April 10, 2019 at 05:42PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsQt8aevoZw] The most frequently used appliance in my kitchen is not the stove or the microwave. It’s the coffee maker. I can’t imagine a morning without a cup of joe. (I can, but the thought is so horrible I try not to dwell on it for too long.) Coffee, it seems, is the only substance that grants me the ability to function at full capacity. However, like all things that are delicious and that I imbibe regularly, I’ve started to have doubts and fears about the health effects of my coffee consumption. It seems like my entire Instagram feed is filled with snaps of matcha lattes and people waxing poetic about how they feel so much better after quitting coffee. Is there now something wrong with my morning habit? Thankfully, registered dietician Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, MS, RD, is here to spill the tea—or rather, java—on the benefits of coffee for the latest episode of You Versus Food. And for all those taken by the allure of coffee, I promise you that she has some pretty great news. What are the benefits of coffee? Coffee is actually pretty good for you, Beckerman told me (as I let out a massive sigh of relief). “Coffee, when consumed in moderation with minimal amounts of sugars and creamers, can be a healthy addition to an otherwise healthy and balanced diet.” And each cup includes an impressive array of health benefits: 1. It gives your brain a
Month: April 2019
Trainers explain when to actually use those weights machines in the gym
April 10, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC When I’m wandering around in the gym post-cardio, trying to figure out how I’m going to go about strength training, I tend to alternate between hitting up the weights machines and working with the free weights. I’m going to tell you the honest truth: I choose between them based on my mood (or TBH whichever area of the gym is the emptiest at the time). A lot of people I know actually shy away from the weights machines though, because they can be intimidating and not intuitive to use. Every time I sit down on one, I personally have to check out the illustrated instructions to find out what position I should be in and how it functions. Hence why I decided to ask trainers how to properly navigate these machines, and when to actually choose them over dumbbells based on your fitness goals. The main difference? “The machines typically take your body through the range of motion—from the starting point through to the end point, a machine will take you through the same line of motion with each and every repetition,” says Phil Timmons, program manager at Blink Fitness. But there’s a lot more that differs between those machines and your regular dumbbells. When to use weights machines First of all, know that while the two weight-lifting options do essentially the same thing, there are actually noticeable differences when it comes to how your body maneuvers. “While strength training with machines and
Can you be stressed without knowing it?
April 10, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Find me a person who isn’t stressed and I will also point to the pigs flying by the window because that just feels completely impossible. Case in point? In a 2018 survey of Well+Good readers, 95 percent reported feeling stressed. Work and finances topped the list of stressors, while many other people said that their interpersonal relationships were a major source of stress and anxiety. But what about the times when nothing is ostensibly wrong, and you still find yourself lying awake at night or trying to shake off a nagging feeling that something is off? Is it possible that your body could be stressed, even if you don’t feel stressed out? When fight-or-flight goes haywire If you’re asking yourself, “Am I stressed?” despite not having anything concrete to be stressed about, blame that super fun feeling on evolution. When your brain sees something it perceives to be a threat, your amygdala —the part of the brain associated with emotions—takes over, “cutting off communication to the frontal part of your cortex, which is where the rational coping thoughts would be,” says David Austern, PsyD., clinical assistant professor at New York University’s department of psychiatry. The result is that fight-or-flight response: a racing heart, sweaty palms, dizziness, that feeling that your stomach just dropped to the ground. These are all your body’s signs to stop thinking and start running. A thousand years ago, this was a helpful reflex; nowadays, not as much. Unfortunately, our brains
Looks like a stronger savings account is the silver—er, green—lining to being a bit insecure
April 10, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Remember how in The Hobbit, Smaug the dragon lived atop his riches, which act as a protective armor of sorts? I now wonder if that might’ve been a low self-esteem thing, because new research points to insecurity being a low-key money-saving strategy. Sure, in Smaug’s case it didn’t work out well (spoiler!), but the revelation can be at least slightly comforting for those of us who are lacking in the self-confidence area. Recently published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the study of 2,410 United States and Israeli citizens and survey of 1,200 people in the Netherlands conveyed ties between saving money and a threats to self-image. Across the board, results showed that those who feel great threats to self-image had a higher tendency to save money. BTW, “threats to self-image” translates here to “things that challenge your self-esteem or your otherwise-positive self-perception.” Basically if you’re insecure about something, like how you interpret the quality of your own social life, for instance, being financially secure can help to ease your anxieties. “Friends may substitute for money as a psychological resource and buffer individuals from anxiety about the future.” —lead author Yael Steinhart, PhD One experiment had participants describe a positive or negative event, then count the people they would call and interact with in a given week and quantify whether they felt this to be few or many friends. Then they imagined receiving $500 and how much they would put in
Making This Swap In Your Diet Can Lower Your Risk Of Heart Disease
April 10, 2019 at 03:02PM Reason #485 to go plant-based. Continue Reading… Author Ray Bass | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
This Popular Workout Increases Risk Of Knee & Ankle Injuries, Finds Study
April 10, 2019 at 01:47PM Switching up the intensity of your workouts is key. Continue Reading… Author Stephanie Eckelkamp | Life by Daily Burn Selected by iversue
This ACV-spiked drink keeps a Peloton master trainer energized all day
April 10, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC As someone who works out regularly, I try my best to be a good healthy person and hydrate properly. So I’m constantly lugging my trusty water bottle around and refilling it (and consequentially, peeing) like it’s my job. But I’m also a human—which means that I sometimes get sick of plain ol’ water. I keep things like berry-flavored collagen tablets, flavored electrolyte powder, and adaptogen drops on my desk to spike my H2O so that it’s more entertaining for my taste buds. And then I stumbled upon the ultimate wellness elixir to step up my water game, all courtesy of a superstar fitness trainer. No surprises here, but it contains the inflammation-busting goddess ingredient that is apple cider vinegar. Robin Arzon, vice president and head instructor at Peloton, recently posted on her Instagram story her (formerly) secret recipe for staying hydrated and energized during long days of teaching classes. It involves water, lemon, sea salt, and ACV. “This helps hydrate you, restore your pH balance, and boosts energy,” she raves in her post. Her pro tip: “Make sure to use enough water to dilute the lemon and ACV because it can erode tooth enamel if not.” Nutritionist and NOW spokesperson Dawn Jackson Blatner is a fan of the recipe, noting that it would make a good pre-workout drink. “Water is a great hydrator, salt is an electrolyte, which is something we lose in sweat, lemon is refreshing and has vitamin C, and apple
Score your spring beauty essentials with Ulta’s blowout sale
April 10, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Spring. Is. Here. The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and I am finally wearing an outfit that doesn’t involve boots, a sweater, or a parka. Forget the December holidays, IMHO this is the most wonderful time of the year, and Ulta is hosting a massive beauty sale to help us all celebrate. Woot woot! From April 7 through 20th, the beauty retailer is offering deals on dozens of different products to help us all transition our skin-care, hair care and makeup routines into the new season. A few things we should all consider doing now that temperatures are starting to climb: Swap your cream moisturizer for a gel-textured one to help with excess skin greasiness; opt for a waterproof mascara that can stand up to allergy-induced tears; and slick your strands with something nourishing now that air-drying is officially an option. Thankfully, Ulta’s offerings will help make all of this possible—at some seriously discounted prices. And the best part? A lot of the products are things that the beauty editors here at Well+Good happen to swear by. A few examples: L’Oreal Waterproof Lash Paradise Mascara ($7), which I wear every day and have yet to see clump or smudge; Soap and Glory Body Scrub ($8), which comes in loads of different scents and will help slough off the dead skin you’ve been hiding under your layers all winter; and every single thing from Sun Bum Haircare, which will make you feel like you’re on summer
The essential oils to turn to when you get a toothache
April 10, 2019 at 11:00AM by CWC Reporting live with your daily dose of essential oils news: While we know that essential oils for PMS symptoms are a thing, as are EOs for itching, and headaches, some people are tapping the powers of essential oils to alleviate nagging toothaches. When you’re dealing with a toothache, you know it. You feel that deep-seeded pain around a tooth that makes it hard to focus on anything else in your life. Now, it’s important to note that if you’re experiencing any symptoms like these, you should check in with your dentist, because essential oils aren’t a longterm solve. However, some people believe that they could provide moderate relief for some types of toothaches. “Essential oils can be an all-natural and effective alternative to various oral concerns and to support overall oral health,” says Damian Rodriguez, DHSc, MS, health and exercise scientist for doTerra essential oils. Of course, it’s important to remember to be careful when using these powerful plant extracts. “There are always risks of an adverse reaction when applying any substance topically, especially inside the mouth,” he says. “To minimize risk, always follow recommended guidelines, including minimizing total usage—two to three drops directly on the affected area—and diluting when necessary.” If you’re ready to give the oils a go, though, keep scrolling for the essential oils for toothache pain to try out. Clove: Clove is a fragrant spice, but as an essential oil, it has some benefits for those pearly whites. “Clove essential
I’m about to tell you strength training’s best-kept secret for spicing things up at the gym
April 10, 2019 at 10:45AM by CWC While spicing things up in the bedroom is a (kind of cringe-worthy) turn of phrase you might hear every so often, people rarely talk about spicing things up at the gym. When your business as usual circuit of burpees, bird-dogs, and deadlifts becomes as tired as your weeknight dinner, a spark of sweaty creativity is all you need to save yourself from exercise fatigue. Friends, allow me to introduce you to progressive overload. Increasing weight isn’t the sole way to get swole with your workouts. Instead, you can continue to exercise your musculoskeletal system with near-infinite means of resistance. “I’m a fan of progressive overload, which goes beyond just, ‘Hey, let me add weight.’ It can take the form of shortening the rest [between sets], adding more volume, or adding more reps,” says Maillard Howell, owner of Crossfit Prospect Heights in Brooklyn. He calls making these subtle tweaks “changing the stimulus” of your exercise regimens, and once you get the knack for it, you’ll be game-ifying the weight room like it’s your job. First thing’s first: Make sure you lay a solid foundation. “Stick with one version for at least three to four weeks then start changing the stimulus,” says Howell. “Start with sets of 10 and then when that gets easy, start throwing in more and more changes.” Then, as the age-old sweat gains mantra goes, make sure you’re confusing your body whenever you get a chance. 3 ways to use progressive overload