October 01, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Of all the labels used to describe millennials, as one of them, I have to say the “the anxious generation” feels the most apt. Because how could we not be anxious? The world is on fire and the extinction of our entire species is looming. “Anxiety is a form of fear—a type of fear that tends to be amorphous and often haunting in nature,” says clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD. Well, the climate crisis is not a drill and is definitely haunting—and it’s also hardly the only huge, amorphous issue fueling millennial anxiety. Since mental health pros, like Dr. Manly, are likely most privy to the worries that are haunting us, I sought insight from pros into the most common concerns plaguing my generation, as well as advice for easing our troubled minds with respect to each issue. And, to be clear, that easing of the mind is no small task. “Unlike a rational fear that can be readily addressed, fears that manifest as anxiety tend to be a bit tricky and more difficult to assess and overcome,” says Dr. Manly. Below, find the fears currently spooking us the most. The 5 most common reasons for millennial anxiety, according to therapists. 1. Missing milestones “The biggest thing I notice in millennial clients is pressure to hit milestones and a feeling of failure if they haven’t,” says psychologist Aimee Daramus, PsyD. “A lot of millennial clients are ‘behind’ where their parents were because
Month: October 2019
“Forest skin care” bottles up the stress-plummeting powers of forest bathing for your face
October 01, 2019 at 04:28PM by CWC In Japan, it’s tradition to walk through a forest to find stress relief. They coined the term forest bathing, and even doctors there prescribe jaunts in nature as preventative medicine, as plenty of studies have shown major reductions in cortisol, which in turn, help stress to plummet. Now this soothing trend is coming for your skin. “Forest skin care is buzzing—it’s skin-care brands inspired by the Japanese tradition of walking through forests for stress reduction,” Annie Jackson, co-founder and COO of Credo Beauty tells me. “So brands are adapting medicinal ingredients that you’d find in a forest to boost your skin’s immunity and promote stress relief.” It may sound out-there, but there’s legitimacy to the whole thing. The translation of forest bathing for your skin involves the most healing, nourishing plant extracts that you’d find amongst the trees—think Siberian fir, eucalyptus oil, juniper, birch sap, chaga mushroom—that all work to get your complexion healthier and less, well, stressed from outer forces. “Forest skin care is a branch—no pun intended—from the ‘natural’ trend of the past few years,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology. “There’s some science to back this trend—we know that mushrooms can enhance moisture and hydration similar to hyaluronic acid. Many mushrooms, which are a classic forest finding, have abilities to improve pigmentation and have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and even antibacterial properties, which makes them a great addition to a skin-care regimen.” As for tree-derived ingredients like birch
These head-to-toe doorway stretches are the next best thing to a full-body massage
October 01, 2019 at 03:30PM by CWC With all of the professional stretching studios you can go to these days, it’s become a covetable thing to have someone else do your stretching for you. It’s something I, as a lazy stretcher, am particularly grateful for. Of course, I can’t do this all the time—which is fine, because a doorway stretch can stand in for a professional stretcher from the comfort of your own home, office, etc. Wherever there’s a doorway, there’s a stretching opportunity to be had. “At times, stretching on your own can be easier said than done,” says Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d in New York City. “A simple and accessible tool like a doorway can help you achieve a stretch in areas that can be hard to get on your own.” How convenient! Keep scrolling for seven doorway stretch variations you can try to get loose on your own. 1. Chest: While standing in the doorway, grab a side with each hand so they are placed on the doorframe at an angle slightly above your head. While you are gripping the doorframe, slowly step forward so your arms are now behind you. “You should feel a stretch in the chest, biceps, and forearms,” says Brannigan. His tip? The higher your arms are, the more intense the stretch will be. 2. Side body: Put one foot in front of the other in the doorway, and bend to one side so that you’re holding one side of the door frame with
8 DASH diet-approved recipes to make every meal of the day good for your heart
October 01, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC With *so* many different healthy eating plans out there, it’s clear that there isn’t just one way to live your best, nutrient-rich life. But when it comes to the way of eating that doctors and dietitians recommend the most, there are two main contenders: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. You’re likely very familiar with the Med diet (it made a big comeback this year), but what about its less famous cousin, DASH? DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and like the Mediterranean diet, is a heart-healthy eating plan that emphasizes healthy monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts, and avocado. Other requirements: consuming six to eight servings of whole grains per day, four to five servings of fruits and veggies, fewer than six servings of animal protein, two to three servings of low- or non-fat dairy products, and keeping sugar and sodium intake to a minimum. (Again, veeeeery reminiscent of the Med diet.) Another reason health experts are such a fan of the DASH diet is that it isn’t restrictive and is actually pretty easy to stick with. Need proof? Check out the recipes rounded up here, for every meal of the day. Not only are they all DASH diet-compliant, they’ll have your mouth watering. Scroll down for eight healthy DASH diet recipes. Photo: Minimalist Baker 1. Peanut butter overnight oats Serving of whole grains? Check. Healthy fats and protein? Check. Fruit? Yep. In just five ingredients, this mason
Waterless Is The Next Frontier of Green Beauty — These New Launches Are Proof
October 01, 2019 at 01:24PM By 2025, 5 billion people will be affected by water shortage. Today, some 1.1 billion people lack access to water and 2.7 billion people have at least one water scare a month. There are many factors that play into this—from population growth and agriculture to, of course, climate change. As the beauty space starts to move toward greener, more sustainable options from the packaging used to better-for-the-environment ingredients, one area we’ll start to hear more of is water consumption. Why? Because water is used in countless beauty products. “For decades water has been a go-to inexpensive and readily available filler ingredient,” says Vapour Beauty co-founder Krysia Boinis. The brand’s a mainstay in the clean makeup space, and they recently relaunched with reformulations and new, eco-friendlier packing. The biggest part of that reformulation? Going waterless in 97% of their products. “As consumers and brands become more conscious of global fresh water shortages—we are located in our high desert home of Taos, New Mexico, so this is personal for us—we’re going to see water treated as the precious resource it is. Waterless formulation will continue to be a sustainable choice, one that supports the greatest environmental preservation.” The trend has been in the works for a little over a year now: Companies like Unilever, L’Oréal and Procter & Gamble have pledged to eventually reduce their water footprint in the coming years to varying degrees. And while we celebrate whenever the big brands make commitments to more sustainable measures—that’s usually when you see more impact, after all—what’s exciting
3 zodiac signs are ruled by fire—here’s how to cool down the heat for balance
October 01, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Most folks, regardless of their baseline zodiac knowledge know the basic traits of their sun sign (what you read when you check out your horoscope). Some may even be clued-in to their moon signs, which speaks to the person’s emotional, internal-leaning energy, and their rising sign, which is how others see them. Another feature to consider though, is your ruling element. There are four elements, or triplicities, and each sign belongs to one. The elements—Earth, water, fire, and air—often explain what pushes you in a certain direction, and fire signs can burn particularly bright. What are the fire signs, you ask, and what, specifically, do the ruling elements do? Think of the elements as another cliquey way the zodiac wheel sections us off and also brings us together. While the modalities (or quadruplicities)—cardinal, mutable, and fixed—speak to our behavior and how we react to the world, ruling elements more so act as commentary on our temperament. “Our star signs, also known as sun signs, are only one part of a much bigger picture,” says astrologer Carolyne Faulkner, author of The Signs. “Some people are very much aligned to their sun sign, in terms of temperament. If they are not, this indicates that an aspect is changing the output of energy.” “Fire signs usually seek action and adventure above all. They are forces of nature who motivate the self and others with ease.” —Carolyne Faulkner, astrologer That’s a gentle reminder that regardless of what
Anxious Or Achy? Try This Mindful Break Today At Work (At Your Desk!)
October 01, 2019 at 12:03PM Although we believe that mindfulness is an essential factor in optimizing our wellbeing, we realize that sometimes it can be difficult to find the time to enter a meditative headspace, especially during a busy work day. That’s why we love Breathe Empower Achieve: 5-Minute Mindfulness For Women Who Do It All by Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW, as it offers actionable tips to practice meditation wherever you are–from the desk, to the gym, to the supermarket, the list goes on. Here, Moralis offers a 5-minute meditation for those of us who want to add a little mindfulness in the workplace. By reconnecting with our bodies, we can not only release physical tension but also calm our minds and bring us back to the present. This little 5-minute mindfulness session could have long-lasting effects for your nine-to-five. Each of us has a signature pattern of holding stress in the body—there are certain muscles we tighten and common areas of tension. For some, anxiety manifests as fierce pressure, as if the head were stuck a constricting vise; others bemoan a constant, aching discomfort in their neck and shoulders; while some suffer from stomach ailments that send them sprinting for the nearest restroom when worries abound. While we may be highly attuned to a few of our signature stress patterns, others may be more sporadic and inconspicuous, requiring some routine mindful sleuthing on our part. Soon after I began practicing mindfulness it became clear to me that the
Why Some Women Go Along With Painful Sex—And Why They Shouldn’t
October 01, 2019 at 11:11AM It’s time for a culture shift. Sex should not be painful. It is not normal to experience pain during sex. People with vaginas should not expect to feel pain during sex, ever. Unless it’s your kink and being consciously pursued, any pain experienced during sex is a sign that something’s wrong, whether physically or psychologically. And yet the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says nearly three out of every four women have experienced pain during intercourse at least once in their lives, and research shows up to 20% of women deal with dyspareunia, which is persistent pain during sex. To top it all off, a new study recently published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that half of all women experiencing pain during sex don’t even tell their partner it hurt. A team of researchers led by sexual health scientist Allison Carter, Ph.D., MPH, surveyed over 2,000 women about their most recent sexual experience, including asking about their levels of pain, pleasure, and what they disclosed to their partner about it all. Nearly a quarter of the women reported experiencing sexual pain. Of these 382 women who did experience sexual pain, 49% didn’t tell their partner about it. Moreover, those who’d experienced little to no pleasure during the sexual experience were three times more likely to not tell their partner about the pain. Why some women don’t tell their partners about their sexual pain. The researchers left space for women to explain why
Want Healthier Tex-Mex? Enter Vegan “Queso” & Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Fajitas
October 01, 2019 at 10:42AM A healthy take on those classic Tex-Mex flavors. Continue Reading… Author Jamie Schneider | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Monthly Horoscope: Here’s What’s Written In The Stars This October
October 01, 2019 at 10:03AM Learn why the 7th, 13th, and 23rd are all key dates. Continue Reading… Author The AstroTwins | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC