February 28, 2019 at 01:30PM by CWC I like to think I’m pretty well-rounded in my workouts and that I leave no limb behind. I run, which obviously targets my whole body, and I do a wide variety of strength training to zero in on my legs, arms, abs, and—of course—my peach. But then, after a shower the other night, I was slathering on lotion and realized I was giving one very notable body part a bad case of FOMO: my back. I spoke with a fitness trainer and learned that you’re truly missing out if you’re not working out your back because it’s a key part of your bod. “We live in a world that keeps us constantly pulled forward, between activities like driving and spending hours hunched over a desk,” says Chavanne Scott-Hellner, certified trainer, Fitness Together owner and operator, and performance and optimization coach. “So, overall, back exercises set you up for a better brain-body connection.” After all, your back houses your all-important spine, which of course is in charge of your posture. If you don’t strengthen it, it’ll be easier to give in to the rounded shoulders-kinda life. “By strengthening the back muscles through exercise, it helps your overall alignment and also allows the back to take the strain off of the chest muscles—which is important because the chest and back muscles collectively support and strengthen the spinal column,” says Scott-Hellner. So with a stronger spinal column, it’s then much easier for your brain to communicate with
Month: February 2019
How to know if writing gratitude journals (or failure résumés) is right for you
February 28, 2019 at 01:01PM by CWC There’s no “wrong” way to journal. Whether you employ the bulleted format or put pen to paper to track your fitness gains, kudos to you for making time for your thoughts. Lately, two styles of journaling (that appear to be polar opposites) have gained in popularity among those who relentlessly record the minutiae of their daily lives. On one hand, we have gratitude journals, in which you jot down everything that makes you feel #blessed. On the other, “failure résumés,” in which you recount every time you stumble. Considering the significant differences, I started to wonder which method actually works better for your mental health. Neeraj Gandotra, MD, the chief medical officer at Delphi Behavioral Health, believes that both styles can be effective tools to improve your mental health, but learning when and how to use them is key. “Both get down to the issue of gaining insight for yourself,” he told me over the phone. “This is the point that I think is most important: The purpose of both exercises is to gain insight, because you cannot make any changes in your life unless you actually understand what’s going on.” Below, Gandotra breaks down the function of each so you can break out that brand-new notebook (and glitter pens!) and get to it. Gratitude journal or failure résumé? Here’s how to find out which is best for you. Photo: Getty Images/Peathegee Inc When to spell out everything you feel blessed for in your
New Study Finds The Health Benefits Of Tomatoes Vary Based On Color
February 28, 2019 at 01:01PM According to new research, each color of tomato has its own health-boosting properties Continue Reading… Author Elizabeth Gerson | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
The pro-approved ways to sculpt your jawline at home
February 28, 2019 at 12:53PM by CWC I’m well aware of how to go about sculpting various limbs. For your arms, it’s all about embracing the push-up and perhaps dabbling in boxing. For legs, I’d recommend all the lunges. For that peach? Plenty of squats. When it comes to the face, and more specifically, the jawline, however, there are other exercises (AKA treatments you can do at home) that do the job. Keep on scrolling for all of the intel for how to chisel your jawline both at home or through treatments at the derm’s office. Photo: Getty Images/ iStock Gua sha Sometimes, all it takes to lift and sculpt is a mere crystal—AKA your gua sha tool. “Gua sha is an ancient traditional Chinese medicine treatment where the skin is scraped to intentionally create transitory therapeutic petechiae one (which looks like bruising),” says Lamees Hamdan, MD, physician and founder and CEO of beauty brand Shiffa. “This has positive anti-inflammatory and immune protective effects for the body and the area being treated.” To sculpt your jawline, it takes time and effort using the thin facial tool (which is usually made out of a crystal). It may look like a simple piece of stone, but it works to “contour and refine the face,” says Dr. Hamdan. “Gua sha releases muscular tension, which tends to give you a pinched, angry look, and it helps circulation and to lift the skin. With use, your skin looks visibly plumped, and it glows.” Typically, the tool has
This “wonder plant” may help kick your acne to the curb
February 28, 2019 at 11:59AM by CWC If you’re anything like me, your bathroom cabinet is bursting with beauty products. You use a crystal facial roller like its your job and administer pore-clearing masks on the regular. But there’s a yellowish-brown liquid that’s probably missing from your routine—and it’s more than deserving of your attention. Derived from the seeds of the neem tree, people have been using neem oil on their skin and hair for centuries. In fact, the benefits of neem oil haven’t been a secret since prehistory. In the past, neem oil was used to deter smallpox and other infectious diseases, to treat lice and digestive disorders, and even serve as a naturally-occurring pesticide. No wonder the neem tree has been referred to as a “wonder plant.” Don’t be fooled by its aroma (something like a combination of garlic and sulfur), which is anything but pretty. Today, one of the most underrated ways to take advantage of the oil involves your beauty routine. After all, neem oil was one of the most-searched skincare ingredients of 2018. These are the best beauty benefits of neem oil. 1. It gets rid of dandruff You might not have realized it before now, but neem oil is already found in many dandruff shampoos on store shelves. The oil is a natural anti-fungal, and dandruff is commonly caused by the yeast-like fungus malassezia. How to use it: According to naturopathic physician Melissa Gallagher, ND, you can add a few drops of neem oil right into a handful of shampoo before working
Well+Good TALKS: Everything You Need to Know About CBD
February 28, 2019 at 11:54AM by CWC The most lit topic in wellness. The CBD buzz is everywhere. And now that we’re entering a legal era, what does it mean for your wellness? Well+Good is getting all the myth-busting, real-talk intel about the ingredient that’s poised to become the biggest thing in wellness, straight from cannabis visionaries and CBD disruptors Chelsea Leyland, Mary Pryor, and Anthony Saniger. It’s an evening that will leave you high—on an anxiety-soothing, non-psychoactive wellness wave, that is. EVENT DETAILS Wednesday, March 20, 2019 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Location: Made by We | 902 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 THE PANEL Jessie Van Amburg | Well+Good Senior Editor Jessie is a writer and editor covering food and health at Well+Good. Previously, she has written for WomensHealthMag.com, TIME.com, and Family Circle. Chelsea Leyland | Medical Cannabis + Epilepsy Activist Chelsea is a British DJ and medical cannabis advocate. After being diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and treating her condition with pharmaceutical anti-seizure medications as a teen, she now treats her epilepsy with medical cannabis. Chelsea regularly talks on medical cannabis panels and educational podcasts. Mary Pryor | Co-Founder + CEO, Cannaclusive As CEO of Cannaclusive—an organization whose mission is to resolve urgent diversity issues in mainstream cannabis culture—and NY Chapter President of Minorities for Medical Marijuana, Mary’s an experienced ally in the fight for legalization and destigmatization of cannabis. In 2014, she was recognized as SXSW’s Innovator of the Year. Anthony Saniger | Founder + CEO, Standard
The Magical Thing That Happened When This New Yorker Kept Buying Houseplants
February 28, 2019 at 11:51AM This Is What A Day In Summer Rayne Oakes’ Life Looks Like Continue Reading… Author Summer Rayne Oakes | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Meet quark, Germany’s answer to Greek yogurt
February 28, 2019 at 11:31AM by CWC Greek yogurt has long been the reigning king of the healthy living community, but there’s a new health food hero coming for its crown. *Drum roll* Say hello to quark, the protein-packed German soft cheese that’s about to hit the shelves of a health food store near you. If you’re nodding your head and thinking, You had me at soft cheese, you’re in luck. We went straight to the experts to get the inside scoop on what could become your favorite new superfood. (Finally, one that’s not a vegetable!) What is quark? (Not the kind NASA studies, at least.) Quark is a soft, creamy cheese, originally from Germany, and popular in Europe. Keri Gans, a New York-based dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet, tells Well+Good that it’s similar to Icelandic or Greek yogurt, and that it’s usually made with grass-fed whole milk and buttermilk cultures. (Other people say that it’s kind of like a cross between cottage cheese and yogurt.) Dietitian Toby Amidor, M.S., R.D., CDN, author of the Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day, says that the quark-making process is similar to other cheeses; the difference is that when you get to the curdling stage of the process, you simply stir to keep the curds soft and creamy—that’s where quark’s trademark smooth texture comes from. Is quark healthy, though? Yes! Both Gans and Amidor agree that the cheese is an excellent
Everything You Need To Know About Hormones & How To Balance Them Naturally
February 28, 2019 at 11:28AM These little molecules literally affect everything. Continue Reading… Author Elsbeth Riley | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
The 14 most splurge-worthy activewear items to buy from Shopbop’s rare super sale
February 28, 2019 at 09:54AM by CWC I’ve lost hours of my life on Shopbop—gone onto the website with a purpose like finding comfortable boots…only to come out of a haze three hours later with a digital shopping cart jam packed with way more things than my wallet can handle. The website feels like the online department store lovechild of Reformation and Carbon38, which is to say things can be somewhat pricey. But from now until the end of March 2, (almost) the entire site is on sale. There are three discount tiers: When you spend $200 or more you get 15 percent off your purchase; for $500 or more you get 20 percent off; at $800 or more it’s 25 percent off. This applies to both full-price and on-saleitems. This means that thousands of items are on sale, an exorbitant and ungodly amount to ask someone to sift through. In the spirit of being a good Samaritan, I’ve gone through the entire activewear selection available on the site and picked the splurge-worthy, rarely on sale items you’re going to want to check out before the hordes swoop in. Pickings are good—there are items from Victoria Beckham’s recent collab with Reebok, there’s the very new Adam Selman Sport line, and a bunch of other things from your cult-favorite workout brands. This sale is one of those things that truly does not come around that often, so if you’re looking to upgrade your wardrobe ahead of the spring weather transition, now’s