November 02, 2018 at 09:04AM Lately ladies everywhere have been singing the praises of the menstrual cup. (It’s better for the environment! It saves me so much money! A bunch of cup companies are women-led!) But the enthusiasm apparently didn’t, er, spill over to Kristen Bell, who recently dealt with a DivaCup that got stuck, setting the yikes-worthy score to Bell: zero, menstrual cup: 1. “I was like, okay time for a change, and I went to grab it, and there was something that was suctioned to the wrong part of…me,” Bell said on a recent episode of Busy Philipps’ brand-new Busy Tonight talk show. The situation quickly escalated, and one yank on the cup actually made Bell pass out. When she came to, she managed to finagle out the menstrual accessory, but whole ordeal led her to break up with her cup for good. Should you ever have a similar SOS moment, I asked Adeeti Gupta, MD, founder of Walk In GYN Care in New York City, exactly what to do to keep your results from being as disastrous as Bell’s. First, “lay down on your back, and gently insert your index finger in the vagina and try to gently go along the border of the cup and try to pry it loose,” she instructs. (Or, as Bell phrases it, “You have to be willing to finger it out.”) “You have to be willing to finger it out.” —Kristen Bell, on stubbornly stuck menstrual cups “Do not push it further in; just try to wiggle your finger around the edge to release any negative
Month: November 2018
The Paradox This Integrative Medicine Doctor Always Sees In Her Patients
November 02, 2018 There are some skin issues that just seem difficult to fix. Dry, cracked, and irritated skin can come out of nowhere, and sometimes the products you’re using to soothe these issues can actually be making your skin conditions worse. Continue Reading… Author | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Meet Hers, the digital service for women that’s like the Glossier of pharmaceuticals
November 02, 2018 at 09:02AM Taking proper care of yourself usually means dealing with high copays from multiple different doctor’s visits—and pricey prescriptions—to get what you need to stay healthy. Not only is scheduling in appointments and tracking down your meds basically a full-time job, but it’s also horrible for your bank account. That’s about to change, though: A year after launching Hims—a digital service that gives men access to everything from hair-loss gummies to medication to combat erectile dysfunction—its sister site Hers is here to provide women with that same easy and affordable access. Essentially the Glossier of pharmaceuticals, Hers—which has an impressive network of over 120 doctors—allows women to score big savings on both over-the-counter and prescription meds, all of which range from $15 to $75. (That’s a whopping 80 percent off retail prices.) Right now, the offers are all in the realm of sexual wellness and beauty and that means you won’t just be able to snag products that promote hair growth, help keep your skin at its healthiest, and bring on super-strong nails—you’ll also be able to get the goods you’d usually have to hit up your docs in-person for. “We’re removing the barriers typically associated with medical-grade care.” —Hilary Coles, brand lead of Hers “The female market is massively saturated, and often thought to be ‘solved’ in terms of care. As we looked closer, it became very apparent that women had limited accessible options for prescription-based medicine. We’ve built a judgement-free, efficient diagnosis process that respects
Chamomile tea seems snoozy, but it could actually be a sick-day secret weapon
November 02, 2018 at 07:34AM If matcha‘s considered the cool teen of the tea family tree, then chamomile is most definitely the grandma who goes to bed at 8 p.m. But don’t get it twisted—although this seemingly mild herbal brew isn’t the most exotic in the bunch, it’s got quite a few unexpected health benefits up its cardigan sleeve. Okay, so chamomile is quite literally a tea that puts you to sleep, says herbalist and Urban Remedy founder Neka Pasquale, LAc, MS. “In Western herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and Ayurveda, chamomile is mainly known for its wonderful relaxation effects,” she says. But the daisy-like plant’s wellness cred doesn’t stop there. “In TCM, chamomile is mainly used to move the qi and treat stagnation, or stuck energy. It’s used in support of the lungs (colds and flu), heart (nervous disorders), and stomach (digestion). In Ayurveda, chamomile is used for gas, bloating, painful menses, insomnia, and to calm the nervous system.” Modern-day scientists, too, are finding some of these assets to ring true—making chamomile tea a good multipurpose pantry staple for those times when you’re feeling not-so-hot. What are some chamomile tea benefits? 1. It might help you sleep: This is probably the number-one thing you think of when it comes to chamomile tea benefits. “It’s [anecdotally] known for supporting a healthy night’s sleep, reducing anxiety, and overall calming,” says Pasquale. There isn’t much data that backs up this commonly held belief, although one recent study did find that the beverage helped reduce insomnia in a sample
The secret to making your own dried fruit in the oven with the perfect chewy texture
November 02, 2018 at 07:14AM Sometimes, taking a stroll through the bulk section of the grocery store results in an audible gasp or two. Sure, the thought of stocking up on dried apricots and mango is all fun and games at first, but that $14/pound price tag is no joke. The good news, though? You can whip up everything you need for your fall hike trail mixes on the cheap at home. And all it takes is one tiny secret for sweet success. While you can always use a dehydrator to get the job done, you don’t need to spend money on another space-hogging appliance. Instead, you can make perfectly chewy dried fruit in your oven using a simple technique. According to My Recipes, start by pre-heating your oven to 200°F. Then, pop in your sliced-up fruit, which should be spaced out on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper. Ready for the secret to making sure the fruit ends up with just the right texture? It’s leaving the door slightly open. Otherwise, you won’t end up with the store-bought quality you’re going for. Now when you do this, make sure you’re already planning on hanging at home for a while: The fruit needs to be stirred every 30 minutes until it’s dry and chewy—something that can take around three hours if it isn’t super watery, or up to six hours if it is. After it’s at your texture of choice, experts recommend turning off the oven and letting your newly-dried
The people have voted: The next destination on your travel bucket list should be…
November 02, 2018 at 06:47AM When you think of Japan, images of hustling, bustling major cities—like Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka—may come to mind. And while there are plenty of reasons to head to where the rest of the tourists are (hello, epic food and the highest-quality matcha!), there’s a much smaller area nearby, where the pace of things is much slower, idyllic, and essentially just all-around perfect. When TripAdvisor released its annual Travelers’ Choice awards earlier this year, Ishigaki, Japan—an island 1,200 miles from Tokyo—was named the top destination on the rise. Now months later, its popularity is still growing, and it’s pretty easy to see why: This gem is nothing short of dreamy. The water is the bluest of blue, there are white sandy beaches everywhere, and you’ll see so many tropical fish swimming around the coral reefs that you’ll feel like you’re in Finding Nemo. Oh, and the average temp in the winter is in the temperate 70s, so there’s also that. Yeah, it’s a true wanderluster’s wonderland year-round. Photo: Getty Images/Ippei Naoi If you plan a getaway to visit this slice of paradise, you can drop the go-go-go mind-set to focus on relaxation, whether you’re soaking up the sun on the beach (while wearing sunscreen, of course!), making some fishy friends while snorkeling, enjoying some umi budo—AKA sea grapes—which is a type of seaweed that’s eaten as a snack, or hiking through the lush rainforests to see some wildlife. Then if you want to venture over to the main city area—the
Does it matter, health-wise, if you run on hot or iced coffee in the winter?
November 02, 2018 at 06:05AM As the temperatures start to dip, and we’re forced to spend more time inside, more than a few of us will reach for a warming beverage. Adaptogen-laced hot chocolate? Yes, please. Concentration-boosting peppermint tea? Sign me up! But, without fail, there will always be at least one person in the group (maybe it’s you) who’s apparently immune to the chill and still orders iced coffee—all chilly season long. It could look like the frozen tundra outside, and they’ll still skip along the sidewalk, iced drink in (all likeliness, ungloved) hand. There has to be something unhealthy about this, right? Because gulping down an icy beverage when it’s snowing outside surely can’t be healthy. How could it be? It sounds like subscribing your digestive system to the polar-bear plunge every freaking day. (And those dips are, at best, controversial health-wise.) But, according to certified nutritionist Karin Adoni Ben-David, the preference—though curious to many—is perfectly safe. “Drinking iced coffee during cold days won’t make you sick. And drinking a cup of hot tea or coffee won’t do much to raise your core body temperature in cold weather.” —certified nutritionist Karin Adoni Ben-David “You can have your coffee hot or cold any day of the year,” she says. “Drinking iced coffee during cold days won’t make you sick and won’t contribute to a cold,” she says. “While hot beverages and foods, like tea or soup, are helpful in loosening congestion and soothing a sore throat, cold beverages will not, in
The first CBD prescription drug can now be filled at pharmacies nationwide
November 02, 2018 at 05:25AM Though marijuana is still illegal on a federal level, nine states and Washington, DC, have legalized weed, with several more pushing for legislative approval. Whether it’s a cause or effect of that growing government leniency, people now have better knowledge of the substance and its components and derivatives: Cannabidiol (more commonly known as CBD), for example, has become an increasingly buzzy wellness ingredient that’s popped up in everything from lotions to snacks and beauty products. Back in June, the FDA officially just approved a medication that contains the cannabis-derived ingredient for the first time. And now, Fast Company reports that the prescription drug can be filled in all 50 states. Back in April, the FDA’s advisory panel unanimously voted to recommend approval of Epidiolex, a prescription medication for epilepsy that has CBD derived from marijuana as an active ingredient—the first of its kind to become available in the US, according to The New York Times. Since then, only states where cannabis is legal have had access to the drug. But now, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has recategorized Epidiolex’s compounds so that GW Pharmaceuticals (the maker of the medication) can sell it nationwide. A 2015 study in The New England Journal of Medicine looked at 120 children with epilepsy and found that CBD was able to decrease seizures by 23 percent compared to the children who took a placebo. The drug will be prescribed to those two years of age or older who suffer from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome—the latter of which never had an
You’ll want to steal this recovery tip from NYC marathon winner Shalane Flanagan
November 02, 2018 at 05:00AM When Shalane Flanagan ran her way to first place in last year’s New York City Marathon, it was a pretty big deal. The first American woman to break the tape in Central Park in 40 years, Flanagan’s impressive win set the pace for what would be a great year of racing for women everywhere. Des Linden famously became the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years just a few months later. This weekend, Flanagan is gearing up to run through New York City’s five boroughs again and potentially defend her first place spot, which would make her the first American to snag back-to-back wins since 1977. And if that’s not stressful enough, she’s also taken on another role while prepping for race day: coach. Over the past few months, Flanagan has partnered with Michelob Ultra to prep their 95 sponsored runners to run the 2018 New York City marathon. As one of the Team Ultra runners, I had the chance to catch up with my coach to talk all things training. “We’re both running the same race on Sunday,” she told me. “Because if you have a body, then you’re an athlete. It obviously takes effort, work and time, but that’s what I love about being in a team setting. People get much more out of themselves when they have the accountability.” Obviously a lot of things go into prepping for a race of this distance. While my highest mileage week
The beauty products that make Well+Good editors feel the *most* confident
November 02, 2018 at 04:00AM It’s a time when women aren’t shy about their beauty regimens. People are sharing their skin care with each other via spreadsheets, 10-step Korean beauty routines are not uncommon, and having your beauty products on full display in your bathroom (and even your Instagram) has basically become the norm. Despite the fact that your beauty bag is probably undoubtedly overflowing, there’s always that one standout item that is your proverbial desert island must-have. I’m talking about the one you’ve gotta use every single day, the one you buy a replacement for long before it reaches its last drop, and—most importantly—the one that gives you that instant boost of self confidence. This, of course, could come in any form. Your confidence blanket can be that highlighter that gives your cheekbones an otherworldly glow, that one hair product that gives you good hair days on repeat, or the cover-it-all concealer that hides redness like a pro. I give you all of the beauty products that give Well+Good editors a serious confidence boost, below. Photo: RMS Beauty RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up, $36 “Before discovering RMS’s ‘Un’ cover up, I thought that concealing breakouts was a total beauty myth. Now, even on my reddest, zit-filled days, I feel like I can hold a conversation confidently without constantly feeling paranoid that all people are seeing is my latest whitehead.” —Kells McPhillips, assistant news editor Photo: Fres Skincare Fré Detox Me Post-Sweat Clearing Mask, $54 “I’m obsessed with this made-for-exercisers face mask. Twice a