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Month: February 2019

2019 Health

Derms sing the praises of this $8 drugstore cleanser for clearer skin

2 min read

February 06, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Whether you’re trying to clear up acne or increase your glow (or some combination of the two), any true skin-care aficionado knows that layering on actives is the way to get the job done. From retinol to alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids, these are the ingredients in your various creams, masks, and lotions that actually work to make a difference in your skin. But if you, like me, are regularly relying on an entire shelf full of high-powered serums to help deal with your skin concerns on a given day, you know that mixing and matching can sometimes get a little intense. The solution, according to dermatologist Annie Chiu, MD? Use the right cleanser. And the “right cleanser” for actives enthusiasts, she says, is Burt’s Bee’s Sensitive Facial Cleanser—which happens to retail for only $8, and is readily available in your local drugstore aisle. Cha-ching! “Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser recently showed proven gentleness along with improved clarity even on easily irritated skin types like rosacea or eczema skin,” she says, referring to a 2018 study from the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. “I recommend using it to restore the natural skin health barrier if you are using actives like retinols or hydroxy acids that can be irritating to the skin so you may better tolerate more concentrated anti-aging or exfoliating products.” Retinols and AHAs are known to cause redness and irritation, especially for anyone with sensitive skin, so pairing it with something soothing is the

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2019 Health

How to manifest your breakup pain into personal empowerment

5 min read

February 06, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC Imagine a world in which your fresh breakup—which feels like the worst thing that has ever happened to you, your poor heart, and your body odor—is actually one of the best things. Now stop imagining, because that world is real, and it’s very much possible to see your pain as a positive. That’s not to say the process is easy. In the wake of my ended relationships, I would hang out in the finger-pointing zone, retracing every step of the downfall, looking for the source. I’d try to identify my own culpability, but I’d try harder to identify my ex’s. But to unearth the jewels hidden in your breakup pain, it’s not necessary at all to retrace the transcript of your whole story. Rather, take a look at how your life looked both before the relationship even began and right now, in the present. Ask yourself the following four questions, and emerge more powerful and empowered than ever before Manifest your breakup into power by asking yourself the following four questions. Photo: Getty Images/Caiamage Tom-Merton 1. How would you describe your current feeling about the relationship? Write it down in one or two words, then record a list of other feelings in order to flush away the near-inescapable one that’s most loudly ringing between your ears. You can do this exercise for any number of emotions, repeatedly, but start with the most powerful one that feels like it’s running the show. The loudest feeling

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2019 Health

If we really want to end HIV by 2030, the Trump administration needs to change its ways

6 min read

February 05, 2019 at 05:01PM by CWC While tonight’s 2019 State of the Union speech included lots of border-wall chat—with, of course, a few nods to the 35-day government shutdown that’s now inextricably linked with that project—President Donald Trump touched on a topic that most of us probably weren’t expecting. He made a commitment (and asked Congress to do the same) to eliminate HIV and AIDS in the United States within 10 years. “Together we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond,” he said in his address. It’s not yet clear exactly what the Trump administration’s anti-HIV strategy will be, but according to Politico, it’s likely to focus on the states where new HIV infection rates are highest. In general, rates of diagnosis are highest in the southern US (about 17 diagnoses per 100,000 people), where they’re happening at nearly double the rate of the midwest (about 8 diagnoses per 100,000 people). You may be thinking, like I initially did, that this goal is totally outside the realm of possibility. There are 1.1 million people living with HIV in the US, and the latest numbers showed that 38,500 of them became infected in 2015 alone. But there is some cause for optimism here. HIV patients now have access to advanced antiretroviral meds that can prevent them from spreading the virus to others. Since 2012, a new drug called PrEP has been used to prevent people from contracting HIV. These advances have helped reduce HIV infection rates in the US—from 2010-2015, the number

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2019 Health

Having an “addictive personality” is a myth—here’s what’s *really* behind your unstoppable TV binges

8 min read

February 05, 2019 at 01:52PM by CWC Practically everyone (except maybe nuns) knows what it’s like to do something and then almost immediately regret it. Maybe it’s finding yourself five episodes deep into the show You at 2 a.m. on a Wednesday. Maybe it was eating that third slice of cauli-crust pizza that you know will give you grandma-levels of heartburn, or drinking that second glass of wine. This I-can’t-help-myself behavior is often labeled with two loaded words: addictive personality. But according to medical and addiction authorities, the whole idea of having an “addictive personality” is a big, misunderstood fallacy. “Fundamentally, the idea of a general addictive personality is a myth when we’re talking about it in terms of addiction,” says Samantha Arsenault, the Director of National Treatment Quality Initiatives for Shatterproof, a non-profit devoted to ending the devastation addiction causes families. People of every personality type can become an addict, Arsenault says, whether you’re introverted, extroverted, shy, or something in between. “There’s no universal characteristic trait for people with addiction,” she says. So what are we really talking about when we can’t resist that next episode, slice of pizza, and on, and on, and on? You’re likely struggling with impulse control, says therapist Ruschelle Khanna, LCSW, who operates out of medical co-working space LINA. Impulse control as we’re using it here—compared to the potentially more serious impulse control disorder—is defined as “the ability to manage behaviors,” she says. Or, in board-certified psychiatrist Ellen Vora, MD’s words, “the function that allows you to

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2019 Wellbeing Relaxation

This 10-Minute Exercise Equals 44 Minutes Of Sleep, New Study Finds

2 min read

February 05, 2019 at 01:22PM New research finds that mindfulness does more for stress relief than we think Continue Reading… If trying to balance work, friends, relationships, family, and self-care sometimes makes your head spin, you’re not alone. Nowadays, the pressure to achieve is on, and while sleep should be a top priority, it can sometimes feel next to impossible to get everything done in a day and still wake up refreshed. We’re only human. A new study, however, found a way to help you feel a bit more restored without hitting snooze. By doing just 10 minutes of a mindfulness practice each day, you could get the same positive brain effects as an extra 44 minutes of sleep per night. What exactly is mindfulness practice? While often different for everyone, it can range from traditional meditation to acts purposefully devoted to clearing your head, like taking walks or deep breathing techniques. Researchers conducted two separate studies on groups of really busy people—budding entrepreneurs—to measure their sleep, stress levels, and mindfulness practices, if any. They found that the individuals who reported the least amount of exhaustion were those who were lacking in sleep but still found time to engage in a mindfulness routine. One caveat: There’s a cap to how helpful mindfulness exercises can be. If you’re already getting the sleep you need and still feeling exhausted, researchers found that these exercises didn’t really make much of a difference. They only showed real stress-reducing benefits when the entrepreneurs were a

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