October 03, 2019 at 11:30PM by CWC In case you haven’t heard, Earth is having a serious health crisis right now. According to the world’s top climate scientists, we only have a decade to turn the tides of global warming and keep the planet’s temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. If that doesn’t happen, we’re likely to face harsher droughts, fires, storms, and heat waves than the world has ever seen. Another likely victim of climate change? Our food system. According to a recent United Nations panel, food shortage could be one of the most serious side-effects of climate change. If the global temperature were to rise by even two degrees Celsius—a very real possibility considering the trajectory we’re on now—extreme weather could throw off crops’ growing seasons, make land inhospitable to farming, and make crops vulnerable to disease. Complicating matters even more, there will be approximately 10 billion people on earth by 2050—today, the global population is around 7.7 billion—which means we will need to produce about 56 percent more food over the next 30 years. Some experts claim that technology has already given us a powerful tool to address some of these issues: genetically engineered (GE) crops, more commonly known as GMOs. Of course, the pros and cons of GMOs have been hotly debated. Studies show that GMO foods are safe for human consumption, but many experts believe more research needs to be done before we can be sure that they’re risk-free in the long term.
Day: October 3, 2019
Weight distribution is the key to workout longevity—here’s how to test yours right now
October 03, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC When I walk through the doors of my neighborhood gym, I’m usually too focused on my impending workout to care much about what’s going to happen in an hour, much less in a decades. The truth is though, every movement sweat-lovers do right now improves the longevity of our bodies. Jason Pak, trainer and founder of Achieve Fitness in Boston, says that paying attention to weight distribution in particular is the key to keeping your body safe and functional well into the distant future. “You can get away with inefficiencies with [improper balance] in the short term, but in the long term if you’re looking for optimal health, strength, and longevity, you’d be really well off if you were mindful of your weight distribution during all exercises,” writes the coach in a recent Instagram caption. Why? Proper weight distribution forces your center of mass to land smack-dab in the middle of your stance, ensuring that you don’t place too much weight on any one body part. View this post on Instagram IS YOUR SQUAT BALANCED?! – What’s up, Achievers?! @jasonlpak here with a quick post talking about squats. So, one thing we’re always looking at when we coach our members is not just their form and alignment, but their overall balance when executing an exercise. You can have a “neutral” spine, hit below parallel, put a lot of weight on your back, and still not be as efficient as you could
Uh-oh: Research confirms pollution can have damaging effects on your hair, too
October 03, 2019 at 10:31PM by CWC As I biked my way through New York City to the Well+Good offices this morning, I dodged exhaust from countless vehicles, unidentified smoke coming out of potholes and fumes spewing out of garbage trucks. All I could think about was my poor skin, and was thankful for the fact that it was covered with antioxidants to help with protection. But, guess what? All of the pollution in the air isn’t just a threat to your complexion—new research shows it’s bad for your hair, too. Researchers with L’Oreal, as reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that things called photo-toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the air degrade your hair with increased exposure. Researchers took microscopic images of 200 hair fibers from women in Baoding and Dialian, China, and examined the cuticle and cortex of the strands. “They found increased structural degradation of the hair fiber over time with increased PAH concentrations,” writes the study report. “Pollution has long been shown to be damaging to the skin, causing free radical damage which leads to premature aging and dark spots,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York-based dermatologist. “These molecules have been shown to cause structural damage to the hair shafts, disrupting the outer layer, which may be associated with breakage and brittleness.” Don’t worry, though—you’re not doomed to have weak hair in the face of pollution. You can protect your strands in the same way you protect your skin: with antioxidants. Dr. Zeichner
The Skin Microbiome May Play A Larger Role in Acne Than We Thought
October 03, 2019 at 07:29PM The microbiome continues to be the most fascinating area of skin care discovery. Continue Reading… Author Alexandra Engler | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
A dietitian’s definitive guide to the best Trader Joe’s salads
October 03, 2019 at 07:31PM by CWC Lunch spots that let you customize your own salad are everywhere. And some days I’m perfectly willing to drop $14 on a gourmet spinach mix with a variety of toppings straight from my imagination. Other days? Not so much. That’s why Trader Joe’s salads—most of which are just $3.99—are truly a godsend. If you usually pass the prepared aisle at TJ’s without a second glance, please believe me (and a dietitian) when I say it’s worth your while to stop and peruse the plentiful salad options. Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, dietitian and author of The Better Period Food Solution says that each of the frugal supermarket’s salads packs its own nutritional merits. Of the many Trader Joe’s salads, I asked her to choose the option that is best for fiber, which one you should fork to refuel after a workout, and more. A dietitian’s definitive guide to Trader Joe’s salads Highest in fiber Kale and Edamame Salad “The Kale and Edamame Salad has the most fiber at 10 grams, or 40 percent of the daily serving. Insoluble dietary fibers found in edamame and kale have multiple health benefits such as increased satiety and decreased blood cholesterol,” says Beckerman. For a kick of energy Super Green Salad Palette “The Super Green Salad Palette contains tons of high quality, complex carbohydrates such as edamame, kale, and avocado. This combination of foods will keep you energized thanks to the slow-digesting carbs, while delivering the body a
Ready To Unleash Your Full Potential? Deepak Chopra’s New Book Is About To Show You How
October 03, 2019 at 08:00AM What is your true self? Here’s how to. know, according to Deepak Chopra Continue Reading… Author Krista Soriano | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Pluto retrograde just ended—here’s how you can finally step out of its shadow
October 03, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC Pluto Retrograde just ended after a five month reign of terror that began April 24, inducing an era of change, transformation, pain, and all that cute stuff. You’ve likely experienced a series of tiny endings to your world as you know it during this time (and challenge-creating Saturn’s interference did not help). And now that it’s over and Pluto is direct, can we finally crawl out of Pluto’s darkness? Well, kind of, the retroshade sort of lingers. As we emerge as an evolved and (hopefully) stronger person, we can take control of whatever challenges come next. “The planet Pluto ‘rules’ the sign Scorpio and the Eighth House of an astrology chart, all three are associated with death and resurrection,” explains Amy Zerner of famed astrology duo Monte and Amy, authors of Astrology for Wellness. “The Eighth House represents other people’s resources and this can be money you manage, money you get from other people legally, through inheritance, or otherwise.” “Other people’s resources” could also mean sexual exchanges, but we’ll get there in a minute. For now, what does it mean now that Pluto is going stationary direct in our lives? Well, we can finally stop judging ourselves so intensely for every thought, and deed that we see to be an extension of ourselves. The time for thinking and waiting is over, the time for acting is now. Pluto rules power, power struggles, and the judgment that is rendered when a legal matter has
I swapped my $514 makeup routine for an $83 one from the drugstore
October 03, 2019 at 06:18PM by CWC One of the biggest perks of being a beauty editor is that part of my literal job is to test makeup products, which means, as you can probably imagine, I’ve racked up quite the personal collection. Whether it’s a pricey foundation that will make your skin glow like a baby angel’s or a splurge-worthy waterproof mascara that refuses to budge (no matter how many teary therapy sessions I put it through), my face and I have been pretty spoiled thanks to the job. But as any beauty pro will tell you, you don’t have to be shelling out big-time bucks on makeup in order to create a look you love. In fact, there are plenty of products on drugstore shelves that will help you get the look for a whole lot less. To prove it, I swapped my pricey routine for one that costs only $83, and frankly, I can’t tell a difference. Scroll through for the products that officially have a permanent place on my beauty shelf. Photo: ELF E.L.F. Hydrating Face Primer, $5 I’ve used the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36) for years, so when the internet told me that this version could serve as a $5 dupe, I admittedly had my doubts. But, this stuff is good, and seriously lives up to the hype. I have very dry skin, and the vitamin A, C, and E in this primer gives it an added layer of hydration before I apply my foundation so that
A happiness expert’s explains why a ‘bronze lining’ makes you happier than a silver one
October 03, 2019 at 05:28PM by CWC Back in high school, I spent my weekends playing travel volleyball. My team had a knack for coming in second, and over time, the silver medals really grated on my self-esteem. Years later, I finally understand the psychological reason why always being the runner-up (oh, how to phrase it…) sucks. According to 20th century psychologist William James, coming in second rarely feels good. For the sake of your happiness, it’s oh-so-much better to come in third. In his seminal work, The Principles of Psychology, James theorized that what someone accomplishes matters less to them than how they perceive said accomplishments, reports Scientific American. For example, you may be stoked that you’re finally able to afford your own studio apartment, until you learn that a close friend recently moved into a one-bedroom. On the The Happiness Lab podcast, which is hosted by Laurie Santos, PhD, a professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University, gives an Olympic example. Dr. Santos interviews Thomas Gilovich, PhD, a professor of Psychology at Cornell University, who—after observing that Olympic silver medalists tend to take their losses harder than those awarded the bronze—conducted his own experiment to study the psychology of coming in second and third. After screening footage of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Dr. Gilovich asked students to rank the facial expressions of the swimmers on a scale of 1 (miserable) to 10 (very happy). Overall, the bronze medalists facial expressions were happier than those who placed
Reformation and New Balance just teamed up to drop sustainable sneaks that couldn’t be cuter
October 03, 2019 at 03:21PM by CWC I am notoriously bad at emails. At the time I am writing this, there are upwards of 38,000 emails in my inbox, and I have no doubt that is giving many of you anxiety….sorry. Obviously in this sea of newsletters, work deadlines, and chains I’ve been on since the better part of 2009, it’s hard for a message to stand out, but New Balance managed to do just that. The sneaker behemoth just announced that they’d be partnering with Reformation on a line of sustainable sneaks. This gets me going for two big reasons: The first is that I live to know things, well, first, and the second is that I can’t get enough dad sneakers in my life. Nothing makes me want to use ten exclamation points in a row more than the fact that these two things came in one glorious package. The collection, which contains three sneaker styles in five exclusive color ways, is New Balance’s first sustainability-led collab and Reformation’s first foray into sneakers (the brand launched a sustainable footwear line earlier this year). The sneakers are made from chrome-free suede, and the tannery they tapped uses a chrome-free tanning method (chrome can become carcinogenic when not handled properly). The tannery also has a Leather Working Group gold status, the highest level for environmental compliance a sustainable practices in the leather industry. The linings, laces, and labels of the sneakers are made from post-consumer recycled polyester, and the shoe inserts