Melaina Juntti

Melaina Juntti is a freelance journalist and editor whose work has appeared in a wide range of consumer-facing and industry print and digital publications including Fatherly, Men's Journal, and MSN. She covers a breadth of topics but specializes in health, wellness, nutrition, dietary supplements, food business, and agriculture. Melaina is an avid outdoorswoman and live music fanatic who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and yellow lab, JoJo.

Pot-Stopper

What Happens To Your Body When You Stop Smoking Pot

By Melaina Juntti

Looking to stop smoking pot? Good for you! But be prepared for withdrawal symptoms that can last days, weeks, or even months.

Health

Do Kids Need Iron Supplements?

By Melaina Juntti

It's tempting to give your broccoli-hating kids an iron supplement. First, try this.

Vitamins

The Truth About Fiber Supplements For Kids

By Melaina Juntti

Is it okay to give kids fiber supplements? It's complicated.

Science

15 Truly Unbelievable Ways Science Changed The World In 2021

By Melaina Juntti

From the fastest vaccine rollout ever to finding 2.5 billion T. rexes, 2021 was full of amazing scientific breakthroughs.

Wellness

Are Fidget Rings And Pop Its Modern Day Snake Oil, Or Stress-Relieving Tools?

By Melaina Juntti

To fidget or not to fidget? It's not really a question.

Child Development

Your Kid’s Brain Development In The First 1,000 Days: A Cheat Sheet

By Melaina Juntti

The brain develops faster through the first 1,000 days of life than at any other time. Here's what you need to know.

Marijuana

What Does Weed Do To Your Brain And Body?

By Melaina Juntti

A play-by-play on what happens when you smoke pot or take an edible.

marijuana

What Happens If A Kid Accidentally Eats An Edible?

By Melaina Juntti

If you have edibles in your house, there's a chance your kid could eat them. Here's what happens if they do.

Marijuana

Can Smoking Weed Make You Lose Weight?

By Melaina Juntti

Some compelling data points to the idea that pot use and weight loss are linked. Really.

Marijuana

My Dog Ate Weed. Now What?

By Melaina Juntti

Animal Poison Control Center fielded a whopping 765% more calls about dogs eating weed in 2019 than it had the year prior.

Kids' Health

4 Diagnoses That Kids Can (And Can’t) Outgrow 

By Melaina Juntti

Kids outgrow picky eating, potty humor, and, oh yes, clothes. But what about health conditions?

Sobriety

What Happens To Your Body When You Stop Drinking, Day By Day

By Melaina Juntti

The effects are wide-ranging, fast, and enough to give any drinker pause.

Kids' Health

What Are Prebiotics And Does Your Kid Need Them?

By Melaina Juntti

Probiotics were so last year. The latest gut health trend involves more than just changing that 'o' to an 'e' and, yes, it's legit.

Mental Health

This Weird Hugging Technique Will Fix Your Anxiety

By Melaina Juntti

Can a self-hug help alleviate anxiety and fight depression? The science is promising.

Neurodiversity

Inattentive ADHD Is A Quiet Crisis That’s Leaving Girls Behind

By Melaina Juntti

A form of ADHD that shows itself in quiet, spacey, withdrawn children and adults usually flies under the radar. This is a problem.

Entertainment

Mosquito Repellants Keep the Bugs At Bay. It’s Time To Kill Them Dead.

By Melaina Juntti

Even DEET has its limitations. Instead, take the war to their breeding grounds — and stop them before they ever have a chance to bite.

Health

5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Kids’ ACL Injuries

By Melaina Juntti

ACL injuries are common among young athletes, but also misunderstood. Here's everything a parent of a young athlete needs to know.

Catching Zzz's

6 Sleep Survival Tips For Night Owl Parents

By Melaina Juntti

Night owls, this world is not meant for your sleep habits and probably never will be. Time to suck it up and learn to sleep.

Gear

How to Get Pee (And Pee Stains and Odor) Out of a Mattress

By Melaina Juntti

So your kid just wet the bed. Now what?

Gear

“Natural” Baby Products Are Not Better Baby Products

By Melaina Juntti

What does it mean when baby products claim to be natural, safe, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic? Not much at all.