December 24, 2018 at 07:00AM Pop quiz: What do amoxicillin, rosé, and wet bathing suits have in common? If you’re thinking Duh, they’re all yeast infection triggers, you’ve clearly been reading Well+Good and you get a gold star. But if you’re avoiding all of these things and you’re still dealing with a yeast infection that just won’t quit, you may want to consider a lesser-known source—your partner. As you’re likely aware, a genital yeast infection occurs when there’s an overgrowth of a fungus called candida in one’s nether regions. What you may not know is this fungus can be transferred back and forth (and back again) between partners of both sexes while getting busy, says Natasha Bhuyan, MD, a physician at One Medical in Phoenix, AZ. “Technically, yeast infections can be sexually transmitted, but we don’t call them sexually transmitted infections because people can get them in other ways,” she says. Okay, don’t freak out if you’ve done the dirty while candida-afflicted: Only about 15 percent of men will catch a yeast infection if they’ve had unprotected sex with a woman who has one. (Researchers haven’t figured out an exact likelihood in female couples—or the chance of a woman catching a yeast infection from a man—even though it does happen. What up, medical research gender gap.) But there are certain risk factors that make some people more predisposed than others, says Dr. Bhuyan, including antibiotic use, diabetes, and poor hygiene. “It’s more common in men who are uncircumcised, as the yeast can get trapped
Year: 2018
3 vegan cheese ball recipes that will be the star of the snack table
December 24, 2018 at 06:57AM Despite what the internet and your Great Aunt Mildred may have you believe, “holiday treats” and “healthy eating” don’t have to be mutually exclusive. There are plenty of delicious-and-nutritious holiday swaps for sugary cookies and cakes, but there’s one holiday staple that, until now, was hard to hack: The cheese ball. Admittedly, a self-proclaimed “ball of cheese” (that is often dipped in a hefty coating of bacon) doesn’t exactly scream “good for you!” especially when there’s a perfectly good veggie plate a few inches to the left. But, c’mon—they’re pretty dang delicious, and thanks to the protein-packed vegan alternative—cashew cheese—there are plenty of ways to enjoy the cheesy hunk of deliciousness you’ve always loved without the actual cheese part of it. Woohoo! Scroll through for some of our favorite vegan recipes from around the internet sure to make you the star of any holiday potluck, where people will have a hard time believing that what you’re serving up isn’t actually the real deal. Spicy Vegan Pimento Cheese Ball A new twist on the old classic…with a kick. This recipe requires only 10 ingredients, plus your handy-dandy food processor, and will leave you with a creamy-yet-spicy edible holiday centerpiece. In lieu of cheese, the vegan version uses nutritional yeast, and amps up the flavor with garlic, smoked paprika, pimento peppers, and cayenne pepper (which, FWIW, may have metabolism-boosting properties, among other benefits worth getting amped up about). Yum, yum, yum. Full recipe at Minimalist Baker. Cranberry Thyme Vegan Cheese
Knit leggings are the cozy pants that’ll upgrade your wardrobe this winter
December 24, 2018 at 06:30AM As soon as the temperature drops below 50, there’s nothing better than swaddling up in cozy knits on the couch. Unfortunately, life usually gets in the way of said uninterrupted lounging time. Luckily, activewear is—once again—here to save the day in the form of knit leggings. A hybrid between sweatpants and straight activewear, these cozy leggings are your solution to braving the cold while still feeling like you’re cozy in bed. Plus, there are even options that are made with performance knit to take your workout to new comfort heights. (Or, you know, your weekend errands.) Ready to cozy up? These 9 knit leggings will do the trick nicely. Photo: Old Navy Old Navy Sweater-Knit Lounge Leggings, $38 Photo: Free People Free People Fireside Legging, $48 Photo: Beyond Yoga Beyond Yoga Lounge Around Joggers, $88 Photo: Something Navy Something Navy Rib Lounge Leggings, $49 Photo: Carbon38 Repetto Warm Up Knitted Fold On Waist Tights, $95 Photo: Stella McCartney Adidas by Stella McCartney Training Seamless Tight, $100 Photo: American Eagle AEO Plush Fleece Sweater Legging, $24 Photo: Topshop Topshop Supersoft Jogger Pants, $30 Photo: Eberjey Eberjey The Cozy Time Leggings, $74 Complete your cozy look with a pair of knit socks and a long sweater. Continue Reading… Author Katie Maguire | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Why age is *much* more than the year you were born, according to Jillian Michaels
December 24, 2018 at 06:00AM When anybody asks me how old I am, I don’t skip a beat: I’m 24. Just kidding—I’m older than that, but, essentially, I’m prewired to answer that question by stating the number of years that I’ve been on earth. What else would I say, anyways? Well, according to Jillian Michaels, creator of the My Fitness app and author of the new book The 6 Keys, there’s so much more to age than that number. “You could look at somebody who’s 30 and has the liver of a 55-year-old, or conversely a 55-year-old with the liver of a 30-year-old,” says Michaels. “There are so many variables to age.” The least of which is how old we all actually feel and what society expects of us given that proverbial clock over our heads. “Psychologically, age is how you feel and how you behave, which affects the things you do and, in turn, dramatically impacts the outcome of your life.” Sociologically, on the other hand, age has implicit expectations for what those around you expect you to be doing. “Like, if you’re 30, people can say, ‘Your clock is ticking, you should be married and have X number of kids,’” says Michaels. Ignore this factor at all costs, she adds. So, essentially, your age is actually a measure of chronology, physiology, sociology, and psychology, she says. In order to increase your longevity while being the best you can for your age, keep scrolling for Michaels’ advice. How to tap into your
5 natural skin-care ingredients that we were all ferociously Googling in 2018
December 24, 2018 at 05:55AM There was a whole lot of stuff worth buzzing about in 2018: Oat milk! Digital fitness! And of course, my personal favorite, new innovations in beauty. From the rise of plant-based retinol to vitamin C everything, there was a whole lot worth talking about this year surrounding advances in beauty technology, and new ways that we are all using some old-school ingredients. So what were the trendiest natural ingredients in skin care and hair care in 2018? According to Google Trends, the top five trending natural ingredients by volume and growth were: Witch hazel, aloe, neem, rosehip, and rice water. None of these ingredients are exactly “new”—you’ve likely been using aloe on your sunburns since you were little, and rice water has been a staple in Japanese skin care for centuries—but they’ve recently become a part of a broader conversation thanks to new applications and new products touting them as heroes. Let’s quickly break down the benefits of each, shall we? Witch hazel: With hazel can act as an oily and acne-prone skin savior. “Witch hazel is both astringent and anti-inflammatory, so it has a drying, toning, and tightening action on the skin,” says Jeni Sykes, esthetician at CAP Beauty’s New York City location. “As it does this, it soothes redness and swelling.” You’ll often see it as an ingredient in toners, but be careful using it if your skin is already feeling super dry. Aloe: In addition to soothing those sunburns (let me take this opportunity to issue a gentle
No, sleeping in separate beds does not mean your relationship is doomed
December 24, 2018 at 05:30AM In some sort of alternate universe, you and your partner would always fall asleep in each other’s arms, spend every night spooning, and, of course, you’d both get a full eight hours of sleep. But the odds of that actually happening, on a scale of Hallmark movie to real life? Just take a wild guess. Between snoring, tossing and turning, and having entirely different sleep schedules, there’s a whole slew of ways your partner is liable to keep you up all night—and no, not in that way. It’s a major reason why one in four married couples sleep in separate bedrooms, at least according to a 2005 survey. If the issue plagues your life and relationship, sleeping in separate beds may seem like the only way to consistently get a good night’s sleep. But does not catching your nightly zzz’s directly next to your partner damage the emotional bond you share? Does the choice unknowingly hurt your relationship? The good news: It certainly doesn’t have to. In fact, separate bedrooms is a solution relationship therapist and Sex Without Stress author Jessa Zimmerman fully endorses—so long as sleep problems are the true culprit, not a deeper relationship issue you’re avoiding. “I don’t know of any scientific studies with a concrete answer on how not being bedmates with your partner impacts the relationship, Zimmerman says. “I don’t think it’s so much the sleeping next to someone that matters as much as the cuddling, touching, and human contact
Can cayenne pepper *really* help boost your metabolism?
December 24, 2018 at 05:00AM Before everyone was doing liver detoxes and drinking celery juice, there was the Master Cleanse—you know, that diet that involved consuming nothing but lemon water, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper for 10 days. Although we’d never (!) recommend you try this (or any cleanse, really), it did get one thing right: Each of the ingredients in the signature drink does have some legit health benefits, cayenne pepper included. “Cayenne pepper has long been used for its medicinal properties and as a bold spice for cooking,” says BZ Nutrition founder Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, CDN. She notes that cayenne originally hails from Central and South America—in the US, it’s most readily found in the spice aisle in dried, powdered form. According to Zeitlin, cayenne’s wellness cred lies mainly in capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers that makes them hot. (It has certain other powers too—more on that in a sec.) And cayenne has more capsaicin than both jalapeño and serrano peppers. So perhaps that’s why we’re seeing it all over the health-food scene today, from Dirty Lemon tonics to organic chocolate to energy bars. But what, exactly, can cayenne do for us—besides making us sweat more than a barre class? Read on to find out. Photo: Getty Images/Golubovy 4 cayenne pepper benefits you should know about 1. Cayenne pepper may help boost metabolism Yep, this is exactly why cayenne was included in the Master Cleanse mix. “Since these peppers are hot, they increase the heat your body produces,” explains
Finally! A trainer tells me if it’s okay to hold onto the treadmill rails while I run
December 24, 2018 at 04:00AM I hope I’m not the only one who’s been there, schlepping through a run on the trusty ol’ treadmill, when—inevitably—my legs get tired. Picking them up every millisecond becomes like the Sisyphean task of pushing a rock up a hill. So what can I do if I’m still trying to finish a run but am in need a smidge of a break? Hold onto the handrails, for one. Personally, I’m known to hit up those rails when dealing with a challenging incline or if I’m galloping in a hardcore sprint. You’d think that’s what the rails are there for, but, at the same time, it kind of kills the power of your workout. So, I had to find out the answer, once and for all, from a pro trainer. Turns out that yes, you should be doing your best to not hold onto the handrails while on a treadmill. “Literally the only reason you should ever hold onto the treadmill while running or even walking is for safety or because you have an injury or an issue that requires you to hold on,” says Matt Nolan, an instructor at Barry’s Bootcamp. “Holding on does no good except to give the illusion that you’re running fast or hard,” says Vinnie Miliano, a coach at Mile High Run Club. “It’s like cutting a race course or lying on Strava—why even do it?” Another scenario that could call for the rails? If you’re using a treadmill in dynamic mode, AKA
How to prevent that overstuffed feeling in only 3 minutes
December 24, 2018 at 03:30AM Kundalini yoga superstar Guru Jagat is a genius when it comes to easy practices that produce meaningful results. Case in point: this yogic method for ensuring easy digestion during the holidays. So eat, drink, and be merry—without the uneasy tummy. There’s nothing more pleasurable and self-confirming than regular, effective holiday digestion. Here’s an easy yogic practice that I love: When enjoying family meals or holiday soirees, consume only as much as you can easily pass in the next 18 hours. Anything that you digest within 18 hours circulates nutrients in the body, while anything that stays in the body longer than 18 hours starts to create toxicity. If you find that one night you’ve indulged too much (gasp!) or something’s not moving, then try this incomparable digestion practice from Kundalini yoga. Side effects include lustrous skin and positive brain chemistry. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G8pKPcLljw] Guru Jagat is the founder of RA MA Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology, a Kundalini yoga school with locations in Venice, CA; Mallorca, Spain; and New York City, and the author of the best-selling book Invincible Living: The Power of Yoga, The Energy of Breath, and Other Tools for a Radiant Life. In 2017 Guru Jagat created the Aquarian Women’s Leadership Society, which has members in over 20 countries, and she is also the founder and CEO of RA MA TV; RA MA Records; and the RA MA Foundation. What should Guru Jagat write about next? Send your questions and
Got bacne? Watch out for *these* ingredients in your shampoo
December 24, 2018 at 03:00AM There is a special place in hell for the whiteheads that pop up unannounced on your back and shoulders. These suckers are no joke, and it can be a pain in the literal back when you can’t figure out the reasons for pimples popping up there. While hormones and sweaty gym clothes may be to blame, there’s another bacne culprit you may not have thought about: Your shampoo and conditioner. Turns out, some of the ingredients you’re lathering up with may be messing with your pores. “Sulfates can form a film on the skin and definitely contribute to skin clogging,” explains Michele Farber, MD of Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City. “Silicone is sometimes an offender—it helps protect the outside barrier of the skin and prevent dryness. In more acne-prone skin, however, silicones can can promote absorption of other ingredients and less commonly contribute to acne. Look out for additives like fragrances, thicker oils like mineral oil, and lanolin.” “Many ingredients have no data on whether they can clog pores and to make things more complex, some ingredients may be ‘safe’ on their own, but clog pores when they combine with other ingredients,” says Iris Rubin, MD, a dermatologist and co-founder of SEEN Hair Care, which just released a sulfate-free, skin-first shampoo ($29). “We also have good-for-skin additives, including a skin-soothing chamomile derivative, and a silicone substitute derived from plant sugar.” In addition to finding the right products, there are a few other precautions you can take to