphillips/instagram)
Actress Bijou Phillips, 45, has turned to social media to seek a kidney, issuing an urgent request. In a recent social media post, the ‘Made for Each Other’ actress issued a heartfelt plea for a living kidney donor to help her navigate a the medical crisis.
Phillips framed her request not just as an actress, but through the lens of her family roles. "I’m asking as a friend, a sister, an aunt and most important, a single mother to an incredible and brave daughter," she said.
In a post dated February 11, she explained that she was born with underdeveloped kidneys and spent 3 months in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). In 2017 she received her first kidney transplant which helped her for eight years. However, she faced many complications including the BK virus that led to cellular and antibody rejection.
BK virus, according to the National Kidney Foundation, is a common inactive virus in the body that can ‘wake up’ after a transplant.
It can cause blurred vision, change in the color of urine, pain or discomfort while urinating, trouble breathing, fever, muscle pain, frequent urination, as well as seizures.
Different conditions are known to cause either underdeveloped kidneys or the absence of one or both kidneys, Bilateral Renal Agenesis/Hypoplasia/Dysplasia. According to the PLOS One 2010 study, these 3 types of underdeveloped kidneys fall under the Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract or CAKUT. However there are a few differences.
This occurs when both kidneys fail to develop entirely. The study links this to "gene-free" chromosomal breaks and mutations in the Esrrg gene, which normally directs essential early kidney formation.
The kidneys are present but significantly small or "underdeveloped." The research suggests this happens when genetic signals for "ductal tissue" are interrupted, preventing the kidneys from reaching their full, functional size.
This is an "abnormal" formation where kidney tissue is malformed. The study associates this with "laterality" errors, where the body's internal organization fails, causing kidneys to grow with structural defects.
According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, kidney and urinary tract issues are usually spotted during a pregnancy ultrasound. When a problem is found, doctors watch the amniotic fluid levels closely, since that fluid is mostly made of the baby’s urine. If the issue isn't caught before birth, you might notice these signs in a baby or child:
Currently back on dialysis, Phillips is under the care of Dr. Anjay Rastogi at UCLA. She is actively searching for a living donor and has directed interested individuals to a screening link in her Instagram bio.
"Please help me find a living donor so that I can have more time with my daughter, family, friends," she wrote, expressing deep gratitude for the public's ongoing support.
Vitamin C is a star ingredient in the skincare world for some very good reasons. It can be hailed as a magic wand to evaporate your stubborn marks and give you a brighter complexion.
However, no matter what product you use, the results do not appear overnight. So, what do real results look like? What does a before-and-after journey of using a Vitamin C serum actually entail?
This guide covers everything about the before-and-after results of using the Vitamin C serum.
It is a potent antioxidant that can be applied to your skin directly. It neutralises the effects of free radicals, which are tiny and unstable molecules caused by pollution and UV rays. They can easily damage your skin and accelerate ageing.
Vitamin C helps by boosting collagen production and improving skin tone. This is why the results of Vitamin C on the face are so dramatic. It changes the flat look of your skin to a healthy glow.
Key benefits include:
· Brightening: It blocks the enzyme responsible for producing pigment, leading to more radiant skin.
· Fading Marks: A remarkable ingredient for targeting sun damage and acne scars.
· Collagen Stimulation: It keeps your skin bouncy and firm.
· Protection: It provides a second layer of defence against environmental stress.
Consistent use of the serum for several weeks, along with daily application of sunscreen with SPF 50 can yield noticeable results. Here’s what you can expect from it.
Before Using Vitamin C Serum
Your skin may show signs of environmental wear and tear before you start using a serum. The following are some common complaints:
· Your skin looks tired, even after a full night's sleep.
· You may have patchy skin or dark areas around the mouth and forehead.
· Old acne spots or sun freckles that refuse to fade.
· Skin that feels slightly rough or looks congested.
After Consistent Use
The changes in your face before and after using a vitamin C serum become evident after your skin integrates the serum into its renewal cycle:
· It will give you that lit-from-within look.
· Dark spots become significantly lighter and blend into your natural skin tone.
· Your skin feels more elastic and youthful due to increased collagen.
· The surface of your skin looks smoother.
First Week: Initial Freshness & Surface Glow
There is little change in dark spots during the first few days. However, you may notice an immediate glow on your skin surface. The serum hydrates and smoothens the skin's surface, helping makeup sit better. Vitamin C for dark spots before and after signs are clearly visible.
2–4 Weeks: Brightening & Early Spot Lightening
You will start to see the before-and-after progress of vitamin C on dark spots around this stage. Its pigment-blocking properties start to kick in. You may notice that your overall skin tone looks fresher and that the edges of your dark spots are now fading.
4–8 Weeks: Visible Even Tone and Improved Texture
The difference between your face before after vitamin C serum will be more obvious by the end of the second month. The deeper layers of the skin benefit from the antioxidant protection. You can expect the following changes:
· Visibly less sun damage
· Even complexion, so you may not need concealer
· Fewer rough patches
8–12 Weeks: Long-Term Transformation
After 90 days, your skin has gone through multiple renewal cycles. Your Vitamin C serum before-and-after photos may show significant improvement in hyperpigmentation. Fine lines may reduce because of the increased collagen, as your skin looks the healthiest it has in years.
If you want your before-and-after vitamin C serum results to be impressive, you need to follow these simple rules:
1. Morning is Best: Apply your serum in the AM. This allows the antioxidants to protect your skin from pollution and sunlight throughout the day.
2. Pair with Sunscreen: Always follow up with a sunscreen. Vitamin C is not a replacement for sunblock, but it actually makes your sunscreen with SPF 50 more effective by neutralizing the rays that slip through.
3. Storing the Serum: Vitamin C is sensitive to light and air. Keep your bottle in a cool, dark place (such as a drawer) to ensure it does not lose its potency. If your serum has become dark or orange in colour, it may have been oxidised. So, it may not work well.
4. Consistency: You do not need a huge amount of serum. 3–4 drops are enough. You need to apply it every single day without skipping.
The journey of your face before and after Vitamin C serum can feel long, but the results are worth it. It can be exciting to see the initial glow. However, the real changes, such as fading deep dark spots and firming the skin, take time. Stick to a routine and pair your skin with a high-quality sunscreen to stay radiant and youthful.
The Healthandme team was not involved in authoring this story
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