January 14, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC If you are a sentient being living in the year 2019, you’ve heard about the keto diet. More than that, there’s a 98 percent chance* that you know someone—your best friend, mother, former high school classmate who is involved in a pyramid scheme—who has embraced this low-carb/high-fat diet. (*Based on my very unscientific, but probably accurate, real-life observations.) Only unlike that MLM company Becky from freshman year bio keeps spamming you about on Facebook, the keto diet could actually be a positive thing for you. A growing body of research has shown that our bodies need fat to thrive, which explains why the ketogenic diet—which emphasizes fats and strictly reduces carb intake—is having a serious moment. (And nearly every celeb, from Halle Berry to Vinny from Jersey Shore, is on board.) While a diet filled with avocados, EVOO, and butter may sound like a true gift, there are a few super-important rules—and icky side-effects—that you need to know about. (Hello, “keto flu”!) Scroll down for the ketogenic diet for beginners, explained. Photo: Stocksy/Stephen Morris Learn the ratios Let’s start with the basics: your macros. “The most important thing to know before embarking on the ketogenic diet is that you need to keep your carb intake under 30 grams total per day,” says Keto Comfort Foods author Maria Emmerich. This is because the absence of carbohydrates forces your body into—and keeps it in—ketosis, the metabolic state key to the ketogenic diet. When your body is
Day: January 14, 2019
Should I be planking on my forearms or my hands? We asked Scarlett Johansson’s trainers
January 14, 2019 at 01:15PM by CWC Pretty much every plank I’ve ever done has been on my forearms. Whether it’s during a fitness class or while watching one of my beloved online workout videos, I hold those suckers until I shake. At a recent Pilates class, however, the instructor asked me to spend a minute on my hands. I thought, “This is tough. Have I been cheating?” I couldn’t help but wonder, what’s the best method and how do I find proper plank form? Each plank hurts in its own way. But having only ever used my forearms for support, switching it up had me all sorts of awkward and wobbly as a different set of muscles felt the burn. It turns out that by only sticking to one variation, I’ve been missing out on some serious arm-toning benefits. According to Eric Johnson and Ryan Johnson—brothers, personal trainers to Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Gosling, and founders of HOMAGE—both methods are effective, but they help accomplish totally different things for your body. “The most effective plank variation is the one that’s right for your current fitness level and specific intention,” Eric says. “Performing planks on the hands is more challenging for the shoulders and triceps while performing the exercise on the forearms is more demanding for the core.” Since hand and forearm planks target different muscle groups, there’s good reason to integrate both of them in your routine. Here’s how to make sure you’re performing each variation properly. Hand plank What it works:
How to deal when you’re cursed with different pimple types all at once
January 14, 2019 at 10:53AM by CWC Dealing with pimples are hard and all, but have you ever had different types of acne on your face all at once? When this happens, it’s kinda like being at a horrible buffet. And it makes the whole issue of making zits go away exponentially harder, since, you know, you fight different types of acne in different ways. So what is one supposed to do when they’re cursed with, say, a whitehead and a hormonal cyst? Do your typical spot treatments work double duty or does this dilemma require a more strategic game plan? I sought out a dermatologist for what to do—and it’s really all about being ingredient savvy. The most beneficial tactic is to make sure you’re using salicylic acid. “If you have both comedones—whiteheads or blackheads—and red pimples or pustules (the pimples that turn into white pus-filled bumps after a couple of days), I would use a face wash that contains salicylic acid, which can help exfoliate and unclog pores,” says Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. “After that, I’d recommend a non-comedogenic moisturizer and an all over tretinoin cream in the evenings.” If you don’t have a prescription tretinoin (a form of vitamin A), retinol—or even its natural alternative, bakuchiol—will do the skin cell turnover trick and make your zits go away faster. But then your spot treatments should be more specific. According to Dr. Chi, an anti-inflammatory option like hydrocortisone can help deep, painful cysts resolve themselves more quickly. “Cystic
3 things you can do to help banish your dry eyes for good
January 14, 2019 at 12:21PM by CWC You know that feeling where you blink and it seems like you have thousands of rocks underneath your eyelids? Or where your contacts just flop out of your eyes because there’s no liquid left to keep them in place? Yep, dry eyes are no joke. Sam Berne, OD, a holistic optometrist, says if you’re feeling scratchiness, stinging, burning, redness, light sensitivity, eye fatigue or strain, or discomfort when wearing contacts…chances are you’ve got a case of dry eyes. Hooray! According to Dr. Berne, one of primary causes of dry eyes is—wait for it—inflammation (because of course it is). “One of the most common, yet largely preventable, causes of dry eye is chronic inflammation near the eyelashes or in the tear glands,” Dr. Berne says. “This inflammation interferes with the production of tear film that covers the cornea and keeps the eyes moisturized.” Another common cause of dry eyes: digital eye strain, where your eyes spend so much time staring at screens that they develop issues like dryness, blurred vision, and headaches. And women are apparently more sensitive to it than men (great!). Other lifestyle factors that can cause dry eyes include smoking, poor sleep, and bad dietary habits, adds Dr. Berne. Dr. Berne adds that certain OTC drugs can also cause dry eyes, including antihistamines, birth control pills, and blood pressure medications. And he says people who have diabetes, thyroid disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, asthma, hormonal imbalances, and glaucoma have a risk of experiencing dry
Loyal Royal: Meghan Markle’s baby is going to be a Taurus—here’s what that means for the kid’s personality
January 14, 2019 at 12:11PM by CWC When the Duchess of Sussex announced her pregnancy last fall, the whole world came down with serious case of baby fever. Rumors have been swirling about Meghan Markle’s due date for months, and now we finally have something definitive. During an event with Prince Harry in Birkenhead, England, the duchess informed the crowd that the latest royal baby will arrive in late April or early May. And we know what that means: the babe’s going to be a Taurus. Now, Tauruses—those with birthdays between April 20 and May 20—tend to have a very particular personality type. First of all, they’re said to be super stubborn. Could that mean Markle will have a trouble getting baby to agree to eat all those veggies that are part of her vegan diet? Tauruses are also determined and persistent, which should come in handy for one likely to have an impact on the world someday. Similarly, they’re also known to be demanding, calm—until something sets them off!—and a bit controlling. While strong-willed and argumentative—they know what they want and how they want it, okay?—Tauruses can also be incredibly charming, friendly, and social. And another awesome perk? You can always count on a Taurus to have your back. They’re devoted and would rather have a handful of great friends than dozens of acquaintances. Basically, it will be really fun to watch this little royal grow up—especially since they will probably become incredibly close with Kate Middleton‘s children, including fellow Tauruses Princess Charlotte
A fitness instructor reveals when, exactly, you’re supposed to be foam rolling
January 14, 2019 at 12:09PM by CWC Ah, foam rolling. It’s one of those things that you have some sense that you should be doing regularly as a part of your recovery routine, but when it comes to exactly when, the details aren’t so widely discussed. “Foam rolling is beneficial at various times,” says Corinne Croce, DPT, cofounder of NYC’s Body Evolved. “Ideally, foam rolling is incorporated before exercising as a warmup to prep the body and prime the tissue for movement. However, foam rolling can be also used post-exercise to relieve tension built up during exercise immediately after or in the days after for delayed onset muscle soreness or tightness.” As far rolling it out on the reg goes, Croce notes that the “when” isn’t all that important as long as you’re doing it consistently. “Foam rolling may be used any time when feeling restricted or for the general health of soft tissues,” she explains. “If performed correctly—one to two minutes max per area, with movement vs. steady pressure and with rhythmic breathing—foam rolling may be used daily.” Your best bet is to foam roll the muscle group that you plan to focus on before you work it out as a warmup, or after the fact as a means of recovery. So take some time on leg day to treat your legs to a little TLC either before or after you suffer through your squats… but that’s not all. “Keep in mind that you need to warm up for more than just the obvious
Good News: You Can Cut the Health Risks of Sitting By Doing This One Simple Swap
January 14, 2019 at 12:00PM Any physical activity lowers health risk of sitting all day, new study finds. Continue Reading… Author Elizabeth Gerson | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
5 recipes that prove the record-breaking egg is all it’s cracked up to be
January 14, 2019 at 11:42AM by CWC With a quick scroll through Instagram, you’ll find no shortage of perfectly-spread avocado toasts, plentiful puppies being generally adorable, and more than a few pastel-hued smoothie bowls. But at 33 million likes and counting, the new most-liked photo of all time will be tough to beat. Hard though it may be to believe that something so ordinary could garner more attention than any other image on the platform, it was all part of a plan hatched by @world_record_egg. As Instagram users scrambled to crack a world record, it only took a matter of days to poach the top spot from Kylie Jenner’s photo announcing the birth of her daughter, which fell to a distant second with a measly 18 million likes. View this post on Instagram Let’s set a world record together and get the most liked post on Instagram. Beating the current world record held by Kylie Jenner (18 million)! We got this #LikeTheEgg #EggSoldiers #EggGang A post shared by EGG GANG (@world_record_egg) on Jan 4, 2019 at 9:05am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js Eggs are incredible, versatile, and delicious, and therefore should be celebrated. We’ve gathered some of our favorite easy egg recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—the kind of meals you’ll want to photograph and post to Instagram for all the likes. 5 recipes to celebrate the Insta-famous egg Photo: Primavera Kitchen 1. Veggie breakfast casserole This casserole—which is loaded with eggs, broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach—can be made ahead of time for easy weekday breakfasts. Photo:
Real talk: Makeup artists say this is how to know which primer you need
January 14, 2019 at 10:48AM by CWC I wear makeup every. single. day. I’m really into playing with different eyeshadows and mascaras and highlighters and approach makeup as if my skin is my own artiste palette. And yet: I’ve gotta admit that I’ve never once even touched a makeup primer. To me, the world of primers is like the wild, wild west. I’ve always thought that wearing an added layer on top of your skin and underneath your foundation—one that you can’t even see—is like wearing clear nail polish. What’s even the point? So, I sought out advice from makeup pros and it turns out that, while totally optional, makeup primers can work some re-texturizing, skin-blurring magic. “There are some instances in which primers can be helpful,” says Jenny Patinkin, makeup artist, beauty expert, and author of Lazy Perfection. Looking to upgrade your makeup regimen? Keep scrolling for the perks of primers, when to use them, and what ingredients to look for, along with expert-approved options to add to cart. The benefits of wearing a primer If you have oily skin, listen up. “A silicone primer attracts and soaks up oil like a sponge,” says Patinkin. “It creates a barrier between your skin and your makeup, so the oils can’t surface, shine is reduced, and wear time is improved.” Besides soaking up shine, primers can make your skin look more radiant than it may actually be. “An illuminating primer can make a nice difference in the appearance of dull or sallow skin,”
Yes, bread can be healthy if you do it right
January 14, 2019 at 09:35AM by CWC Ah, bread: Can’t live with it, can’t live without it. In a world where low-carb diets like keto are commanding more of the spotlight, our relationship with starchy goodness has become pretty complicated. But according to one dietician, it doesn’t have to be. “Every bread has value,” says Jessica Perez, RD. “Bread has become the enemy, whereas 10 years ago, fat was.” So…is bread healthy? Yes, says Perez—but in moderation. As long as you don’t suffer from Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, she says there’s plenty of room in anyone’s diet for a slice or two. Great news for all of us who are on Oprah-levels of loving bread. Of course, there are certain breads that offer more nutrition per slice than others (major side-eye at you, white bread). When it comes to shopping for a healthy bread, Perez says there are a few varieties in particular that should be on your radar—and in your cart: 1. Whole grain bread Perez says to always opt for whole grain bread. That’s because whole grain bread contains all three parts of the grain intact: the inner endosperm, which contains carbohydrates and a small amount of nutrients, the outer germ, which contains healthy fats, and the outer bran, which is loaded with fiber, antioxidants and B vitamins. White and wheat breads, meanwhile, use flours that have only the inner endosperm of the grain—which cuts down on the amount of nutrients you get from your loaf. Preserving all