May 23, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Sunscreen is our most important skin-care product. Our parents weren’t dabbing cream onto our under eyes or mixing serums into our baby lotions, they were slathering us in sunscreen any time the sun even thought about peaking through the clouds. And while (hopefully) this skin-protective habit followed us into adulthood, it’s time to tweak our routines. Because many of us missed a spot—our scalps. Though your scalp is mostly covered with hair and quite literally never sees the light of day, you shouldn’t ignore it. From scrubs to serums, scalp care is on the rise, and sunscreen brands are joining the party. Preliminary research has found prolonged sun exposure may be tied to hair damage, and Dominic Burg, PhD, trichologist (read: scalp expert) and chief scientist at Évolis Professional, says UV damage on the scalp (which can happen with or without getting sunburn FWIW) can lead to inflammation. This may disrupt the hair cycle, AKA the pattern for hair growth and regeneration. “When the hair cycle is interrupted, the main thing that happens is the growth phase is shortened,” Dr. Burg says. “A short growth phase means less hair growing, more hair resting and more falling, and as this cycle of dysfunction progresses, hair quality decreases, and follicles eventually stop being able to regenerate a new hair, resulting in hair loss and hair thinning.” Burg adds that hair that isn’t growing optimally may also lose its natural wave or curl, may appear drier, and
Month: May 2019
Dermatologists say this is the one place everyone forgets to put sunscreen
May 23, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Sunscreen is our most important skin-care product. Our parents weren’t dabbing cream onto our under eyes or mixing serums into our baby lotions, they were slathering us in sunscreen any time the sun even thought about peaking through the clouds. And while (hopefully) this skin-protective habit followed us into adulthood, it’s time to tweak our routines. Because many of us missed a spot—our scalps. Though your scalp is mostly covered with hair and quite literally never sees the light of day, you shouldn’t ignore it. From scrubs to serums, scalp care is on the rise, and sunscreen brands are joining the party. Preliminary research has found prolonged sun exposure may be tied to hair damage, and Dominic Burg, PhD, trichologist (read: scalp expert) and chief scientist at Évolis Professional, says UV damage on the scalp (which can happen with or without getting sunburn FWIW) can lead to inflammation. This may disrupt the hair cycle, AKA the pattern for hair growth and regeneration. “When the hair cycle is interrupted, the main thing that happens is the growth phase is shortened,” Dr. Burg says. “A short growth phase means less hair growing, more hair resting and more falling, and as this cycle of dysfunction progresses, hair quality decreases, and follicles eventually stop being able to regenerate a new hair, resulting in hair loss and hair thinning.” Burg adds that hair that isn’t growing optimally may also lose its natural wave or curl, may appear drier, and
*This* is the first sign that you’re over-exfoliating your skin
May 23, 2019 at 11:48AM by CWC It’s easy to overdo a lot of things in your skin-care routine. Cleanse too often, and you can strip your skin of its natural oils. Swipe on too many layers of comedogenic skin care and you could wind up with clogged pores. And you can most definitely over-exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating ingredients are lurking everywhere. This isn’t a bad thing—exfoliating is the skin-care practice that involves getting rid of crap in your pores in order to keep them clear and acne/inflammation/redness-free—but it is a double-edged sword, though. While dermatologists and facialists always recommend that you exfoliate your face on the reg, there’s a fine line between doing it regularly and doing it too much. At the Well+Good TALKS panel last night—aptly titled “Beauty State of the Union“—Glow Recipe co-founder and co-CEO (and K-beauty queen) Christine Chang brought up this common skin sitch, noting that there’s typically one very telltale sign that you’re overdoing it. “A lot of the times, when I meet customers at Sephora or pop-ups, a lot of people have irritated skin with redness, or rosacea, or a shiny forehead, which is the telltale sign of over-exfoliation,” she said at the New York-based event. “I think that with this new boom of skin care and actives, people tend to as they experiment overdo it a little bit.” She’s right. “A shiny forehead means that your skin barrier is compromised, or rather that essential skin proteins and fats have been stripped away by
Can’t do a single push-up? Here’s how to get strong enough to drop and gimme 20
May 23, 2019 at 11:34AM by CWC This week, I successfully completed about 100 push-ups. Since that’s about 90 more than I’ve ever attempted before, need I tell you that I’m sore? Need I tell that I did a majority of them wrong? Now I’m on a mission to master push-up alternatives that will help me get to a place where I can complete at least 20 real push-ups properly. “A perfect push-up is basically the perfect plank that descends and ascends,” says Brandon Hirose, master trainer at Crunch Gym in New York City. In theory, it sounds really simple. But anyone who’s found themselves in a “drop and give me 20!” kind of situation, know it’s anything but. To get started with your journey, Hirose and Maillard Howell, owner of Crossfit Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, broke down four moves to build your strength for an on point push-up. How to build strength with 4 push-up alternatives View this post on Instagram 👉🏾Having issues building up to strict push ups? 👉🏾One technique Ive used over the years to help build upper body muscular endurance and strength that translates over to better push ups. . 👉🏾Here I am working with Adam using switches from the top of the push up to forearm plank holds. These can be done on a bench or slowed all the way down with 3,5,7 second pauses to make easier or harder. . 👉🏾Give these a try once a week in addition to building your triceps and
Can’t do a single push-up? Here’s how to get strong enough to drop and gimme 20
May 23, 2019 at 11:34AM by CWC This week, I successfully completed about 100 push-ups. Since that’s about 90 more than I’ve ever attempted before, need I tell you that I’m sore? Need I tell that I did a majority of them wrong? Now I’m on a mission to master push-up alternatives that will help me get to a place where I can complete at least 20 real push-ups properly. “A perfect push-up is basically the perfect plank that descends and ascends,” says Brandon Hirose, master trainer at Crunch Gym in New York City. In theory, it sounds really simple. But anyone who’s found themselves in a “drop and give me 20!” kind of situation, know it’s anything but. To get started with your journey, Hirose and Maillard Howell, owner of Crossfit Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, broke down four moves to build your strength for an on point push-up. How to build strength with 4 push-up alternatives View this post on Instagram 👉🏾Having issues building up to strict push ups? 👉🏾One technique Ive used over the years to help build upper body muscular endurance and strength that translates over to better push ups. . 👉🏾Here I am working with Adam using switches from the top of the push up to forearm plank holds. These can be done on a bench or slowed all the way down with 3,5,7 second pauses to make easier or harder. . 👉🏾Give these a try once a week in addition to building your triceps and
Hear me out: Your ear wax can actually tell you a lot about your body
May 23, 2019 at 11:14AM by CWC Just when I thought I’d heard it all, someone shared a foul yet compelling fact about ear canals. The consistency of a given person’s ear wax directly indicates how sweaty they are as a human being. Mind blown. I’m nervously perspiring in the light of this newfound knowledge. And now I feel extremely insecure about my wet ear wax. Jason M. Abramowitz, MD, tells me that moist wax is found in sweatier individuals. People with dry wax secrete less sweat. Why? So glad you asked. Ear wax, also known as cerumen, is a combination of sweat and secretions from the sebaceous and ceruminous glands. And the texture of yours depends on the mixture. “There’s oil glands and sweat glands in the ear, and the sweat glands in the ears tend to correlate with the sweat glands on the rest of our bodies,” says the ENT. “People who tend to sweat more are more likely to sweat in the ear, and when there’s more sweat, ear wax tends to get a little softer, a little looser, a little wetter,” says Dr. Abramowitz. Ear wax is kind of like pancake batter—add too much water and it gets runny and sticky. Sorry in advance for the visual, but ear wax is kind of like pancake batter—add too much water and it gets runny and sticky. Sadly, you have little control over the sweat in your your ears—or on rest of your body, for that matter. Dr.
Why snacking in front of the TV just feels so good, according to experts
May 23, 2019 at 10:41AM by CWC Confession: One of my favorite evening rituals is settling in on the couch and eating dinner while watching Netflix. The combination of eating and watching is so enjoyable to me that I will literally let my food go cold while I’m scrolling for something to watch. This isn’t just me—the concept of watching-while-eating is ingrained in American culture. We are a people who love to snack on popcorn at the movies. We literally invented the TV dinner. Here’s the thing though: Eating with a fork in one hand and a remote in the other goes against all healthy eating true-isms. Focus on every bite, we’re told. How does the food feel in your mouth? What are the sensations in your body? Eating mindfully is supposed to help curb overeating and keep us more satisfied, but I have to say, I’m not a fan. A few years ago, I spent every meal doing this for a week and I was so intensely bored. What gives? “For my clients who look forward to eating while watching TV in the evenings, it’s because it’s their way to relax and turn their brain off,” says nutrition therapist Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, and owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. “They get a lot of pleasure eating while watching something.” (Same!) That’s because both eating food and watching TV can offer a quick hit of dopamine, the pleasure chemical, says Sophie Mort, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and guide
Why snacking in front of the TV just feels so good, according to experts
May 23, 2019 at 10:41AM by CWC Confession: One of my favorite evening rituals is settling in on the couch and eating dinner while watching Netflix. The combination of eating and watching is so enjoyable to me that I will literally let my food go cold while I’m scrolling for something to watch. This isn’t just me—the concept of watching-while-eating is ingrained in American culture. We are a people who love to snack on popcorn at the movies. We literally invented the TV dinner. Here’s the thing though: Eating with a fork in one hand and a remote in the other goes against all healthy eating true-isms. Focus on every bite, we’re told. How does the food feel in your mouth? What are the sensations in your body? Eating mindfully is supposed to help curb overeating and keep us more satisfied, but I have to say, I’m not a fan. A few years ago, I spent every meal doing this for a week and I was so intensely bored. What gives? “For my clients who look forward to eating while watching TV in the evenings, it’s because it’s their way to relax and turn their brain off,” says nutrition therapist Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, and owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. “They get a lot of pleasure eating while watching something.” (Same!) That’s because both eating food and watching TV can offer a quick hit of dopamine, the pleasure chemical, says Sophie Mort, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and guide
Battle rope exercises are the arm equivalent of running on a treadmill
May 23, 2019 at 10:26AM by CWC If you’re getting tired of running or spinning or what have you, you might want to give battle ropes a shot. You’ll look pretty fierce whipping them around. And the best part? They’re actually low-impact, but still high-intensity, so they won’t put strain on your joints as you break a sweat. “Battle ropes can provide an excellent workout because they allow you to do some challenging moves without having to put your joints through the stress of carrying weights,” says trainer Tyler Spraul, CSCS. Apart from using ropes to keep your body free from overuse, they’re actually great to work with when you have an injury, like a lower body injury, as they target the upper body and have minimal impact on the legs and glutes. That way, you’ll still get the cardio benefits without impairing your recovery. “The muscles targeted will depend on the exercise you choose, but battle ropes tend to challenge your upper body the most—especially your shoulders. You can also target your triceps with a few variations,” he explains, adding that it’s smart to skip them if you have arm issues. Battle ropes exercises are best for cardio-conditioning and endurance work, not necessarily strength, so you’ll want to include strength training into your overall fitness regimen elsewhere. What’s more, it’s a good piece of equipment for those new to working out, as well. “The technique required for more battle ropes exercises is relatively simple, so most people can get
Battle rope exercises are the arm equivalent of running on a treadmill
May 23, 2019 at 10:26AM by CWC If you’re getting tired of running or spinning or what have you, you might want to give battle ropes a shot. You’ll look pretty fierce whipping them around. And the best part? They’re actually low-impact, but still high-intensity, so they won’t put strain on your joints as you break a sweat. “Battle ropes can provide an excellent workout because they allow you to do some challenging moves without having to put your joints through the stress of carrying weights,” says trainer Tyler Spraul, CSCS. Apart from using ropes to keep your body free from overuse, they’re actually great to work with when you have an injury, like a lower body injury, as they target the upper body and have minimal impact on the legs and glutes. That way, you’ll still get the cardio benefits without impairing your recovery. “The muscles targeted will depend on the exercise you choose, but battle ropes tend to challenge your upper body the most—especially your shoulders. You can also target your triceps with a few variations,” he explains, adding that it’s smart to skip them if you have arm issues. Battle ropes exercises are best for cardio-conditioning and endurance work, not necessarily strength, so you’ll want to include strength training into your overall fitness regimen elsewhere. What’s more, it’s a good piece of equipment for those new to working out, as well. “The technique required for more battle ropes exercises is relatively simple, so most people can get