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Month: August 2019

You and your body

If you have chronic lower back pain, acupressure could provide some relief—here’s how

5 min read

August 23, 2019 at 08:51PM by CWC No shade to Western medicine, but the Chinese variety is by far my fave. My acupuncturist saved my life (hyperbole alert!) during an excessively painful egg freezing cycle, and I now rely on her for everything from herbal medicine to relationship advice (only some of which she’s actually credentialed to provide, but meh). Today, my superfan status has been justified with the discovery of a new study published in the journal Pain Medicine, which found that the Chinese medicine technique of acupressure can be used to effectively alleviate lower back pain. This is great news, as anyone who’s ever had lower back pain (read: literally anyone who is out of their 20s) knows how difficult it can be to function through the agony. For the uninitiated, Los Angeles-based acupuncturist Jeiran Lashai, L.Ac., explains that acupressure is “the act of placing your hands on acupuncture points and applying varying levels of pressure.” This can be done by a practitioner or at home via self-massage. “If you read the traditional texts in Chinese medicine, the points are used to unblock and balance energy pathways in the body, but we really can break this down to how the body’s nerves, lymph, muscle, and connective tissue can be accessed to release and regulate hormones—for example, the body’s own painkillers such as endorphins,” Lashai explains. ad_intervals[‘417911_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417911_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Photo: Oleg Ivanov on Unsplash In the study, participants were

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Fashion Yoga You and your body

12 pairs of cute running shorts to work out in now, because it’s *way* too hot for leggings

3 min read

August 24, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Sure, leggings may seem like the perfect seasonless wardrobe staple, but try walking home in them after a sweaty bootcamp when the temperature is over 80 degrees. Not so comfy anymore, are they? In times like these—or as I like to call it, summer—it’s running shorts to the rescue. They may not be as buzzy as bike shorts are right now, but hear me out: They’re loose enough to let in a cooling breeze, they’re usually made from material that doesn’t retain sweat and heat, and this season, at least, they’re showing up in all kinds of elevated iterations. Metallic fabrics, neon colorblocking, floral and camo prints—as you can see from the options below, there are tons of ways to upgrade from the pair you stashed in your high-school gym locker. Running shorts don’t just work for workouts, either. I can picture myself styling a black (or leopard-print) pair with a silk camisole and strappy heels for a summer night out, or tossing them over bike shorts and adding some kind of t-shirt and Tevas. Or you could follow designer Virgil Abloh’s lead and stick highlighter-yellow running shorts under a sheer maxi-dress. (This is not for the sartorially shy, but definitely a fresher option than the sheer-dress-over-granny-panties look, IMO.) Oh, and most pairs cost well under $100—if not under $50—which is a pretty good deal on something you can wear absolutely everywhere. ad_intervals[‘404925_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘404925_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100);

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Vegetarians You and your body

7 healthy foods that can help you combat stress, according to experts

5 min read

August 23, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Breathing exercises, essential oils, and even spending ten minutes petting a furry friend can all help lessen the physiological effects of stress. Something else that can work in your favor: snacking—if you choose the right type of foods. According to food mindfulness expert Geneen Roth, when someone is stressed, they tend to gravitate toward sugary, carb-loaded snacks because, simply put, they’re more pleasurable than noshing on veggies, and when you’re stressed, you want something comforting. Traditional comfort foods (oh hey, mac and cheese) aren’t necessarily bad, but registered dietitian Brynn McDowell, RD says there are lots of other healthy options that still hit that pleasure point—while providing additional benefits to your body to combat the effects of stress. Rounded up here are seven science-backed foods that reduce stress: ad_intervals[‘417902_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417902_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); 1. Avocado Why it’s good for stress: What can’t avocado do, honestly? Avocado is high in fiber, which can help control blood sugar—preventing the spikes and crashes that can affect one’s mood and anxiety—and is rich in brain-supporting nutrients. “The avocado is rich in B vitamins which play a role in nerve and brain cell functioning,” McDowell says. How to eat it: Avocado toast, of course. “This trendy food deserves all its popularity in my opinion, especially as a good option to grab when you are stressed,” McDowell says.  “The whole grain bread will help stabilize blood sugar levels and the fiber [in the

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City You and your body

Throw your hands way, way up for an instant cardio boost while you’re strength training

2 min read

August 23, 2019 at 09:52PM by CWC Cardio and strength training are often placed in two separate boxes. (Even at the gym, the free weights tend to be approximately 1,000 leagues away from the treads, spin bikes, and ellipticals.) However, the two fitness modalities don’t have to be two separate entities in your #sweatlife. The trainers at New York City’s tough-as-nails fitness studio [solidcore] shared one small (but mighty) tweak that will give any strength training move a cardio edge. No machine required. During a class on Friday morning, [solidcore] trainer Maria Makaila told one of Well+Good’s fitness editors that simply raising your hands over your head is a near instant way to send your heart racing in the best way. And um, wow—what a game-changer. “Raising your hands above your head causes your heart to work harder to move blood up,” explains Jo Gomez, ACSM, [solidcore]’s director of training. “This will cause a slight increase in your heart rate.” At the same time, she explains that elevating your hands challenges your balance and forces you to engage your core to stay stable. So really, it’s a win, win, win. ad_intervals[‘418059_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418059_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Obviously, this hack won’t work when you’re performing something like a plank or a pull-up. (Although, if you can perform these moves without your hands…please share your secrets.) Instead, try raising both your hands for moves like lunges. Gomez tells me that her personal favorite time to

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