September 21, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC A funny thing happens in fitness: Sometimes body parts other than the ones we’re trying to target sneak into our exercises, kind of like siblings vying for attention. For example, my quads try to do most of the work when I’m attempting to sculpt my glutes. It’s really all about muscle overcompensation, and it’s annoying. Another common case of this muscle rivalry action is your hip flexors taking over during an ab workout. “I find this is all too common, especially with crunch-style exercises,” says Erica Ziel, fitness trainer and core expert. “Going too fast adds onto the hip flexor burden. I’d say more people overuse their hip flexors than not.” Why your hip flexors, of all muscles? Well, they’re already one of the tightest parts of plenty of people’s bodies, mainly because of sitting all day. “Starting your core workouts with already tight hip flexors can make it even more challenging to keep them quiet during those exercises,” says Ziel. “When your hip flexors are already tight, and you do lots of core exercises that have you feeling your hip flexors even more, you’re just causing them to become even tighter.” The problem with this compensation is that it can lead to things like poor posture, neck and lower back pain, poor core function, and possibly even be the source of other pain in your body. “People are not being taught how to correctly connect with their core. When doing abdominal exercises
Day: September 20, 2019
Can a -210 degree cryotherapy sesh really help muscle soreness? I tried it to find out
September 20, 2019 at 10:05PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz_ptpHKA2A] Is cryotherapy weird or worth it? Watch the video to find out. Nary a day passes on my Instagram feed without an influencer or celebrity singing the praises the of cryotherapy. The buzzy wellness practice involves stepping inside a cryotank (which really, really looks like a rocket) and being blasted with dry nitrogen mist ranging from a brisk -166 degrees to a downright frigid -220 degrees Fahrenheit. But is it weird or worth it? Well+Good video producer Ella Dove sets out to answer that question on the most recent episode of Well+Good’s YouTube series What the Wellness. If you’re sitting there thinking that you wouldn’t try such a thing unless hell (literally) froze over, then you need to hear the benefits. Josh Kantor, DC, founder of Chill Space in New York City, tells Dove that the tanks cause your body to undergo a cold stress response that has been found to to reduce inflammation and pain, while increasing the output of feel-good endorphins. “Cryotherapy is the modern day solution to the ice bath,” says Dr. Kantor. “Athletes use it to do double training sessions in a day.” Oh, and all this happens in just three minutes. Throughout the course of one session, Dr. Kantor says your skin temperature can drop about 30 degrees. Meanwhile, the inside of your body remains the same temperature. By then end, Dove’s legs dropped down to 53 degrees (53 degrees!!!) Fahrenheit. But did she like it? Watch
Target the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of back pain with these 3 stretches
September 20, 2019 at 09:57PM by CWC In case you thought you were alone, a whopping 31 million Americans experience a painful lower back. It’s a turbulent spot for a great deal of the population, which is why Lara Heimann, physical therapist, yogi, and founder of Movement by Lara, has come to classify the most achey parts of your lumbar region “The Bermuda Triangle” of back pain. According to Hymann, taking the time to properly care for this area can usher away a great deal of the pain lingering at the base of your spine. “I call it the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ because it’s the area of disaster that as a triad creates compression tension on the low back,” she says. “Over time, it can lead to degeneration at the disc and at the joint level. In the short term, it can lead to discomfort and muscle tightness.” To locate the territory on your back, trace a line from just below your pubic bone, up to your outer hip, and around your sacrum. Do the same thing on the other side, picture the lines you’ve traced in 3-D, and there you have it—one of the most shipwrecked zones of your body. When I ask Heimann what movement patterns that spark Bermuda back pain, she tells me (shocker) that we can blame it on our all-day, everyday desk job stance. “Sitting is a huge culprit because it will create tightness around the hips that will make your body have to compensate somewhere
Well+Good TALKS: How To Have a Healthy Relationship with Money
September 20, 2019 at 09:25PM by CWC According to a recent study, women would rather talk about their sex lives and bikini waxes than their finances. Not tonight. We’ll take the shame (and panic) out of convos around your bank balance with experts on the best ways women can boost their financial wellness, literacy, and comfort zones. EVENT DETAILS Wednesday, October 30, 2019 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Location: WeWork Now | 902 Broadway, New York, NY 10010 THE PANEL Farnoosh Torabi | Chase Financial Education Ambassador Farnoosh Torabi is a celebrated financial expert, host of the award-winning podcast So Money, and bestselling author of multiple books, including her latest: When She Makes More. She appears frequently onNBC’s Today Show, is the resident financial contributor for O, The Oprah Magazine, and is a Chase financial education ambassador. Farnoosh studied finance at Penn State and holds a Master’s from The Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Minda Harts | Founder + CEO, The Memo Minda Harts is the founder and CEO of The Memo and an advocate for women of color in the workplace. She is also the author of the upcoming book, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. She has conducted workshops and keynotes for Bloomberg, Google, Time Inc., SXSW, and the New York Public Library. She’s also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Service at New York University. Paco de Leon | Founder, The Hell Yeah Group Paco is a musician
Once and for all, this is the best way to get your collagen
September 20, 2019 at 08:20PM by CWC We’re in the height of a collagen craze, and I get it. Once upon a time if you needed to plump your skin you could get your fill with, well, fillers. Now there’s so many different kinds of collagen on the market that you can swing by your local drug store and slather it on. Or it’s as simple as grabbing a jar or packet of the stuff and slipping it into whatever beverage is closest to hand. You can doll up your water or even slip it into your morning cup of coffee! Easy peasy, amirite? Actually, that last one is a terrible idea. Though it is tempting to dose your morning cappuccino with collagen powder (because it doesn’t exactly taste amazing) that kind of defeats the whole point of it. For a recent article in The Conversation, scientist and assistant professor of microbiology at Texas A&M University Brooke Russell points out that your collagen powder falls apart at temperatures above body temperature—your steaming hot morning brew turns it into pure gelatin. You know what’s probably not going to give you the health and beauty benefits of collagen? That, literally that. And though it’s an absolute bummer, we’re still learning which collagen products are really making our skin bounce back. Your friend with the fresh Rapunzel locks says hard yes, and research definitely links it to strengthening your hair and hardening your brittle nails. But not all collagen supplements or infused-lotions are
Researchers Are One Step Closer To Eliminating The Common Cold
September 20, 2019 at 07:02PM We’re toasting to the news with some vitamin C. Continue Reading… Author Jamie Schneider | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
All you need to de-puff your face is 10 seconds and your bathroom sink
September 20, 2019 at 06:53PM by CWC Like most people, I’ve only ever washed my face with warm water. From everything I gathered, it was the most beneficial for my skin, not to mention it’s makes it the most relaxing part of my skincare routine. Even though cold water definitely doesn’t sound as appealing, derms say dealing with the chill is worth it. Warm water is great for cleansing your skin and removing any dirt and grime that build up throughout the day, but there are a couple ways using cold water instead can be beneficial—especially in the mornings. “Many of us wake up in the morning with our faces looking a little puffy, even if we haven’t had alcohol or foods high in sodium. This is because when we sleep our cells regenerate, so our pores expand and our faces seem a little puffy,” says dermatologist Sheel Desai Solomon, MD. “When you go to wash your face, don’t turn that faucet to warm hoping for a soothing effect. Cold water is what really helps do the trick.” Cold water tighten your pores as it promotes blood circulation and makes your skin look better overall, says Dr. Solomon. “It helps give your face vitality and more color. It also enhances the brightness of your skin by getting the circulation going and literally waking up your skin,” she says. “Since cold water is capable of shrinking the pores, it’s also something that can help make your face less shiny. That’s because
Learn to relax in the absolute best way for your specific Myers-Briggs personality
September 20, 2019 at 06:18PM by CWC Everyone has different go-to methods for blowing off steam. Some like to be social with close friends and forget their responsibilities for awhile and others prefer to check off those responsibilities from their to-do list, then spend time alone with no distractions or connection to the outside world. Regardless of your preference, knowing how to relax is key for maintaining optimum happiness and keeping stress levels low. To be clear, there’s no right or wrong way to relax—just different ways. So, if you’re curious about what best recharges your batteries—or your partner’s, or your best friend’s—consider applying your Myers-Briggs personality type to the equation. (Don’t know what your MBTI is? Read this first!) We all have to honor our downtime needs, after all. Learn how to relax in the best way for your MBTI below. Graphic: Well+Good Creative ISFJ As one of the more introverted types, you like to relax alone. Nothing gives you more joy than reading by yourself or a solo pampering session with a sheet mask. That said, if you’re sorting complicated feelings about a relationship or a work project, you love selective hangouts. Inviting over your best friend or just laying low with your partner helps you unwind. ESFJ Planning a party down to the tiny details helps you relax. Not only does this sort of activity give you control of the event you want to go to, but you also get to see all your favorite people. (You don’t
Let the Global Climate Strike inspire you to take 5 steps to save the environment
September 20, 2019 at 04:53PM by CWC The Global Climate Strike is taking place right now in more than 150 countries. From September 20-27, ahead of the United Nation’s 2019 Climate Action Summit in New York City, millions of strikers will exit their schools, homes, offices, factories, and farms to protest the environmental atrocities occurring in their respective zip codes. “Some will spend the day in protest against new pipelines and mines, or the banks that fund them; some will highlight the oil companies fueling this crisis and the politicians that enable them,” reads the official website of the Global Climate Strike. Unfortunately, not everyone is in a position to walk out of their lives right here and right now. But that doesn’t mean you have to sit out this momentous event. On an individual level, there are moves you can make to lessen your own environmental footprint, and to demand the your representatives do the same on a larger scale. Here’s how to make an impact. 5 ways to help the environment, inspired by the Global Climate Strike 1. Ditch your car whenever you can Back in 2017, a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters compared 147 individual actions on climate change. They found that cutting down on driving time is the single-best thing anyone can do for the environment. So ride your bike, walk, take public transportation, and do what you can stay far away from fossil fuels. 2. Eat less (or half the amount) of the
‘I’m a gastroenterologist, and these are the 5 things I do for a healthier gut’
September 20, 2019 at 04:44PM by CWC Digestive enzymes, collagen, probiotics, and fermented foods all have one thing in common: gut health. ICYMI, gut health is kind of a big deal right now, whether you adopted an anti-inflammatory diet because you heard it can help with leaky gut syndrome or you’re all about that kefir for a healthy dose of bacteria. In fact, according to a recent report, the global digestive health products market is expected to reach about $57 billion by 2026. Maintaining a healthy gut has been linked to a wide variety of physical and mental health benefits, from improved digestion to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. But reaping those benefits isn’t quite as complicated as we make it, says Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and internationally recognized gut health expert. In fact, it just takes a few major every day habits to keep your gut in tip-top shape. “The reality is you can’t ‘out supplement’ a poor lifestyle,” Dr. Bulsiewicz says. “If you just build it into your life, then you’re going to reap the rewards of better health because you have basically amplified your health just through lifestyle habits. You’re not even thinking about it, you’re just living it.” Here Dr. Bulsiewicz weighs in with the things he does every day to improve gut health (and his overall quality of life). 1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate This one seems easy, but Dr. Bulsiewicz says adequate hydration is actually wildly overlooked when it comes to digestive health.