January 28, 2019 at 01:26PM by CWC As far as “fun things to shop for” go, I’d place “winter coats” somewhere near the very, very bottom of the list—slightly below “nude bra” and just a hair above “tampons.” They’re expensive, all kinds of make-you-feel-like-the-Michelin-Man, and a clear indicator that winter is not only coming, but that it is here and we have to deal with it. But this weekend, just as New York City temperatures dipped below 10 degrees, the universe somehow answered my prayers (or, erm, whines and moans) and I found one that completely changed my mind about the entire category of clothing without costing me upwards of $1,000: The Babaton St. Moritz Parka. For $365 (marked down from $398!), this parka has everything you could possibly want when its so cold outside it feels like your eyeballs might freeze inside your head. It’s waterproof, windproof, and packed with goose down to keep you warm when it gets down to -22 degrees. The faux-fur hood makes me feel like my childhood teddy bear is giving me a cozy hug around my ears. It’s slightly cinched at the waist, which makes me feel more runway model than marshmallow. Extending all the way down past my knees, it also kind of makes me feel like I’m wearing the streetwear version of a sleeping bag. To test its warmth factor, I walked 45 blocks in 14-degree weather yesterday, and felt snug as a bug in a rug. On Monday morning, when the elevator doors opened and stepped
Day: January 28, 2019
This Antioxidant-Packed Diet Is Consistently Ranked No. 1 By Nutrition Experts
January 28, 2019 at 01:13PM This antioxidant-packed diet is consistently ranked No. 1. Continue Reading… Author Stephanie Eckelkamp | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Fact: The healthiest foods are now found in the freezer aisle
January 28, 2019 at 01:20PM by CWC When I was a kid, there was nothing more dull to me than going to the grocery store with my parents. It seemed to take them forever to decide between Grape Nuts and Wheaties while I looked longingly at the Lucky Charms. But little me loved when we’d stop in the freezer aisle. Between Kid Cuisines, Hot Pockets, frozen French bread pizza, and tubs of ice cream, this part of the grocery store had all the best, gloriously unhealthy foods (only allowed in my house on special occasions). Looking back, it was enough to give a healthy eater the shivers—and not just because it’s ten degrees colder than the rest of the store. Now that I’m an adult with healthier habits—hey, I am a Well+Good editor after all—the frozen food aisle makes me smile for a completely different reason. It’s now where all the quick-and-easy, legit nutritious stuff hangs out. Look behind that frosted glass and you’ll find cauliflower pizza, frozen acai packets, broccoli tots…how times have changed! Which is, you know, amazing and all, but how—and when—did this exactly happen? Graphic: Well+Good Creative The surprisingly innovative origins of frozen food When Swanson introduced TV dinners in 1953, they were an instant hit. The second year they were on the market, they sold over 10 million meals. Fun fact:”This all happened because Swanson had half a million pounds of leftover turkey to get rid of after Thanksgiving,” food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson says. It didn’t
This $5 drugstore hair styler shaved—no joke—12 minutes off of my morning routine
January 28, 2019 at 01:05PM by CWC If a genie magically appeared and granted me 3 wishes, the first would be for more time to get ready in the morning (the others would have something to do with a boyfriend named Ryan Gosling and a beach house in Bora Bora, ICYWW). While I’d love to be one of those people who spends the hours between 6 and 9 a.m. every day meditating, writing in my journal, and sipping on lemon water, my mornings tend to fall more into mad-dash territory. Because I’m still searching for a magic lamp (and am not willing to sacrifice a single minute of sleep in the meantime), I’ve settled for the next best thing: products that shave time off getting ready. I swapped my regular conditioner for a no-rinse option, and I started using a 4-in-1 serum-moisturizer-facial oil-primer hybrid that has replaced half of my skin-care routine. But…I’ve never figured out how to hack my hair. Without fail, it has always taken me 10 to 15 minutes under the blowdryer to get the water out, followed by another 10 with a straightening iron to take my thick waves to the sleek-and-straight style I prefer them in. After a decade with the same routine, I’d resigned myself to the fact that a 20-minute hair routine just wasn’t possible for me. That is, until I found something (almost) as good as a genie: A hair product that—no joke—cuts my styling session down to 8 minutes. Garnier Sleek Shot ($5)
Stop making out with your hedgehog—and 4 more tips for staying healthy with pets
January 28, 2019 at 12:09PM by CWC As far as pets are concerned, few are more kissable than hedgehogs. I’ve double-tapped enough pictures of Mr. Pokee on Instagram to know that they love being snuggled, enjoy getting face rubs, and have an affinity for wearing tiny socks. But if you ever have the urge to lock lips with a hedgehog, you (sadly) might want to hold back. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an outbreak of salmonella has been directly linked to the cute little critters. As of publication, 11 cases of hedgehog-related salmonella have been reported across eight states. At least one person required hospitalization. The CDC strongly advises all hedgehog owners to stop smooching the spiky mammals, which potentially spread bacteria to the face and mouth, causing illness. While limiting mouth-to-mouth contact with another species is a good place to start, those wishing to stay healthy while living with a pet of any kind need only follow a few simple rules. Here are 4 more ways to stay healthy when you have furry BFFs. 1. Wash your hands regularly In addition to no-kisses, it is also recommended that hedgehog owners wash their hands after touching, feeding, or caring for their pets—a rule that goes for other types of animals, too. The CDC recommends washing up after handling any “pocket pet”—rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and sugar gliders. The same goes for reptiles, amphibians, and birds, which have been associated with the transmission of several types of bacteria
Green thumb 101: These easy houseplants are the hardest to accidentally kill
January 28, 2019 at 11:39AM by CWC In an ideal world, my apartment would be filled with lush, thriving, beautiful plants. In the real world, it’s more like a botanical graveyard. I’ll admit it. Despite my best intentions, I’m a serial succulent killer. But I’m not ready to give up on my plant lady aspirations, which is why, every time I go to buy a new plant, I now always ask which one’s the hardest to kill. (That phrasing makes it sound like I’m embarking on some sort of plant-based The Most Dangerous Game stuff, but really I just need something resilient.) Miraculously, by doing this, I’ve managed to not kill several plants. Is it due to the newfound sense of responsibility I’ve gained from living on my own for the first time? Or because I lucked out and ended up with some really hearty plants? Definitely the latter, but who cares, because my apartment is now looking more like the botanical oasis I had planned, not the plant version of Sid’s bedroom in Toy Story. There are four easy houseplants in particular that pros consider to be the hardest to accidentally kill. Keep reading to find out what they are and get a few tips from a green thumb on caring for each. Photo: Getty Images/Anika Salsera Asparagus fern This was the very first plant I brought into my apartment, and miraculously it’s still alive. I can’t take full credit for this, though—according to Greg Salmeri, the owner of Rolling
Ovarian cysts are more common than you think
January 28, 2019 at 11:16AM by CWC Kate Beckinsale was hospitalized over the weekend after an ovarian cyst ruptured. “Turns out a ruptured ovarian cyst really hurts and morphine makes me cry. So thankful to everyone who looked after me,” she shared on Instagram with a photo of her lying in a hospital bed. Poor Kate! And also, WTF? According to The Center of Menstrual Disorders, ovarian cysts—small fluid-filled bumps that form during ovulation—aren’t uncommon, but they are among the most common reasons women schedule an impromptu visit to the gynecologist. The symptoms of an ovarian cyst might manifest as lower abdominal pain, abnormal bleeding, or pain during sex. Most of the time, the presence of an ovarian cyst is pretty harmless; they are totally normal and nothing to worry about. According to the Office of Women’s Health, during ovulation, eggs grow inside follicle cysts, and once big enough, the egg breaks open the follicle cyst and passes through. While natural and typically causing only mild discomfort, a ruptured cyst becomes a serious issue if it causes severe pain that might be accompanied by bleeding, vomiting, and fever. In such cases, you should seek immediate medical attention, according to the Mayo Clinic. A doctor can provide stronger pain medication if needed. In rare cases, ruptured cysts cause internal bleeding that requires surgical intervention to remove any clots. According to Johns Hopkins, doctors aren’t sure why some ovarian cysts rupture—and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it from happening—but most clear
5 self-development books our Well+Good Council swears by for personal growth
January 28, 2019 at 11:07AM by CWC Taking care of your physical wellbeing, at times, feels easier than taking care of your emotional and psychological health. Measuring if you’re getting enough protein and nutrients on the regular or if your mile time is going down are quantifiable—whereas, say, figuring out if you’re becoming more comfortable in your own skin is not as simple to measure. (Add to it the fact that soul searching is so subjective, and it can be hard to start doing inner work at all.) If you’re looking for a tool to help you gauge personal growth, however, a self-development book is a good place to start. To say a great book has the power to change your life isn’t an exaggeration. This can be doubly true for self-development books, which are literally written with the improvement of your inner person in mind. These reads can help you decipher and understand where you are on whatever inward journey you’re undertaking. Here’s the catch, though. If you’ve spent any amount of time on the internet or the self-help section of your local bookstore, you likely already know there are way too many options to sift through let alone read. To make it easier to narrow down the list, these are books that five of the health experts and luminaries on our Well+Good Council reference as beacons of wisdom and guidance on their own paths to self-actualization. Photo: Amazon 1. The Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi “A great
This creepy-crawly K-beauty ingredient could be the cure for your under-eye circles
January 28, 2019 at 10:53AM by CWC You can oat-milk matcha-latte your way out of a lot of the symptoms of a crappy night’s sleep, but there’s one thing that no amount of caffeine is going to fix after you’ve spent multiple hours tossing and turning: the dark circles that stake out under your eyes. Womp womp. But leave it to Ashley Graham—who always look gorgeous and well-rested, despite running a full-blown empire and traveling non-stop—to have found the answer. According to a recent Instagram story, the model-slash-mogul turns to snail slime to help banish the bags under her eyes. Snail mucin (the slime’s technical term) is actually beloved in the K-beauty community for its hydrating properties, and is known to leave skin looking plump and moisturized post-use. “From soothing irritated skin to deeply hydrating dry skin, snail secretion filtrate offers a host of anti-aging benefits,” says co-founder of Soko Glam and esthetician Charlotte Cho, who notes that the ingredient is versatile enough to work for any skin type. “It also contains anti-microbial properties to ward off bacteria.” Its status as a hydration hero, then, is what makes snail mucin so effective for treating under-eye bags. “Most of the fine lines around your eyes are a result of dehydration,” explains Cho. “Topically applying snail mucin to the skin is helpful because it contains peptides [and] hyaluronic acid, so it brings a boost of deep hydration to your epidermis.” This, she says, firms and lifts your skin, which is exactly what the area under
10 healthy recipes for the meaty, protein-packed, 120-pound jackfruit
January 28, 2019 at 10:45AM by CWC The spiky green exterior of a jackfruit doesn’t exactly scream effective substitute for animal protein. But don’t let its outward appearance fool you; everyone knows it’s what’s on the inside that counts. In recent years, jackfruit recipes have skyrocketed in popularity among those who avoid meat thanks in part to its versatility and good taste. You can use the flesh of a jackfruit to make everything from pulled pork sandwiches bursting flavor to perfectly formed vegan crab cakes. Plus, you can’t beat the fruit’s nutritional profile. Jackfruit is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, and calcium. It’s also a great way to increase plant-based protein intake, boasting 2.8 grams per cup, which puts it on par with avocados though far from the levels in other common meat replacements—like tofu or tempeh, which contain 20 grams and 31 grams per cup respectively. But for a fruit, it’s kind of a big deal. Often reaching a staggering 120 pounds, a large jackfruit weighs about the same at five watermelons, but you won’t need a separate shopping cart to get a taste at home. Brands like The Jackfruit Company and Upton’s Naturals offer prepackaged, flavored options (like BBQ and Thai curry ) right at the grocery store. Canned versions are also readily available for you to transform on your own into a delicious meal. Just drain the brine, pull apart the pieces with a fork, and snag one of these recipes to put jackfruit to work. Here are 10 easy