November 03, 2019 at 11:04PM Let’s get flexible, flexible. Continue Reading… Author Abi Carver, NASM-CPT | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
Day: November 3, 2019
This week’s waxing quarter moon has a message for you: Let your freak flag fly high
November 03, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC As we settle into the last Mercury retrograde period of the decade, the cosmos encourage you to review where you’ve already been before forging forward with a new path. Thankfully, the week begins with a waxing quarter moon in Aquarius at 5:22 a.m., EST, on November 4. A waxing quarter moon marks the halfway point between a new moon and a full moon. And this particular one—occurring at 11 degrees of Uranus, which is ruled by fixed air sign Aquarius—encourages you to fly your freak flag high. Why? Just to drive home the point to you that you are uniquely excellent. The real question, though, is: Can allow yourself to embrace that encouragement? Regardless of your answer, take some time on Monday to consider where in your life you are and aren’t allowing yourself to express the full range of your abilities. (Because, as self-aware as I’m sure you are, it would be rare to optimize your gifts in all facets of your being.) Where are you trying to be “normal” to fit in? Where are you holding back your voice? Take an audit of the areas where you are dimming your light to blend with the crowd or otherwise aligning with others in order to feel safe. Then, commit to honoring your uniqueness and your heartfelt goals. What is it you most want to accomplish? And how will bringing your unique special sauce to that goal help you? Write down your answer.
8 rollerball fragrances that make wearing scent super subtle
November 03, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC As a newfound fragrance convert (thank you, Dedcool Taunt!), I’ve become somewhat of a perfume aficionado, and nothing makes it easier to lightly scent my wrists than a rollerball perfume. “Rollerballs have been trending for quite a while now,” says Merrady Wickes, beauty director at The Detox Market. “The idea of having one signature fragrance you wear forever has slowly been replaced by having a variety of fragrances to suit the season, your mood, or a specific occasion. Rollerballs work for this mindset, allowing someone to have a few fragrances in rotation, or even to layer their favorites.” They also keep fragrance contained to a small area, versus feeling as though you’re dousing yourself in scent with just a few spritzes. Plus, many times they’re oil-based, so they meld into skin and disappear naturally versus clinging on all day. This makes the ritual of reapplication a reminder to slow down and take care of yourself. Really, they serve as a mark of self-care and how you can add it into your day in little ways. “As your fragrance fades, you can apply a little more,” says Wickes. Oh, and the best part of all: Fragrance rollerballs are less costly than perfume bottles of the stuff, so knock yourself out and start a smell-so-good fragrance wardrobe. Here, some of our favorites you can buy right now. Photo: Leahlani Leahlani Skincare Mahana Perfume Oil, $28 Wickes recommended this one to me, and I agree—it’s “liquid
High-Intensity Exercise Can Boost Memory By 30%, New Study Finds
November 03, 2019 at 06:24PM A workout that can last as little as 5 minutes and can boost memory function? Sign me up. Continue Reading… Author Jamie Schneider | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
This Vegan Rainbow Sushi Roll Is Culinary Arts & Crafts
November 03, 2019 at 04:08PM Who says playing with your food is a bad thing? Continue Reading… Author Jamie Schneider | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
These $9 lip balms make the perfect gloss, so get ready to shine
November 03, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC First the world fell in love with Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask ($14)—one sells every minute. Now, it’s time for the Korean brand’s Lip Glowy Balm ($9) to shine. Literally. While the mask is a nighttime must-have, the balm and gloss hybrid has been getting stellar reviews as its perfect daytime counterpart. Aside from being super lightweight and free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates, the pocket-sized is beloved for providing the perfect hint of color and making your lips extra kissable with hydrating ingredients like murumuru and shea butter. Best of all, you get a high-shine, glossy look without any stickiness whatsoever. It’s a miracle. The balm currently comes in four colors: berry (pink), peach (peachy-orange), pear (clear), and grapefruit (coral). And if you want to get all of the above, no judgements here. A girl can never have enough gloss, right? Whether you prefer lip stick or gloss, here’s how to instantly plump your pout. Then you might want to check out Beyonce’s no-budge lip gloss that’s a $10 drugstore diamond. Continue Reading… Author Tehrene Firman | Well and Good Selected by CWC
What Causes Inner Emptiness? (And What To Do About It)
November 03, 2019 at 03:09PM Ever just feel empty inside? Continue Reading… Author Margaret Paul, Ph.D. | Life by Daily Burn Selected by CWC
The simultaneously challenging but ‘joyful’ realities of being a parent with a chronic illness
November 03, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC There are no days off when it comes to being a parent. It doesn’t matter if you have a huge deadline looming at work or were up all night because someone had a stomach bug—there are still lunches to pack, homework to check, and bedtime stories to read. Even if you have a chronic illness that leaves your body aching and it difficult to even get out of bed. Chronic illnesses—defined as a disease that lasts longer than a year—vary significantly in terms of symptoms and severity. The umbrella term includes mental health conditions like clinical depression as well as physical ailments like Type 1 diabetes and fibromyalgia. Even people with the same chronic illness may experience it differently. Here, two women living with chronic illness—both past guests of Made Visible, a podcast about living with chronic illness—share what working, parenting, and managing their symptoms looks like for them. “Yes, they’re exhausting, but they’re so joyful” Rachel Trobman had been living with non-specific connective tissue disease (an autoimmune disease with symptoms including arthritis, joint pain, mouth ulcers, and photosensitivity) since high school—more than a decade before becoming a parent was even a thought in her mind. “I have a lot of various antibodies that appear in my blood and work against various parts of my body, but none have risen to a particular level to impact how my organs function,” Trobman says. “It means that when I do get sick, it can trigger
Strengthening your “breathing muscles” is the key to slaying your cardio workouts
November 03, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Strengthening your muscles and joints are fundamental for your fitness game. Duh. But one muscle that no one talks about? Your breathing muscles, which you should be working to boost your capacity for cardio endurance. Known as your “intercostal muscles,” your breathing muscles are located around your ribs and help you breathe easier. “[They] help make up the chest wall and protect the lungs,” says Kasey Kotarak, trainer and coach at Fit Body Boot Camp, adding that they play a very important role in the mechanical aspect of our breathing. They help to expand and shrink the size of the chest cavity, adds Steve Stonehouse, NASM, a coach and director of education for Stride. And when you’re doing a cardio workout, you’re obviously breathing a lot harder than, say, when you’re sitting on the couch binge-watching 90 Day Fiancé—which is where intercostal strength comes into play. “The intercostal muscles make it possible for the larger air flow required for cardio, and also work to allow an increased breath rate,” says Kotarak. So these muscles are helping your body adjust to all of the inhaling and exhaling required during a cardio workout. “Without these muscles, your body wouldn’t be able to adapt to the physiological changes that come with exercise,” she adds. “Stronger intercostal muscles can help increase your stamina, endurance, and reduce shortness of breath.” Um, wow. Your diaphragm, which activates your parasympathetic response, is also important for your breathing-during-workouts game, and is the
The surprising restorative power of a self-care box
November 03, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Even if you’re generally the happiest person on the planet, you can’t escape bad days. Work drama, waking up late, the weather, struggling with a chronic illness, or literally no reason at all—it happens. Because bad days don’t discriminate and can strike at anytime, you have to be prepared—and one unbeatable battle weapon to combat them is something surprising: a self-care box. At Chronicon, a conference for the chronic illness community organized by Nitika Chopra, a group of the panelists was asked how they cope with bad days when they’re in that low spot that, in the moment, feels impossible to snap out of. And Mira Mariah, a tattoo artist and disability activist in New York City, said she always has a self-care box on hand that’s filled with all the tools to help turn her day around. “A huge part of my survival depends on my comfort and joy, so have tools around you that bring you comfort and joy. That can be face mists or a really good blanket. Or a very awesome sweatshirt or things that make you more comfortable,” she says. “I really encourage people to find five items and make them accessible. I keep mine under my bed so I don’t need to get out of my bed to retrieve them—I can just flip this box up and pull all these things out. They’re my special items that are only for special bad days.” Having a box filled