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Day: April 14, 2019

2019 Health

One of the biggest astrological turning points of 2019 is happening this week

5 min read

April 14, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC If you got a jolt of energy during last week’s particularly fertile moment for making new things happen, consider this week the sequel—on steroids. Astrologer Jennifer Racioppi explains why Mercury’s movement into Aries is one of the biggest energy shifts of the entire year. Plus: what to expect from the “pink” full moon this week.  The upcoming watershed week brings a full moon in Libra (the second full moon in Libra in a row), Mercury finally exiting Pisces (Mercury traveled in Pisces for an extended period due to his retrograde cycle), and the sun’s entrance into fixed earth, Taurus. Yes! In addition to all of this, too, the week begins on Monday with Venus, the planet of love and beauty (which, like Mercury, is also preparing to exit Pisces and enter into Aries on Saturday, April 20) making a harsh angle to Jupiter, known as a square. With Venus squaring Jupiter on Monday, ask yourself this: Is your desire for growth in harmony with the values that guide your life? Jupiter just went retrograde last week, and his apparent backward spin asks you to consider if you want that thing you are working so hard to acquire. Venus’ brush up with Jupiter underscores this even more. Add to the equation that week begins with a waxing Virgo moon (Virgo is the sign of the editor) and clearly, the cosmos are asking you to edit where you are allocating your life force energy. There’s

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2019 Health Diet

4 benefits of prunes that prove they’re not just for grandparents

6 min read

April 14, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC Prunes have such a bad rap that, in 2000, plum growers got permission from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market their fruit “dried plums” instead of “prunes.” It makes sense: How appetizing can a fruit be when it conjures images of wrinkled fingers after a too-long, too-hot bath or a grandparent padding to the bathroom? But the sweet, chewy, wrinkly truth is that prunes—or dried plums, if you want—are little nutrient and fiber bombs. A serving size of five prunes clocks in at under 100 calories, can help quell appetite, and packs a punch of healthful components. “When eaten frequently, prunes contribute to the overall intake of dietary fiber and many important vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, which function as antioxidants,” Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN, says. Need more reasons to get prunes into your grocery cart? What are the health benefits of prunes? 1. Prunes help you maintain healthy digestion. Yep, we’re confirming the old wives’ tale that prunes can help get things moving. The fruit contains two things that help you go number two: fiber and sorbitol. Per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), prunes contain 3 grams of fiber. That’s almost 10 percent of the daily recommended value, 25 to 30 grams of fiber. Half of that is insoluble fiber, Bannan says, and it helps food move through the digestive tract faster to improve regularity. Let’s talk sorbitol, a sugar-based alcohol. You might recognize it as a sugar

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2019 Health Fashion

The French-girl cleanser that Sophie Turner swears by for healthy skin

3 min read

April 14, 2019 at 08:00AM by CWC Whenever I’m watching my favorite character on Game of Thrones, Sansa Stark (well, okay, second after Tyrion Lannister), I wonder two things. One: How does she manage to keep her hair such a stunning shade of red? Two: How does she get that immaculate glow? (Especially while living in Winterfell!!) Luckily for me, I got to meet Stark IRL—AKA the lovely Sophie Turner—to find out just what the Lady of Winterfell’s beauty secrets are. First of all, know that the actress was rocking a very icy blonde shade of hair rather than her character’s deep red, which was much more Daenerys Targaryen than Stark. “How on earth do you keep your hair healthy when it’s always changing colors?” was the first question that came out of my mouth. “I let it air dry then put on this Wella Invigo Brilliance Spray ($17),” she tells me. “You just spray it on and it leaves your hair really shiny and it looks like it’s just been done. I also use the Wella Reflections Hair Oil ($40) and it just makes it really silky and smooth.” (Turner admits she’s not very good at styling her own hair, which is something I relate to her on.) As for her healthy complexion? “Honestly, eating healthy is the main thing,” she says of how she keeps her skin happy despite lots of travel (and, you know, stress from wielding power over her icy kingdom). “And moisturizing every day and cleansing your

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2019 Health

Protect yourself before you wreck yourself with healing crystals that promote inner strength

5 min read

April 14, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC The world can feel pretty scary sometimes. Between toxic relationships in your life, work problems you’re forced to navigate, and tornadoes of hate brewing on the internet (and, let’s be real, in the real world, too), it’s easy to want to hide behind an invisible wall and close yourself off in the name of self-preservation. But that may be the case simply because you’re not yet aware of another strategy available to you…one that can protect you from bad vibes and help you harness positive energy. Yep, I’m talking about crystals—specifically varieties that offer protective healing properties. But first, let’s get on the same page about what “protection” means in our lives. According to Sadie Kadlec, crystal expert and intuitive healer at Maha Rose Center for Healing, the notion of protection being a barrier to keep external forces (like other people or just bad energy) from entering our sphere is severely flawed. “The true idea of protection is about finding strength, stability and support within yourself in order to be vulnerable, and trusting of the world around you so there isn’t a need to have that shield,” she says. So basically, don’t expect to use crystals as a literal protective armor that’ll keep all of life’s woes from potentially harming you. “The true idea of protection is about finding strength, stability and support within yourself in order to be vulnerable, and trusting of the world around you so there isn’t a need to

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2019 Health

Slather on these all-natural DIY face masks to amp up your springtime skin

7 min read

April 14, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC If you’ve ever considered Marie Kondo-ing your mask collection, but have been worried about getting rid of something you might need some time in the distant future, you’re in luck: You can get many of the same skin-boosting benefits from the products in your pantry as the one’s you’ve been keeping under your sink for the last five years. DIY moisturizing masks are the best way to give your skin some extra all-natural hydration without having to hoard 200 sheet masks in the bathroom cabinet, mostly because they all utilize things that any wellness-savy person likely already has on hand. And while there are undoubtedly plenty of designer moisturizing masks worth adding to your cart on the interwebs (and then keeping in your beauty cabinet “until you need them”), there’s something to be said about making one of your own. “You know exactly what’s in the product and at what proportion when you make it yourself,” says Dermatologist Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, MD, medical director of Mudgil Dermatology. “DIY products also generally have fewer ingredients than pre-made ones, which decreases the chances of irritation or allergy.” Plus, they tend to cost approximately a tenth of the price of the stuff you’d find on the shelves. Read on for some of our favorite DIY moisturizing face masks, because who needs a stocked skin-care collection when you’ve already got a stocked refrigerator? And, if you’re feeling inspired, you can donate all of your unused, unwanted masks

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