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Day: May 22, 2019

2019 Health

The biggest mistake people make when buying headphones, according to an audiologist

3 min read

May 22, 2019 at 01:05PM by CWC As far as I’m concerned, the beats of Cardi B should only be listed to at maximum volume. Audiologists, however, strongly disagree. Today, in a half-hearted attempt to safeguard my hearing (stop nagging me, mom!), I asked two ear experts who makes the best headphones and earbuds. Apparently, the noise-cancellation ability of a given headset matters way more than the make and model. “The whole point is to be able to hear your music without having to turn the volume up just to overcome the noise around you, or the noise on the street, let’s say,” explains Andrew Resnick, AuD, an audiologist in New York City. “It’s not so much a matter of whether they’re over-the-ear or in-ear. It’s how good a job they do at keeping out external sound.” In general, headphones that cover your ears, such as Bose QuietComfort ($349), create a better buffer against ambient noise with their soft, pillowy cushioning. But some in-ear models are now designed with noise cancellation as well; check out Power Beats Pro ($250) and the Plantronics BackBeat Go ($108). So the next time you’re on the market for a new device that will help you rock out, go somewhere—like Best Buy—that allows you to try them out. If you can still hear the hustle and bustle of the store around you, then sorry, those probably aren’t the best headphones. Once you purchase a pair and create a fresh playlist to test them out with,

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2019 Health

The biggest mistake people make when buying headphones, according to an audiologist

3 min read

May 22, 2019 at 01:05PM by CWC As far as I’m concerned, the beats of Cardi B should only be listed to at maximum volume. Audiologists, however, strongly disagree. Today, in a half-hearted attempt to safeguard my hearing (stop nagging me, mom!), I asked two ear experts who makes the best headphones and earbuds. Apparently, the noise-cancellation ability of a given headset matters way more than the make and model. “The whole point is to be able to hear your music without having to turn the volume up just to overcome the noise around you, or the noise on the street, let’s say,” explains Andrew Resnick, AuD, an audiologist in New York City. “It’s not so much a matter of whether they’re over-the-ear or in-ear. It’s how good a job they do at keeping out external sound.” In general, headphones that cover your ears, such as Bose QuietComfort ($349), create a better buffer against ambient noise with their soft, pillowy cushioning. But some in-ear models are now designed with noise cancellation as well; check out Power Beats Pro ($250) and the Plantronics BackBeat Go ($108). So the next time you’re on the market for a new device that will help you rock out, go somewhere—like Best Buy—that allows you to try them out. If you can still hear the hustle and bustle of the store around you, then sorry, those probably aren’t the best headphones. Once you purchase a pair and create a fresh playlist to test them out with,

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2019 Health Fashion

The breathing technique to steal from the ultra-buzzy Wim Hof Method

3 min read

May 22, 2019 at 12:07PM by CWC Meet Wim Hof, a remarkable figure in the world of wellness. He ran half a marathon in the Artic Circle—without shoes—and currently holds 20 Guinness World Records. Hof earned the apt nickname “Ice Man” for his many (and epic) cold weather adventures. He’s lived a life of extremes, but his method for living a healthier life (known as—go figure—the Wim Hof Method) has at least one offering accessible to everyone. “The Wim Hof method is very simple. It consists of three parts,” says Danielle McCallum, a certified Wim Hof Method instructor and creator of The Five, a two hour class infused with the Ice Man’s teachings. The Wim Hof Method requires a commitment to the task of “mastering your body and mind,” a series of breath work, and a two to three minute ice bath. The polar bear plunge portions of the Wim Hof Method is all about overcoming the perceived limits of your mind and body. “It’s about learning to become comfortable in the uncomfortable,” explains McCallum, who practices each aspect of the technique at least once a week. “The method carries over to the day to day. I’ve noticed in situations or conversations that would make me nervous or stress me out before, I feel much more grounded. I feel much more calm. I attribute all of that to the inner-strength that I’ve found from getting into the ice.”  Like cryotherapy, a chilled-out soak is believed to boost the immune system,

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2019 Health City

These are the absolute worst ways to sit at your desk, according to a physical therapist

4 min read

May 22, 2019 at 11:40AM by CWC Spending hours upon hours a week parked on your butt in front of your desk falls into the same category as binging on an entire carton of ice cream in one sitting or staying up past 3 a.m. on a work night to catch up on The Bachelor: It’s just not all that good for you. And as I write this, I have the sitting-induced hip and leg pain to prove it. But according to pros, there are certain ways you can sit at your desk that are marginally less bad for your than others. Since most people likely don’t have the option of trading in their usual workspace seating for, say, the beachfront lounge chairs I’ve been petitioning for, it’s worth taking their cues for the sake of your own unhappy joints and muscles. “I think the worst three things you can do would be sitting too low, sitting in a chair that’s too soft—which can create compression on the hips and cause groin pain, hip pain, and labral tears—and not having your feet on the floor,” says Dr. Emily Kiberd, a chiropractor and founder of the Urban Wellness Clinic. So first things first: un-cross those legs. “We like to analyze sitting positions from the ground up, and can’t emphasize enough the importance of making sure that feet are supported on the floor,” says Dariusz Stankiewicz, physical therapist and co-founder of New York City’s Body Evolved. His tips: If you can’t quite

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2019 Health Fashion Yoga

*This* is the part of your body where flexibility counts the most

6 min read

May 22, 2019 at 11:33AM by CWC A trainer recently told me mid-workout that the flexibility of your big toe is really important. I basically said WTF (with my face), and proceeded to get on with the workout. But then I brought it up amongst other fitness and physical therapist pros, who all confirmed the truth: Big toe flexibility is a legit necessity. My mind immediately bounced back to that scene in Kill Bill when Uma Thurman’s character has to get her body capable of moving again. Her first tactic? Wiggling her big toe. It was the beginning of Thurman’s mobility in the movie, and it’s often the beginning of every human’s mobility in life. Your big toe is a fundamental player in movement, and it’s own proper functioning impacts the rest of your body. “Your foot is super complicated, and big toe flexibility is really important in terms of the rest of your body,” says Stephen Pasterino, founder of P.Volve in New York City. “It’s the first point of contact with the ground, and there’s a chain reaction. So the rest of the body reacts to what’s happening with the foot—which starts at the ball of your foot with the big toes, and transfers to the midtarsal joint and then the ankle, up to the knee, to the hip, lower back, the spine, and up to the shoulders. It’s amazing how important and yet under-addressed big toe flexibility is.” The importance of big toe flexibility Flexibility-wise, your big toe should

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