February 15, 2019 We now have a better indicator of longevity than your chronological age, thanks to new research Continue Reading… Author Elizabeth Gerson | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Day: February 15, 2019
Bloated During Exercise? This Is The Diet You Should Follow, New Research Says
February 15, 2019 New research has found that changing your diet could help banish your workout bloat for good Continue Reading… Author Elizabeth Gerson | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
This one mistake we’re all making during streaming workouts can lead to serious neck pain
February 15, 2019 at 12:16PM by CWC I was streaming a workout yesterday from my mat, and—while struggling through a forearm plank—the instructor said to stop looking at her and to instead focus on a spot on the floor six inches in front of my hands. Whoops. The issue? If you continue to look up at the screen during certain moves, you put yourself at risk for alignment issues. And, worse, neck pain. It’s definitely a thing. I’ve noticed that whenever I’m following an digital workout (AKA practically every single day), I’m always straining to keep my eyes on the instructor. After all, I’m trying my best to imitate their every move. But it turns out you shouldn’t always be looking at them for cues on what to do, particularly when you’re in certain poses that require proper alignment. “Having to look at a screen while working out is difficult because it can throw off your alignment, and it also takes away from your overall bodily awareness,” says Meghan Takacs, Aaptiv trainer. “Working out is essentially a conversation between your brain and your body—you’re the one who tells your body where to go and how to get there, and so before movement becomes a reality, you have to tell your body what to do, not be shown what to do.” That’s (obviously) not to say that you need to quit your workout streaming habit, though—It’s just key to be mindful of your movements and not get too hypnotized by your instructor.
Asking for a friend: What causes really smelly farts? (And how can how can “she” fix it?)
February 15, 2019 at 11:54AM by CWC As the lifestyle guru Shrek once said, “Better out than in.” But seriously, the gastroenterologist I spoke with this morning invoked the green ogre’s words of wisdom about farts. Now, we all know everybody gets a little gassy now and then. But depending on what you’ve had to eat, everyday flatulence (that’s the fancy word for farts) ranges from the mildly stinky to the hideously fetid. “Basically, the first thing to remember is that all flatulence will have a certain amount of odor,” says gastroenterologist Niket Sonpal, MD. Our bodies cannot digest certain materials— compounds like cellulose, high-fiber foods, starches in vegetable products (particularly of the cruciferous variety, like cauliflower and broccoli), meat products, and artificial sugars found in diet sodas or coffee sweeteners. “Sometimes a lot of these products can’t be full digested,” he says, “and this gives rise to something called hydrocarbons.” Hydrocarbons (another technical term for “gas”) have to exit your body somehow, so they do. Dr. Sonpal says it can be useful to think of gas in two categories: normal (you know, quotidian farts) and smellier than usual. “Now if it’s a one-time, room-clearing kind of fart, then that could be usually related to something. It could be a touch of food-poisoning or enteritis,” says Sonpal. In other words, make like Shrek and foster a little bit of self-acceptance toward your flatulence. Or you can cut down on the cruciferous veggies and coffee creamer, if you so choose. “Better out than in.”
I couldn’t get this best-selling $10 mascara to clump if I tried
February 15, 2019 at 11:52AM by CWC The U.K. has given us a lot of things worth obsessing over: The Spice Girls, David Attenborough documentaries, and Harry Styles, to name a few. One other thing to add to the list? No7’s “The Full 360” mascara, AKA my new favorite lash lengthening product. According to the brand, a tube of the mascara sells every nine seconds in the U.K., which is… wild. In the time it’s taken you to read those four sentences, at least two bottles of the stuff has flown off of the shelves. So as a beauty editor who has (literally) made a full time job out of testing the latest and greatest in mascaras, I had to see what the hype was all about. It only took two swipes before I was utterly hooked. The product lengthened my lashes without making them look fake or overdone, which is something I’ve traditionally struggled to find in a mascara. It essentially made them look like their natural selves but better. And a whole lot longer. My boss told me my lashes looked “long and wispy,” which made me feel like the 2019 version of Twiggy, and lemme tell ya: I didn’t hate that. Plus, the curved brush gave my lashes the perfect upward inflection to make me look more awake, which is always greatly appreciated in a product—especially on a Friday morning. The most impressive thing about the No7 mascara, though, is that it doesn’t clump. Like, at all. I
I don’t understand why omega-3s are so great—so I asked 2 doctors for insight
February 15, 2019 at 11:34AM by CWC I began taking fish oil a few years ago, around the time I started Crossfit. Not the pills, mind you—straight-up shots of fish oil. Because…omega-3s! Fighting inflammation! I didn’t really understand why I was drinking “lemon”-flavored fish juice every morning. I just had the general knowledge that omega-3s were good for you. Which is problematic when you’re deep in the wellness scene like me. I could give you a laundry list of the benefits of turmeric, but if you asked me about omega-3 benefits I’d be all um, they’re good for your brain? Then I’d quickly change the subject to something I know more about, like the latest docu-series about murderers or the best dog accounts to follow on Instagram. “There are over 22,000 scientific articles proving the total body and brain health benefits of omega-3s,” says William Sears, MD, author of The Omega-3 Effect. But in my defense…most of them are difficult to understand. To get into the nitty-gritty of the real omega-3 benefits, I turned to the experts. Here’s what they had to say. 1. They’re really, really good for your brain Boom, I got this one right. “The brain is 60-70 percent fat,” Dr. Sears says. And of this fat, he says that omega-3s are the most important. “Getting enough omega-3’s is critical for helping depression and other emotional disorders,” board-certified internist Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, adds. A recent study indicated that omega-3s can help reduce clinical anxiety. And a 2017 review
NightFood ice cream promises sweet dreams with the power of magnesium
February 15, 2019 at 10:14AM by CWC You know the rules. If you want a good night’s sleep, you can’t eat sugary sweets right before you hit the sheets. Even munching on a little dark chocolate could keep you awake. When I first heard about a magnesium ice cream that promised a good night’s sleep, I was skeptical. But it contains a blend of ingredients that might knock you out until morning. Later this month, NightFood slides into the freezer aisle with an impressive collection of low-calorie and low-sugar ice creams. But the inclusion of magnesium in the brand’s products is causing a stir. According to the company, the ice cream recipes were formulated by sleep and nutrition experts. “Nightfood delivers seriously delicious nighttime ice cream that’s both sleep expert and cravemonster approved,” boasts the brand’s website. Cleverly named flavors include After Dinner Mint Chip, Full Moon Vanilla, Cherry Eclipse, Cold Brew Decaf, Cookies and Dreams, Midnight Chocolate, Milk and Cookie Dough, and Bed and Breakfast (maple ice cream with waffle chunks). Unlike other sweet treats, NightFood’s ice cream doesn’t contain any caffeine and only uses natural sweeteners. If you look at the ingredient’s list of the products, you’ll also notice a mineral blend that includes magnesium, calcium, and zinc—three things that have been shown to improve sleep. You’ll get a solid amount, too: Cooking Light reports you only need a half cup of the ice cream to meet 10 percent of your daily magnesium needs. You don’t have to wait for NightFood to be stocked at your
The astrological significance of Katy Perry’s spectacularly unique engagement ring
February 15, 2019 at 08:51AM by CWC Well, someone had an epic Valentine’s Day yesterday and her name is Katy Perry. The singer just announced her engagement to Orlando Bloom on Instagram. That they’ve finally taken their relationship (very) public is nice, but the ruby red rock in Katy Perry’s engagement ring is what got our attention. A flower-shaped ring with diamond petals, the jewel is an unusual choice for an engagement ring. “The center stone appears to be an oval-shaped ruby,” jewelry expert and gemologist Grant Mobley tells People. And it turns out the hue has a lot of significance. “The deep magenta essence in Katy’s diamond resonates with the power of the high heart. Not just the emotional security of light pink—like a soothing rose quartz—but the transmutational aspects of love,” says Luke Simon, co-founder of Maha Rose Center for Healing. “Diamond is a product of pressure that turns carbon into bling. The fact that this one turned a deep magenta is rare and shows that Orlando sees Katy’s unique and powerful heart and can support what makes her so special.” View this post on Instagram full bloom A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Feb 15, 2019 at 2:07am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js Heather Askinosie, leading crystal expert and co-founder of Energy Muse, explains that each finger is aligned with the energy of a specific planet. Your ring finger is paired with Venus. That position combined with the qualities of her ring speak even more to their strong connection. “When
If every damn thing annoys you, here’s how to be more patient
February 15, 2019 at 08:21AM by CWC From the slow, simmering frustration that builds with being on hold with a customer service representative for 30 minutes to the quick snap at your barista when she takes longer than usual to make your oat milk latte, chances are that everyone has wondered how to be more patient every now and then. Kelly Davis, director of peer advocacy, supports, and services for Mental Health America explains that as technology advances and constant reachability can deprive us of time to rest and reset. “Even in the workplace, we’re expected to be available 24-hours a day. Now, your boss is in your pocket, your friends are in your pocket, and it’s really easy to have those expectations go both ways,” she says. “You feel the stress of other people being impatient with you, wanting you to immediately respond to things, and then you’re also expecting people to immediately respond to your needs, even if it’s not consciously.” Besides making even the nicest people irritable, the increasing inability to tolerate delay or a wrench in the plan can have some negative effects on your health, too. “Impatience creates stress, and stress has tremendous health implications,” says Jordana Jacobs, a NYC-based licensed clinical psychologist. “When we’re under stress, it causes chronic low inflammation in the body.” And, of course, inflammation’s the culprit behind a laundry list of problems that span everything from acne to gut to digestion issues. No thanks. So in this world that expects instant gratification all
We fully support your late-night cravings for fast food with 8 better-for-you knockoffs
February 15, 2019 at 08:20AM by CWC Some days I’m perfectly content eating a bunch of veggies, but when all I want is the familiar comfort of my favorite fast foods I find myself in a pickle. A new study finds that eating such “ultra-processed foods” loaded with salt, sugar, oil, and other additives (including flavor and color enhancers) could shorten your lifespan. And I know from experience that the aftermath of giving in to the drive-through will be a stomach ache at the least. Fortunately, making healthier fast foods at home has never been easier. As great as they taste, Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme, McDonald’s Big Mac, KFC’s Popcorn Nuggets, and other fast foods are not great for you. To satisfy my cravings for fast food, I head to the grocery store and gather what I need to make healthier versions right at home. I promise they’re just as finger lickin’ good. Skip the ultra-processed foods by eating 8 fast food favorites made with healthier ingredients Photo: Pinch of Yum 1. Crunchwrap Supreme, Taco Bell This Crunchwrap Supreme doesn’t need to be loaded with beef and cheese to taste amazing. You’ll find ingredients like sofritas tofu, tangy marinated cabbage, black beans, and cashew queso. Photo: The Curious Chickpea 2. Sausage ‘N Egg McMuffin, McDonald‘s Believe it or not, this ultra-savory McMuffin is filled with an egg patty made of chickpea flour and tofu. The sausage patty is made of tempeh. Photo: Where You Get Your Protein 3. Hamburger, In-N-Out These copycat In-N-Out burgers use protein-packed black bean patties and