March 13, 2019 at 09:49AM by CWC The nature of happiness is a subject great minds have been noodling over for centuries. Intellectual luminaries, like Plato, Edith Wharton, and Pharrell Williams, have each dedicated some brain power to cultivating the secret spice of life we all so desire. We still don’t have a cut-and-dry equation for metamorphosing into Suzie Sunshine at will, but with a free online class entitled “The Science of Happiness,” the University of California, Berkeley, grants access to students seeking humanity’s most-coveted emotion. In a eight-week program, instructed by two of the Berkeley’s leading positive psychology experts, students learn: 1. What happiness is (insert existential crisis here). 2. How to cultivate the feeling in both yourself and others. 3. The ingredients for living a fulfilling life. 4. The mental habits of utterly gleeful people. “We all want to be happy, and there are countless ideas about what happiness is and how we can get some,” write the instructors in the course description. “But not many of those ideas are based on science. That’s where this course comes in.” Upon signing up to audit Berkeley’s class (you also have the option of receiving an official certificate for $49), you’ll immediately be given access to lesson plans titled things like “Can Money Buy Happiness?” and “The Science of Forgiveness.” Videos, exams, and (gah!) homework lend to the academic rigor and feeling of an IRL course. For skeptics out there, the course is backed by scientific evidence. A weekly survey sent to more than
Month: March 2019
Why right now is the best time to work through your petty grudges
March 13, 2019 at 08:56AM by CWC My dad is a big fan of celebrations. He says if people aren’t gathering for a wedding, a graduation, or a birthday, it’s a funeral. “At funerals, people cry and say ‘we should get together,’” he says. “And then the next time they see each other is at another one of these things.” I didn’t understand this fully until I recently lost an estranged friend to suicide, an experience that left me with mountains of grief and pain resulting from never having let go of certain stupid grudges. Our relationship was complicated, but the lies about ex-boyfriends, a college-era love triangle, and fights about “accidentally” stolen shirts all felt so minuscule and stupid once she passed. Until I was tasked with navigating this situation of not even being able to forgive someone, I had lived by the millennial credo of “cut out all toxic people”—and that’s how she felt to me in the context of my reality. But had I known that reality were about to shift? I don’t know. And I still don’t know what I’m supposed to do with these feelings. Thankfully, Virginia A. Simpson, PhD, a California-based bereavement-care specialist with over 30 years experience in the field of death, is more knowledgable than I am. With her insight, I began my healing process of decrypting my grief, learning how to reach out when it’s hard, and understanding why right now is the best time to let go of petty grudges. Why grief
Let’s mix things up with this high-protein alternative to avocado toast
March 13, 2019 at 08:30AM by CWC I’m going to say something pretty controversial: I’m not a huge fan of avocado toast. I love the idea, but every time I eat toast with smashed avocado I can’t help but wish it was smothered instead with peanut butter and honey. But maybe that’s just because I’ve been choosing the wrong green topping. Lauren Kirchmaier, the plant-based blogger behind Flora & Vino, recently shared a recipe for pea toast that’s dropping jaws. Peas masquerading as avocado?! I’m into it. “If you’re a little tired of hummus and nut butter and avocado, this spontaneous spread is just what you need to mix it up,” she writes on Instagram. And a super healthy one at that. While avocados bring on the healthy fats, one cup of green peas contains 8 grams of protein as well as 7 grams of fiber and plenty of vitamin C. View this post on Instagram Green is the name of the game this week, starting with this LEMON-Y SMASHED PEA TOAST that’s one of my favorites for spring. Peas on toast?! Yes, peas. If you’re a little tired of hummus and nut butter and avocado, this spontaneous spread is just what you need to mix it up. This pea smash is similar to hummus in its recipe with a tangy fresh lemon & herb kick! If you’re not into toast, try it on your favorite crackers, veggies, or veggie chips instead! – Here’s what you need: frozen green peas runny
Learn to unwind like Simone Biles (because you totally deserve a gold medal for crushing that workout)
March 13, 2019 at 08:14AM by CWC Clear your calendar. The summer Olympics will be here before you know it. In the meantime, between press junkets and rigorous workouts, athletes ramping up for an opportunity to win Olympic gold are also considering the importance of cooling down. A prime example of elite athleticism, gymnast Simone Biles, who turns 21 on March 14, is focused on thoughtful recovery as she prepares for Tokyo 2020. I caught up with Biles in Paris at the unveiling of the Women’s World Cup national team soccer kits. The new uniforms will dot the field when the tournament returns this summer. As a gymnast, Biles is united with the athletes of all types on the heels of a landmark women-driven Nike Just Do It campaign. (Seriously, you need to watch it because it will give you all the feels). “It was very empowering to see all the ladies out there taking such strong strides and having confidence—even when we’re speaking out—knowing that we can do anything that the male athletes can do and more,” Biles tells me. Biles’ efforts to change the sport of gymnastics are equally remarkable. She earned four gold medals and a single bronze at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janiero. She’s since proved unstoppable, performing never-been-done-before vaults and can’t-believe-your-eyes tumbling routines. Her workouts are no joke and neither is her recovery routine. “I love doing massages because it’s also relaxing and usually I fall asleep,” says Biles. And while a massage might
The Best New Healthy Foods Hitting Grocery Shelves This Year
March 13, 2019 at 07:34AM Cookies and cream yogurt, oat milk ice cream, healthy hard shell tacos, and more! Continue Reading… Author Liz Moody | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
5 homemade chai tea recipes for an immunity-boosting, gut-friendly treat
March 13, 2019 at 06:14AM by CWC When it comes to a tea full of flavor and spice, chai is the tried-and-true go-to. Traditional to India, chai tea is a black tea brewed with a mixture of spices—most commonly cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorn, and ginger. Black tea on its own is good for your gut, metabolism, and hormones, but including these other spices ups the health factor even more. Ginger, for example, is also good for digestion, and cardamom has some anti-inflammatory properties. Another perk of chai tea is that the recipe is adaptable, depending on your preferences. Craving something creamy? Make it with almond milk instead of water. Too hot out for a steaming cup? You can still reap all the benefits while having it iced. The options are endless—making homemade chai tea the way to go if you’re looking for a new go-to drink. Check out these five delicious ways to make homemade chai tea. Photo: Gimme Some Oven 1. Classic homemade chai tea If you’re looking for a homemade chai tea recipe that will cover all your bases, Gimme Some Oven blogger Ali Ehbright has you covered. Her recipe works whether you’re having your chai tea iced, hot, or want it in concentrate form so you can work it into other recipes. (Chai “nice cream” anyone?) Besides the usual spice suspects like cardamom, black peppercorn, cloves, and ginger, she also adds vanilla bean, nutmeg, and allspice. Photo: My New Roots 2. Masala chai tea My New
This plant-based chocolate cookie dough is so good you can eat it right off the spoon
March 13, 2019 at 05:39AM by CWC In my kitchen, a fresh batch of cookie dough rarely makes it into the oven unscathed. All it takes is a nibble and I’m totally hooked, often polishing off a sizable chunk of would-be baked goods in their truest form—totally raw. Unfortunately, as you know, it’s not safe to eat most raw cookie doughs. And if you’re constantly pushing your luck, just waiting for foodborne illness to strike, we’ve got a raw cookie dough recipe that’s meant to be devoured with a spoon. Food blogger Jordan Younger‘s dreamy cookie dough recipe is totally vegan and sos-free (no salt, oil, or sugar!). The best part is that you can safely eat it right off the spoon. Or, you know, bake it if that’s your thing. “This cookie dough is unreal. If you leave it in the fridge for about an hour before you eat it, it firms up and tastes even more like the O.G. cookie dough we all grew up eating,” says the writer behind The Balanced Blonde. “It’s actually so healthy you can eat it for breakfast.” Want to try Younger’s recipe for yourself? Here’s how to create the wholesome treat in minutes. Breakfast Cookie Dough Ingredients: 1 cup chickpeas 1/2 cup tahini 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup pitted dates 1/4 cup water to blend 1/4 cup carob powder 2 Tbsp chopped sugar-free dark chocolate Preparation: 1. Blend all ingredients except for the dark chocolate, then fold in the chocolate at the end. 2. Add more
I Don’t Travel Anywhere Without My Dog — Here’s How We Make It Work
March 12, 2019 at 10:00PM These few tricks keep us both happy and healthy in between the miles! Continue Reading… Author Sam Talbot | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
I washed my hair with CBD shampoo and conditioner and it’s never been softer
March 13, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC I have curly, color-treated hair, which means that finding products that properly nourish my strands is usually a struggle. I’ve tried countless combinations of oils, serums, and sprays to mixed results, and can never quite get my hair to look as healthy and hydrated as I’d like. After replacing pretty much every other aspect of my beauty and wellness routines with CBD products over the last few months (seriously—is there anything this stuff can’t do?), it was only a matter of time before CBD made its way into my hair-care rotation. While I’m intimately familiar with the way CBD works with skin (its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can help with everything from acne and rosacea to muscle soreness, which is why it’s become so overwhelmingly popular as of late), I wasn’t totally sure how these properties would translate to hair care. “CBD integrates naturally with the body’s endocannabinoid system which helps to regulate dry hair and scalp conditions, among other functions,” explains Jennifer Negron, a Florida-based stylist and international educator who works with EMERA, a new brand that offers CBD hair-care products. According to her, CBD contains all 21 known amino acids, and is rich in vitamins including A, B, C, D, E, magnesium, potassium, and essential fatty acids like omegas 3, 6, and 9. “These powerful nutrients improve moisture retention, help form collagen, which nourishes and strengthens scalp tissue, and improves hair elasticity and strength, and allows hair follicles to expand faster, encouraging healthy
3 Easy And Affordable Paleo Breakfasts To Start Your Day Off Right
March 13, 2019 at 04:58AM These Instant Pot recipes are nutritious and quick to make! Continue Reading… Author Caroline Muggia | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue