December 17, 2018 at 01:34PM This time of year, it’s all about chestnuts roasting and sleigh bells ringing. That is, until someone dares to slide into your email inbox with something pressing. For me, trying to meet deadlines just a week before I fall into a Christmas coma feels like running up a snow-covered hill rather than sledding down it. Recently, Shine Text (an app that sends its users an encouraging message each morning) told me to “close out 2018 using your voorpret,” a dutch word that basically means the ecstatic anticipation one feels before a momentous occasion (like Christmas!). I felt seen. But here’s the question: How do you keep your mind from drifting to visions of sugarplums when there’s work to be done? According to life coach and author Susie Moore, the key is to operate under a holiday activity reward system. Below, she offers five tips: 1. Turn off your notifications! (But seriously, this time): While this advice is valid in any season, Moore says this time of year is best spent decking the halls and decorating cookies. “Check your apps when you want to. This really helps with focus! Notifications are distractions from hell,” she says. Preach. 2. Pop your festive favorites right into your planner: “Schedule all the fun stuff you want and mark it clearly in your calendar. That way you’ll have no FOMO, and can enjoy work-time leading to evening (or weekend) time,” she recommends. 3. Don’t be afraid to turn on holiday-themed music at the office: Bouncy as it may be, “Rudolph
Day: December 17, 2018
Take this 2-minute questionnaire to figure out if you’re lonely—and what to do about it
December 17, 2018 at 12:40PM From scrolling through Instagram the moment you wake up to the constant stream of work emails and texts from friends you field throughout the day, it might feel counterintuitive to ever feel, well, lonely. You’re interacting with humans nonstop, right? Actually, according to a national survey launched by global health service company Cigna earlier this year, not so much. “Technology has made it easier for people to not physically talk to other people,” says Doug Nemecek, MD, chief medical officer for behavioral health at Cigna. But that’s the catch: “Our survey showed it’s important that your interactions are in-person and meaningful.” And the findings weren’t small. In total, more than 20,000 U.S. adults responded and nearly half reported some feelings of loneliness. “Forty six percent of Americans adults reported always feeling alone, and two in five Americans said they sometimes or always feel their relationships are not meaningful and that they are isolated from others,” says Dr. Nemecek. So, Cigna decided to do something about it. That something is a new streamlined, 10-question survey based on the UCLA Loneliness Scale (regarded as the standard in the mental-health space), which helps you assess the loneliness you might be feeling (is it totally normal or more serious?) and suggests steps to help you curb it. “We found younger generations (Generation Z and Millennials) are lonelier.” Loneliness affects people of all ages, but some groups at higher rates, according to the survey. “We found younger generations (Generation Z and Millennials) are lonelier,”
Two hairstylists told me not to wash my hair after working out, and I am *thrilled*
December 17, 2018 at 12:31PM There are few things in this world that I am more passionate about than finding ways to save time in the gym locker room. Whether it’s faking my way to one more day with my blowout (thanks, dry shampoo), or skipping out on washing my face, I live for any hack that will buy me an extra 10 minutes between a 7 a.m. HIIT class and a 9 a.m. meeting. The latest stylist-approved, time-saving tip that I will be living by from here on out? Rinsing my hair post-workout instead of fully washing it. “People are like, ‘Oh my god, I worked out so I have to wash it!’ No, you just have to rinse it,” says celebrity stylist Riawna Capri of Los Angeles’ Nine Zero One Salon. “If you think about it, when you’re sweating, you’re creating salt water with sweat, and you hop in the shower and use water to just kind of rinse all that salt out. If you think about the beach sprays and all that stuff, that is salt water as well.” So not only will this no-wash give me time to stop for coffee between the gym and work, but it will also make me look like I stepped straight off of the set of Blue Crush? Sold. “If you can rinse your hair, you don’t have to shampoo it,” confirms Suave celebrity hairstylist Marcus Francis. “You’re just getting water, you’re getting the exfoliation of your hands in there, that’s going to help alleviate
How I reprogrammed my brain to stop seeing my cellulite as bad
December 17, 2018 at 12:22PM Cellulite! I have it. My ass-and-back-of-thigh area, specifically, has it. I have a thin frame that has always fit into the standards of beauty pushed forth by the media, fashion industry, and general celebrity culture industrial complex, and yet the cellulite-y part of my body is an area that has always refused to fit the silky-smooth body ideals we’re used to seeing in razor ads and reality TV. And, until I made a conscious change this year (thanks for the inspo, uplifting tweets and body-inclusive Instagram posts!), the voice in my head would automatically say “yuck” each time I’d look in the mirror and see cellulite. From an early age, I’ve been taught to think cellulite is something shame-inducing, a personal failure, an unpreventable thing that somehow women are still supposed to feel bad about not preventing. When I was 12 or 13, I remember there was a news item on a morning talk show about Howard Stern asking Ben Affleck if his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez (Is it dating myself to remember Bennifer so vividly? Probably…) had cellulite on her very renowned backside. Affleck answered that question with a casual “no,” as if Stern’s question was a normal thing to be asked about one’s girlfriend, and as if cellulite was something that beautiful people weren’t supposed to have. (Also can we talk for a second about how the word “cellulite” has the worst mouthfeel ever? It feels like a crappy cleaning product from the ‘50s,
Deficient in vitamin D? Magnesium could be your new BFF
December 17, 2018 at 12:08PM When it comes to the long list of supplements out there, magnesium and vitamin D are both all-stars for their own specific uses. Not getting enough magnesium can lead to feeling sluggish and stressed out. And vitamin D does more than just keep bones strong—it’s also good for your gut. It turns out that they work better together, too: A new study found that magnesium helps to regulate vitamin D levels, not only improving absorption for those with deficiencies, but also tempering too-high levels. “We’ve known for a while that vitamin D deficiency is a problem. And recently, it’s also come to light that many people aren’t getting enough magnesium. So the fact that these two nutrients are connected—and that getting enough magnesium can help regulate vitamin D levels—serves as a reminder that many nutrients are interconnected and that overall nutrition, not just the intake of certain vitamins and minerals, is of high importance for maintaining optimal health,” Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition, tells me. “The enzymes that metabolize vitamin D within the body require magnesium. Additionally, magnesium helps activate vitamin D within the body.” “This serves as a reminder that many nutrients are interconnected and that overall nutrition, not just the intake of certain vitamins and minerals, is of high importance for maintaining optimal health.” —Amy Gorin, RDN, MS Being adept at improving the body’s absorption of vitamin D isn’t magnesium’s only trick, though. Last February, a different study found it’s
The buzziest new advances in fertility-tracking tech
December 17, 2018 at 12:02PM Cringe-y confession: I am obsessed with my fertility, even though I’m single and not currently trying to get pregnant. If I could check my fertility status every day—as in, take a test that said, “Yes, you could 100 percent make a baby today if you wanted to!”—I definitely would. For many women, fertility concerns are likewise ever-present, albeit probably in a less neurotic and more practical way. Fertility monitoring—once a science relevant only to women trying to conceive—is now billed as an au natural method for avoiding contraceptives, AKA birth control, too. As the market for products that help women understand and track their cycles for these two very important purposes expands, tech-based devices have begun to proliferate. Los Angeles-based OB/GYN Candice Daneshvar, MD, is quick to clarify, however, that while fertility trackers and apps may be novel, they do not necessarily represent new science. Instead, they rely on traditional fertility-prediction methods—e.g. basal body temperature, progesterone levels, etc.—which she believes are not altogether reliable. “Basically, [all] the apps are doing is replacing the traditional paper and pencil charts that women used to use to avoid pregnancy,” she explains. (And if your main aim is to prevent pregnancy…these family planning methods are generally considered to be less effective than condoms, the pill, and other more ubiquitous methods of birth control.) Below, find a breakdown of the buzziest of these baby-making (or, uh, baby-avoiding) fertility apps. Option one: Urinary luteinizing hormone-based trackers According to Dr. Daneshvar, this is a preferred
Watch out, tread desk: These in-office abs moves are coming for your spotlight
December 17, 2018 at 11:20AM When it comes to exercising in the office, there are a few different methods you can use that get your body moving without even having to leave the comfort of your desk. There’s the tread desk that lets you work while you’re getting your steps in, the sneaky under-the-table elliptical, and even the yoga series you can do right in your chair. But if those aren’t enough, there’s a trained-approved way you can take things up a notch or two. If you’re not ashamed of crushing your #fitnessgoals surrounded by co-workers—and possibly getting a few side-eyes in the process—celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins has a not-so-discreet abs-strengthening deskside routine that will certainly make you feel the burn. Despite being a little extra, the fact that she’s worked with Alicia Keys, P!nk, and Serena Williams in the past is all the reassurance you need to know this workout is going to put you on the path to some seriously impressive results. So, ready to get after it at work? Jenkins’ series has eight different exercises you can do at your standing desk, or with any stable surface to hold onto. And don’t be fooled: Even though she doesn’t have a drop of sweat or a single loose hair post-workout, this fairly intense routine might require a trip to the bathroom to freshen up afterward. View this post on Instagram Tag a friend that’s at the office & give them a little movement break. You can do it together. Heels
Uh, apparently we should all be washing our avocados before eating them
December 17, 2018 at 10:58AM No matter which season it is, there’s one thing you probably always have on hand: avocados. You know, when panic-driven shortages aren’t making headlines, of course. But it you cut open and scoop out that creamy green goodness without first giving the fruit’s skin a nice scrub, you could be putting your health at risk. Washing produce like tomatoes and broccoli is one thing, but avocados? The protective skin seems like it should be more than enough of a barrier to keep any harmful bacteria from getting inside. Unfortunately, when testing a big batch—both those grown domestically and those imported—the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found they weren’t so safe after all. When analyzing the skin of 361 avocado samples, 64 of them (18 percent) contained Listeria—a serious infection that causes 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths every year. In 1,254 samples of the pulp you actually eat, 3 (less than one percent) were positive for the same species. That’s not all, though. Between both the skin and pulp samples, 12 of them (nearly one percent) were found to be positive for Salmonella. Talk about losing your appetite. Even though the percentages might be low, the risk is still there—especially since it’s not common knowledge that avocados need to be washed in the first place. According to the FDA’s foodborne illness expert Glenda Lewis, that’s because produce—whether it’s fruit or vegetables—can easily become contaminated by everything from the soil it grows in and harmful substances in the water to poor
A Farm Announces Recall Of Cauliflower And Lettuce Due To E. coli
December 17, 2018 Here are some great alternatives. Continue Reading… Author Caroline Muggia | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Use this sweet potato toast hack for next-level gluten-free appetizers
December 17, 2018 at 10:02AM There’s nothing worse than hitting the appetizer spread at a party only to find that pretty much everything will make you feel like you have to unbutton your jeans as soon as you get into your car. The solve? BYOA. Bring your own app, of course. With this delish sweet potato toast recipe from Anna Brown of Nutrition Squeezed, your dish won’t be shunned as the “healthy” one on the table—everyone will want to dig in. “I wanted a holiday appetizer that looks pretty, tastes delicious, and doesn’t make you feel like you’re overindulging at a holiday party,” Brown says. “Baked brie is one of my all-time favorite holiday appetizers, but it can feel so heavy after just a few bites. So this is my fun and gluten-free take on it.” If you’ve ever tried to make your own sweet potato toast at home, you know it often ends up in #PinterestFail territory. Her hack for whipping up the brie-topped hors d’oeuvre in half the time? Using Sweet PotaTOASTS, which are frozen slices of pre-roasted sweet potatoes. Because if you’ve ever tried to make your own sweet potato toast at home, you know it often ends up in #PinterestFail territory. Sweet PotaTOASTS, which are sisters to CAULIPOWER’s genius cauliflower pizza crusts, are the nutrient-boosted canvas for anything you would normally use toast for. And with no preservatives or additives, they check all the dietary boxes from gluten-free to vegan to paleo. “My grandfather has celiac disease, and many of my family members