February 20, 2019 at 11:13AM by CWC Nothing makes your realize how central alcohol is to the life of a social twenty-something college student quite like being a social twenty-something college student (hint: it me). In my case though, the hangovers joked about in group texts eventually stopped being funny, and the previous nights’ antics bragged about the next morning—over mimosas, natch—lost their luster. After waking up one too many Saturday morning feeling lethargic and surrounded by empty containers of Ben and Jerry’s (the healthier-for-you edition, but still) and bodega cheese fries, I decided to rethink my relationship with alcohol. As someone who has PCOS, alcohol is the last thing I should be reaching for to benefit my health. Plus, given that I’m recovering from orthorexia, the obsessing about cocktail calories I finding myself doing after a night of drinks doesn’t do me any favors either. Whereas many people get over hangovers with the help of green juice and a nap, my docs let me know that drinking puts my physical and mental health at serious stake. So, to help me shift my lifestyle, I called on woo-woo goddess Ruby Warrington, author of Sober Curious and founder of online magazine The Numinous, to be my spirit guide. You’re probably familiar with the concept of sobriety; maybe you even tried (and possibly failed) Dry January. Sober curiosity, on the other hand is less rigid—more like, say, moist January. “Being sober curious means literally just choosing to question every impulse, every invitation, or every expectation to drink, rather than
Month: February 2019
10 reasons why you should consider making goji berries your go-to oatmeal and smoothie bowl topper
February 20, 2019 at 10:11AM by CWC Every once in a while, a healthy food will start popping up on the menus at juice bars and nutritious eateries and the rise to notoriety will be so quick, it’s suddenly everywhere before most people even know what the heck it is. In 2013, it happened with chia seeds. Now, it’s happening with goji berries. Native to China, goji berries (also called Chinese wolfberries) grow on small, thorny shrubs. Cousin to the tomato (and a member of the nightshade family), the goji berry blossoms into a vibrant reddish orange. Slightly sweet—and a bit sour—goji berries are as brimming with health benefits as they are color and taste. Rounded up here are ten benefits to incorporating the antioxidant-rich berries into your diet—along with ideas of what to do with them. Here’s what you need to know about goji berry benefits and how to enjoy them at home. Photo: Stocksy/Jeff Wasserman First, a caveat with goji berry benefits: They need more research. Most studies (as you’ll see in a sec) were either small human trials, or were performed on rats—meaning that their results are not necessarily conclusive. This is important to know given that people can get pretty extra about the plant. It was so bad when they first hit the market that the FDA had to issue warning letters to several companies selling goji berry products because they were making exaggerated or unproven claims about the fruit’s benefits. That said, goji berries do have
Outdoor Voices’ new collection, OV Studio, is on pointe for doing low-impact things
February 20, 2019 at 10:01AM by CWC Outdoor Voices, the activewear brand widely known for color-blocked leggings, has a knack for communicating what types of activities its garments are meant for, whether running, swimming, or simply just “action.” And, TBH, it’s a huge relief for people who can’t tell a pair of running tights from yoga pants (it me). Today, the brand rolls out a new line with duds intended to do new things: The pieces in OV Studio are meant for fluid and lower-impact workouts like dance, barre, yoga, and Pilates. The collection launches with a new super-light fabric called TissueWeave and 10 new products, including leggings ($75), a wrap top ($65), wrap skirt ($45), wrap dress ($85), unitard ($90), and leotard ($65) available in colors inspired by the energy of light (bright yellow, soft coral, grassy green, summery orange, and…um black). “TissueWeave is a stretch woven material that is meant to act as a layering solve on top of our Studio collection. It’s a whisper-thin, airy fabric that you honestly forget you’re wearing because of how lightweight it is,” an OV rep tells me. “TissueWeave is a whisper-thin, airy fabric that you honestly forget you’re wearing because of how lightweight it is.” —Outdoor Voices The new duds scream for you to sign up for an an adult ballet class: There are fewer seams, thinner fabrics, and new silhouettes, all designed with ease of movement and fluidity in mind. Basically, if your idea of “doing things” is a low-impact
Can you trust your partner after they cheat? An expert says to watch for these 4 traits
February 20, 2019 at 08:52AM by CWC Here in the real world, people come with baggage. And in the world of dating and relationships, that baggage can get especially heavy with each subsequent ended union. While you may have your list of non-negotiable traits you seek in a partner (maybe it has to do with religion or thoughts on children or pets or something else entirely), an open mind is also a smart tool to always keep sharpened. Because relationships get complicated and end for a number of reasons, so holding onto a checklist may shield you from meeting your soul mate. That said, there are also a number of complicated caveats to consider: Like, what if you find out that your partner cheated in a past relationship? Can you still trust them? Should you run for the hills? According to one expert who literally wrote the book on cheating, not necessarily. In When You’re the One Who Cheats, sex and relationship therapist Tammy Nelson, PhD, explores adultery from the cheater’s perspective to gain insight about what motivates the behavior and also what to do about it. (“There are no books out there for the cheaters, just the cheated on,” she says, pointing out this is a huge gap in understanding interpersonal relationships holistically.) The biggest misunderstanding about cheaters, she says, is the notion of “once a cheater, always a cheater.” “Although there may be some truth to it for some, there are a few indicators to look out for when someone
This Is The One Thing I’m Keeping In The Fridge To Lower My Use Of Plastics This Year
February 19, 2019 at 10:00PM Now I’ll never be without one. Continue Reading… Author Maridel Reyes | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Applegate Farms Announces It’s Joining The Regenerative Agriculture Movement
February 20, 2019 at 07:56AM Here’s what it means for the food industry. Continue Reading… Author Emma Loewe | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
Move over, air purifiers: These IKEA curtains aim to help you breathe easy in your home
February 20, 2019 at 07:55AM by CWC You’ve already filled your apartment with detoxifying indoor plants and high-tech products to make sure you’re breathing the cleanest air possible. But what if the only thing you needed to do was install a new set of curtains? IKEA, king of affordable, modern furniture (hi, iconic Billy bookcase!), plans to offer a low-cost way to clean up your air, too. According to Fast Company, its latest innovation is Gunrid, a set of curtains that doesn’t need filters or electricity to remove indoor pollutants. Instead, the fabric has been treated with a “mineral-based photocatalyst” that can even banish the most well-known carcinogens invading your space. “The way it works is similar to the photosynthesis in nature. When the fabric comes in contact with light, it breaks down common indoor pollutants like odors and formaldehyde,” said Mauricio Affonso, IKEA product developer, in a video about the release. “We wanted to create a simple, convenient, and affordable way to clean air that wouldn’t take up much space in people’s homes.” This is a BFD for your health. Indoor air can often be as polluted as outdoor air, and poor air quality can put you at risk of infection, lung cancer, and lung conditions like asthma, says the American Lung Association. Thus the innovative technology could help you make your home environment a healthier place to live. Also exciting: Since Affonso says this new fabric technology can be applied to any textile, other items in your home—like your couch and bedspread—could one day be cleaning
Feel like you’re drowning in the wake of a painful split? A new breakup concierge wants to throw you a life raft
February 20, 2019 at 07:43AM by CWC Going through a breakup can feel like you’re treading water in the deep end—or, let’s be real, in a riptide. And to add insult to serious emotional injury, ending things with a long-time partner often comes with a heaping side of mundane logistical BS you have to deal with. You might need to pack up drawers you’ve commandeered or find a new apartment entirely. Maybe you need to enlist extra hands to help with your dog now that your two-person team is down to just you. In a magical alternate reality, you’d have some sort of relationship fairy godmother to help you reconstruct your life. Here on this planet, a new service, Onward, aims to help you deal with the more tedious (and TBH awkward) parts of your breakup, allowing you to focus on self-care and healing. (But if you need it, Onward purports to help with those things, too.) The service, which was in beta testing until this week, is currently available in New York City (with plans to expand to Los Angeles, Denver, Washington D.C., and San Francisco within the year, a company rep tells me). And because no two splits are the same, the company offers different membership tiers (starting at $99) and personalized plans to suit your needs, whether than means packing your bags, waiting for the cable guy at your new home, or acting as a matchmaker for you and a shiny new therapist. At first blush, a breakup concierge
Cork insoles made post-workout stiff legs a thing of the past for me
February 20, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC I’ve always been jealous of people who can wear minimalist running sneakers. Not only do they look cool, they can add a myriad of benefits to your workout. And yet, because of the fun combo of high arches and super pronation that I was #blessed with, I’ve always believed that I need something with a lot more support when I head out for a run. Except maybe with the help of cork insoles, I actually don’t. When a pair of Tread and Butter Cork Insoles ($60) came across my desk, I started researching them, and as it happens these insoles are meant to help add stability to otherwise barely-there sneakers. But considering running in pared-down shoes has created calf pain for me in the past, I asked Priya Parthasarathy, DPM of the American Podiatric Medical Association for her opinion about wearing them on a run. “Cork insoles are naturally shock resistant and they provide cushioning while running. Cork is naturally breathable, they contour to your feet, they are lighter, and they absorb moisture,” she says. “As a runner you need increased shock absorption when your feet strike hard surfaces to prevent shin splints.” She also notes that cork can be a good option because they are sturdier than other insert materials, like gel or plastic, and the thickness can lift the heel and take pressure off of the achilles tendon. However, Dr. Parthasarathy explains, there are some cork-related cons worth pointing out. “Cork is thick and takes up a lot of
Ditch the detergent, soap nuts are the reusable answer to cleaner clothes
February 20, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC I’d always thought my mother taught me everything I needed to know about how to keep my living space clean—and so my cleaning supplies have always consisted of your typical surfactants that come in either wipe or spray form. Standard. And then an editor asked me to check in on soap nuts, and my whole grasp of cleaning supplies turned upside down. What the heck are soap nuts, you may be wondering? They’re actually exactly what they sound like they should be: Nuts that also help spiff things up. “Soap nuts are the husk of the fruit from the sapindus mukorossi tree that grows predominately in India,” says Marilee Nelson, co-founder of Branch Basics, a brand that makes non-toxic cleaning products. “They contain natural surfactants called saponins which lift and carry dirt away from surfaces.” AKA: They’re a versatile and natural, chemical-free alternative to your more conventional laundry detergents, household cleaners, and even skin and body-care products. Soap nuts—as seemingly under-the-radar as they are—have actually been used in Ayurvedic medicine for ages. “For centuries, soap nuts have been highly prized for their medicinal properties,” says Nelson. “Ayurvedic medicine takes advantage of their mild antibacterial and antimicrobial function to treat skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, dandruff, and hair loss. They’ve also been used for things like colds, nausea, and headaches, among many other purposes.” “For centuries, soap nuts have been highly prized for their medicinal properties.” —Marilee Nelson Devotees of the magical nuts