December 21, 2018 at 11:48AM We’d heard that a low resting heart rate is one of the health markers shared by many of the world’s most elite athletes; but, when FitBit released data earlier this week suggesting that the folks of Bend, Oregon, have the lowest BPMs in the United States, our office started to wonder: What exactly does the digit mean for the the rest of us? Michael Barber, MD, PhD, a cardiologist at Colorado’s Strata Integrative Wellness Spa, says that while a normal resting heart rate falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute, a resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute (bradycardia) is perfectly healthy for some individuals, if not necessarily an indicator of exceptional health. “The mere presence of a low resting heart rate in the absence of any other additional information really says very little about a person or person’s overall state of health,” says the doctor. Your heart health and the number of times it beats per minute really depend on a cocktail of factors, including age (your rate will naturally decrease as you grow older), certain medications, thyroid health, hormonal abnormalities, and too many others to name, he says. “In general, unless a person is symptomatic (weakness, fatigue, low energy level, lightheadedness, dizziness, near passing out or passing out, decreased physical performance, etc.), heart rates even lower than 40 BPM may be normal for that individual,” says Dr. Barber. Of course, you’d need to consult with a specialist to know exactly what your specific heart
Day: December 21, 2018
Fashion…but make it accessible: The millennial mantra that’s reshaping an industry
December 21, 2018 at 11:18AM Between the extremes of fast fashion and high-end design, there’s a subtle, but massive, industry shift happening toward accessible luxury items. It’s largely thanks to the tastes and conscientious shopping habits of millennials. But what is accessible luxury exactly? The definition is open to interpretation depending on your disposable income. But in general, it’s offerings that aren’t as lavish or expensive as those from traditional fashion houses such as Chloé and Gucci. Yet, they tend to include nicer materials and craftsmanship than what you’d find at the mall. Think buttery leather jackets and French-seamed denim. While the concept itself isn’t new (Kate Spade and Coach have become billion-dollar brands by selling $300 handbags in this space) the way it looks now is rapidly evolving. Accessible luxury is about more than “stuff” First things first: “accessible” luxury doesn’t mean that prices are cheap. For most American women, a $400 bag or a $500 dress is a prohibitively expensive price point. But for a growing number of consumers who value owning fewer, well-made products over lots of disposable, cheap items, the investment is worthwhile. That’s partly because a flurry of young labels and cool-kid designers, like Rouje, Anine Bing, Sandro, and Ganni (really, the list is too extensive to include here), haven’t just created clothes and bags. They’ve created an aspirational, beautiful, nearly all-encompassing world that includes on-point social media feeds, in-the-know messaging, and fresh points of view. Crucially, they speak the language of women in their 20s
Sniff on these essential oils next time you feel a headache coming on
December 21, 2018 at 09:52AM If you’ve ever been around someone who smells like they bathed in cologne, you’ll be very aware that some scents can make your head pound. (Personal flashback: Getting hotboxed by Acqua Di Gio in a high-school driver’s ed car.) But it turns out that sniffing essential oils for headaches can have the exact opposite effect. “Essential oils can help alleviate headaches a few different ways,” says chemist and pharmacist Lindsey Elmore, PhD. Some of these benefits are physical. “They may relax certain muscles around the neck, face, and head to help relieve tension that can trigger headaches. They also may induce a significant increase of blood flow to the forehead after local application,” she explains. Essential oils may also help “block pain transmission, desensitize pain fibers, and reduce inflammation,” adds neurologist and headache specialist Sara Crystal, MD—a medical advisor for migraine treatment startup Cove. But there may also be a mental component to using essential oils for headaches, says Dr. Elmore. “The aromas of essential oils help to release emotional blockages and can be calming to the mind,” she says. (Helpful if your headache is caused by an overly chatty coworker or an energy-vampire sibling.) Photo: Getty Images/PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou So why do I have a headache in the first place? It’s fitting that essential oils attack headaches from so many different angles, because the condition is extremely complex. According to Drs. Elmore and Crystal, there are a ton of reasons why you might have one in the
3 Financial Wellness Mantras To Live By In the New Year
December 21, 2018 at 09:37AM https://content.jwplatform.com/players/dMGacjs6-AjgxWzQ7.js What’s in store for 2019? A full-blown financial movement within the wellness landscape, whereby practicing healthy budgeting habits and upping your know-how on your 401(k) exists right alongside making time for your morning yoga sesh. In two words: Financial wellness. If you missed our December Wellness Trends event—in which over 300 rapt readers scored a front-row seat to an in-depth discussion on all things healthy finances—we rounded up the number one piece of advice from each of our expert panelists so you can tap into this mindset, too. Tune in above for quick financial pointers you need in your life right now from Managing Director and Head of Citi® US Branch Network Dena Roten, Ladies Get Paid founder Claire Wasserman, and life coach Shanna Tyler to rock 2019. Watch the video above for 3 mantras to upgrade your financial wellness in the year ahead. Sponsored by CitiCiti® Continue Reading… Author Well+Good Editors | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Being a perfectionist might make you less assertive during sex
December 21, 2018 at 09:13AM In an alternate universe where all sexual fantasies come true, “perfect” sex (you know, the kind you see in movies where both partners orgasm simultaneously?) would be an everyday thing. Here in the real world, personality traits associated with perfectionism may hold you back in bed, a recent study suggests. Published in the journal Sex Roles, the study analyzed sexual perfectionism and assertiveness among 202 women using a pair of self-assessments. The first, the Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire (MSPQ), asked participants to measure perfectionism in their relationships by responding to prompts—like, “My partner expects me to be a perfect sexual partner”—with number on a scale of 0 (disagree) to 4 (agree). The second, the Sexual Assertiveness Scale (SAS), asked how the women view their autonomy in sexual situations. For instance, do they communicate their desires before engaging in sex? Considering the results in tandem, the authors determined that women who felt more obligated to perform “perfectly” in the bedroom (as measured with the MSPQ) were less likely “to say ‘no’ and set limits when sexual activity is undesired.” “It really stems from the belief that in communicating what you want it will result in your partner getting less of what they want, which isn’t an absolute truth, just a perceived truth.” —Lila Darville, sex and intimacy expert Sex and intimacy expert Lila Darville says people often fear that declaring their preferences between the sheets will destroy the moment or make things awkward. “The perceived expectation is a huge barrier in women speaking
I stopped weighing myself and it completely changed my relationship with working out
December 21, 2018 at 08:49AM For the first time in my life, I have no idea how much I weigh. Having spent every single day for 15 years letting numbers on the scale dictate how I felt about myself, this is a big damn deal. The majority of my high school, college, and post-college years were characterized by eating disorders and an exercise addiction, and the three digits that stared back at me every time I stepped on the scale determined whether I would have a good day or a bad day—whether I loved myself or hated myself. When things were at their worst, I would step on the scale, spend an hour and a half on the elliptical in sweat pants and a sweatshirt, and then weigh myself again—praying that the number would be less than it had been 90 minutes before. More than once, I fainted straight off the scale and onto the bathroom floor. While you’d think that waking up blurry-eyed on the ground on multiple occasions over the years would have been some sort of wakeup call, it wasn’t. Even after my eating issues were under control (thanks to a whole lot of therapy and a very patient support system), my relationship with working out was always, always, about those three numbers. Every mile I ran and and plank pose I held felt like torture, but I thought that if I wanted to lose weight and, ultimately, feel okay about myself, I simply had to suffer
How to Navigate a Holiday Party When You have Gut Issues
December 21, 2018 at 08:40AM Ah, the holiday party platter: The nostalgia! The flavors! The instantaneous bloat! Okay, so actually enjoying the season without making your gut mad isn’t the easiest endeavor. Leah Kaufman, RD, confirms it. “Whether you’re tempted by the office sweets, going to a holiday party, or contributing to the festivities by baking at home, this time of year is more difficult than any other to make gut-healthy food decisions,” she says. The first step toward balance is establishing a gut-support baseline with a high-quality probiotic like Renew Life’s next-level formulas, which pack three times more good bacteria and strains than the leading probiotic you see in stores. “Probiotics should be a constant if you struggle with gastrointestinal disorders, but specifically they should be taken during the holidays when many of these inflammatory foods are more present in the diet,” notes Kaufman. From there, it’s all about smart swaps and additions that will amp up your gut game without missing out on all the dishes you crave most. Scroll down to find 6 ways to help boost your gut health during the holiday party craze. Graphic: Well+Good Creative In case you needed a reminder, it’s still stuffing season—and that’s still awesome. But for a gut-friendly tweak on your standard recipe, try making it with 100 percent whole wheat sourdough bread rather than the traditional white bread. “Sourdough bread tends to be better for the GI tract as it is lower in Fructans—a sugar that creates gas and bloat,” says Kaufman. And
My skin is so dang dry right now and I finally found a secret ingredient that helps
December 21, 2018 at 07:59AM Hooray—the holidays are here! But there’s one problem: Instead of being able to focus on how excited I am to sit by the fire and do nothing but drink eggnog and watch Hallmark movies for the next 72 hours straight (goodbye, office!), all I can think about is how chapped my entire body is. Between the cold weather and the dry air from the heater, my skin doesn’t stand a dang chance. From my lips to my cheeks to my fingers to my toes, literally everything feels so dehydrated that it could flake off at any given moment. It sucks. My desk is a graveyard of chapsticks, hand creams, and body lotion, none of which had been able to do the trick in putting me out of my dehydrated misery—until I discovered Lanolips All-Over Golden Skin Salve ($26). The bottle—which is so cute!—touts the balm as “nourishing,” “hydrating,” and “super intense,” and after slathering it onto every single part of my body, I can confirm that all three claims are abundantly true. It’s made with lanolin, which is a bi-product of sheep’s wool (so, not vegan, but according to Lanolips’ website, their version is cruelty-free) and helps skin hydrate from within. Plus, it holds up to 400 percent of its weight in moisture, which means that heater face doesn’t stand a chance against it. I’m a big fan of a multi-purpose product, and this stuff certainly fits the bill. It’s technically meant to be used on your hands,
Fam confused about your eating plan? Here’s how to deal with holiday food shaming
December 21, 2018 at 07:43AM Two years ago, I started counting my macros. One of the things I was most worried about with my new way of eating was going back home for the holidays. I wanted to remain on my plan, but I knew being surrounded by treats—and the external pressure, however unintentional—to eat said treats would be difficult. While my family is generally very supportive of my choices, sometimes I can tell they think I’m being “too L.A.” (Okay, sure, one time I did describe my favorite type of food as “anything farm-to-table,” which fits that description… but still.) All that to say: Navigating the holidays while making the best choices for your body and not offending anyone can feel like an impossible task. How do I turn down Grandma’s famous rolls when gluten-free is just not in her vocabulary? To get some advice, I checked in with Elise Museles, certified eating psychology and nutrition expert and creator of the Food Story platform, and Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, of Maya Feller Nutrition, to learn how to deal with food shaming. Be up-front about your needs “For patients of mine that feel that they need to engage in what I refer to as ‘obligatory eating,’ or anticipate comments because their food choices are different, we talk about going in with a plan,” Museles says. She says that if you think you will feel like you have to eat certain dishes that don’t fit in with your current eating plan, it
The Holistic Guide To Taking Your Health And Fitness To A New Level
December 20, 2018 at 11:00PM Read on for Betina Gozo’s go-to tips for living well. Continue Reading… Author Betina Gozo | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue