February 21, 2019 at 01:31PM by CWC Having spent many a gym sesh in the last few years sweating through Kayla Itsines’ BBG workouts, I would estimate that I have done upwards of 5,000 squats. And there’s a reason why the move—in its various iterations—is featured so heavily in her routines: Because it really, really works. Those seemingly simple up-and-down motions will make you feel the burn in your quads and thighs, and leave you with a seriously perky peach. But according to Itsines, though squats are one of the most common moves in any workout, they’re also one of the easiest to do incorrectly, which you may not even realize while you’re doing them. “The biggest mistake that women make when they’re squatting is that their knees will fall in,” says Itsines. “Women get pain in their hips and don’t even realize that the right leg might be coming in.” So, when you wake up the next day, that’s why you might wonder what you’ve done to your left leg to make it more sore. The easiest fix? Add a resistance band into the mix. She suggests placing a small resistance band around your thighs in order to keep your knees pointing in the right direction. “What you’ll do is push against the band, so it focuses more on your glutes, and you’re engaging your muscles more,” she explains. “If you’re looking to engage or warm up your muscles, a resistance band is a great thing to add in. With this
Day: February 21, 2019
The “addiction spectrum” challenges you to think about substance abuse differently
February 21, 2019 at 01:21PM by CWC In our culture, we don’t tend to talk about being “a little bit” addicted to something. It’s not like there are AA meetings for people who are “kind of” alcohol dependent, or a treatment plan for someone who is “a little” obsessed with working out. But a new book, titled The Addiction Spectrum, is rethinking the idea that addiction is so cut and dry. Author Paul Thomas, MD, an addiction medicine specialist and integrative practitioner, argues that addiction is more of a sliding scale that factors in the severity of the addiction as well as life events, genetic predispositions, and other contributing factors. And, he says, this addiction spectrum is just as applicable to things like food or social media as it is to drugs or alcohol. This is a little different from the other way experts commonly define addiction: as a disease. The Center of Addiction (CoA), the American Psychiatric Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) all ascribe to this particular view, which has been mainstream in the medical community for decades. “Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry,” stipulates the ASAM. The CoA compares addiction to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer because “it’s caused by a combination of behavioral, environmental, and biological factors.” Experts have been thinking about addiction as a disease for a long time. But in his book, Dr. Thomas argues that by classifying addiction as a disease,
Because finding sustainable activewear shouldn’t be harder than your workout—here are 7 places to start
February 21, 2019 at 01:18PM by CWC In a world that’s (happily) gaining more socially responsible clothing brands—from fashion labels to sneaker companies to accessories makers—there are seven activewear lines in particular that are totally changing the game when it comes to sustainable workout clothes. Each has pledged to focus on organic materials, eco-friendly production cycles, and ethical working conditions. For some, that means transforming plastic bottles into nylon. Others have set out to use less water in their manufacturing processes—and others still have opted to open up warehouses in the U.S. to reduce their carbon footprints and shorten the supply chain between themselves and their customers. Together, they’re proving that you don’t have to sacrifice performance, fit (or a sense of style) in order to be eco-conscious. From bright, color-blocked leggings at Outdoor Voices to cool, cropped sports bras at Girlfriend Collective, here are our top seven sustainable activewear brands. 1. Alternative Apparel Whether you’re on the hunt for performance wear or loungewear, Alternative Apparel has your back. With a vintage feel, these classics are eco-friendly, organic, and made of recycled materials. Our picks Buy Now Alternative Apparel Cotton Modal Legging $48 Buy Now Alternative Apparel Printed Eco-Fleece Jogger Pants $58 Buy Now Alternative Apparel Athletics Eco-Teddy Hoodie $64 2. Adidas Huge sportswear brand it might be, but Adidas has set forth an initiative to keep itself on track when it comes to sustainability. It’s a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, as well as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, which helps maintain
I Tried Amazon’s Top-Rated Vitamin C Serum, Here’s What Happened
February 21, 2019 at 01:08PM Does it really deliver smooth, bright skin on a budget? Continue Reading… Author Stephanie Eckelkamp | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
CBD lube is a thing, and it will, um, “make your vagina feel high”
February 21, 2019 at 12:46PM by CWC In 2019, there is seemingly little that CBD can’t solve. Feeling anxious? Sip a CBD latte. Need to wear an uncomfy pair of high heels? Slather the stuff on your feet in balm form. Want to ramp up your romps in the hay? Slap some CBD lube on your lady bits. Yup, you read that last part right. Just when we thought we’d found every possible use for CBD, we discovered that CBD lube is a thing. And—surprise surprise—it might just be the best use of the stuff yet. “CBD lube can lead to increased sensitivity for some, and most experience relaxation which creates more willingness to receive pleasurable touch which in turn may lead to better and stronger orgasms,” says Tammy Nelson, PhD, a board certified sexologist and the author of Getting the Sex You Want. “Using CBD lube can help with vaginal pain, with penetration, and can decrease and even prevent irritation.” She notes that some manufacturers claim that CBD lube can moisturize and regenerate skin, but says that hasn’t seen any studies that can confirm that. Research has, however, shown that there are some other sexy potential benefits associated with getting herbal in your intimate activities. CBD, and cannabis’s other standout element, THC, work with the endocannibinoid system in your body, which controls homeostasis and “can effect everything from your mood to your appetite to your sex drive and your body’s response during sex,” Dosist CMO Derek McCarty told Well+Good last year. In case you want a
This makeup artist is living the dream with her 17-step morning routine
February 21, 2019 at 12:40PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-Y4sT5N7iw] For me, self-care means taking the time to make a frothy warm matcha latte in the morning—and sometimes spending an extra five minutes in bed to cuddle with my pup before getting up. (Okay, always.) For celebrity makeup artist Alexandria Gilleo, self-care looks like a morning routine so robust, it starts the night before. In Self-Care Nation, Well+Good’s shiny new YouTube series, you get an inside look at the techniques, hacks, and rituals some of your favorite people use to enhance their well-being, productivity, sanity, and overall happiness in this crazy, fast-paced world we all call home. In the first episode, Gilleo takes you behind the scenes in her own home and step by step through her extensive self-care ritual. (It’s kinda like MTV Cribs, but with jade rollers and journals instead of mirrored ceilings and pimped-out rides.) Considering Gilleo’s ultimate goal has always been to help her clients glow from within, it’s no surprise that, in order to get her own glow on, this beauty buff turns her skin-care routine into a major moment for mindfulness. “Every morning, I take the time to apply my skin-care products with intention. I’m very gentle with my skin-care routine,” she says. Want to catch up on Well+Good’s other YouTube series? Here’s what you missed on the latest episode of The Avocado Show. Or, find out what topic your favorite RD is tackling next on You Versus Food Continue Reading… Author Tehrene Firman | Well and Good Selected by
What “eating the rainbow” actually does for your body, color by color
February 21, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC When you sit down to enjoy a leafy-green salad, do you know specifically what each of the vividly hued fruits and veggies in the bowl are doing for your body? I know I don’t. The #eattherainbow lifestyle makes for vibrant sandwiches and top-notch crudité platters, but it does spark the question: What vitamins and minerals are actually packed into each section of ROYGBIV? In a recent Instagram post, functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman, MD, breaks down exactly how to interpret your red apples, orange carrots, yellow pineapples, and so on. “Vegetables and fruits use their colors to signal which beneficial substances they contain,” he wrote in the caption. “Color is the language of the plant kingdom, so be sure to incorporate an array of colorful plant foods into your diet!” Once you know which shades pack which nutritional gains, munching on an aesthetically pleasing cornucopia of colors will be all the more satisfying. You may find yourself saying things at brunch like, “Oh, this avocado? Yes, it’s yellow-greenness means it loaded with carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin—all of which are believed to reduce the risk of cataracts!” (But, you know, in a cooler way.) Below, Dr. Hyman breaks down how to interpret the visible light spectrum…in produce staples. Keep reading for your ROYGBIV nutritional breakdown. View this post on Instagram Vegetables and fruits use their colors to signal which beneficial substances they contain. Some colors even work together synergistically to have a more powerful effect,
This $8 conditioner at Target is the equivalent of a $200 gloss in a salon
February 21, 2019 at 11:55AM by CWC I have spent the better part of the last 10 years trying to find a conditioner that works for my hair. As a curly-haired woman with a full head of blonde highlights, I have a really hard time getting my strands to look anything other than brittle AF. I’ve tried literally everything on the market, from 5 dollar drugstore deals to products over 50 bucks recommended by professional stylists, all of which left some serious nourishment to be desired. This was all until I came across The Good Stuff’s No-Rinse Conditioner. The line—which includes one shampoo and six different variations of conditioner (or, as they like to call them, “hair moisturizers”) to fit different hair needs—is unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Instead of rinsing out the conditioner in the shower, you put it in after you get out, and the whole point is that you aren’t rinsing out any of the “good stuff” so that the nourishing elements of the product can sink into your hair all day long. Pretty cool, right? I first fell in love with The Intensive Nourishment Cream Conditioner ($8) because it effectively cut my shower time in half. There’s no longer any need for me to apply my conditioner and then hang out under the jet stream for the recommended 3 to 5 minutes for it to seep into my cuticles, as per usual. Instead of this annoying “wash and wait” situation, I now wash my hair as normal and
Bring On The Sunshine: The FDA Wants To Make Sunscreen Safer
February 21, 2019 at 11:42AM Finally! Continue Reading… Author Emma Loewe | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Are You Getting Enough Protein? Probably Not, Research Says
February 21, 2019 at 11:36AM New research finds that adults are missing the mark when it comes to protein Continue Reading… Author Elizabeth Gerson | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue