November 18, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC The wellness world is once again spinning the wheel on alternative flours. And guess what we’re grinding down this time? Okay, okay, I’ll tell you: dehydrated apples. A November study published in the MDPI journal Foods looked into cookies fortified with apple pomace flour. Pomace is the byproduct of juicing made from pulp, seeds, seed cores, and stems. Usually, these leftovers get tossed, but apple flour transforms them into an alt-flour that has (wait for it) up to quadruple the amount of gut-healthy fiber as white all-purpose flour. “Some brands of apple flour—although not all—offer more than four times the fiber than the amount found in refined white flour,” says Malina Malkani, RDN, a dietitian with the American Academy of Dietetics. “This is a significant benefit, given that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume between 28 to 34 grams of fiber daily, yet the average American adult only gets about 15 grams according to the National Academy of Medicine.” It’s true. While 1 cup of ordinary white all-purpose flour contains about 3.4 grams of fiber, 1 cup of Hearthy Foods apple flour contains 16 grams of fiber. And all that extra fiber is really, really good for your gut. “Fiber supports digestive and bowel health helps improve cholesterol levels, helps stabilize and control blood sugar levels, supports optimal body weight, and helps you feel fuller for longer, which can reduce the urge to overeat,” she says. Apple flour can often
Day: November 18, 2019
5 powerful ways the mental benefits of yoga challenge the physical, according to science
November 18, 2019 at 09:29PM by CWC Yoga boasts an impressive 5,000-year track record. As the most popular workout in the world, the benefits of yoga include fast tracking digestion, tapping into big emotions, and making you strong from head to heart to toes. In the 21st century, scientific research is confirming long-held beliefs about the many benefits of yoga—particularly when it comes to mental health. A wealth of new research offers a better picture of how your work on the mat carries into your everyday life. You’ll want to take notes on all the ways the many types of yoga gives your brain a boost. You don’t want to savasana through this info. 5 brain benefits of yoga to you may not have known 1. It has been found to decrease anxiety A 2015 meta-analysis of 15 yoga studies focused on the cognitive effects following yoga class. Researchers found that practitioners had increased overall brain activity, as well as lower levels of anxiety. 2. Yoga may slow down your brain waves Slow brain waves indicate a more restful, sleepy state. More research from 2015 found that yoga increased positive brain wave states, increased alpha waves (which are associated with calmness), and enhanced theta wave activity (a state that’s associated with daydreaming). 3. It was found to improve well-being in older adults Recent research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that yoga interventions didn’t just improve the physical fitness of older adults. It also significantly
The 3 biggest myths about eating to boost fertility, debunked by experts
November 18, 2019 at 07:30PM by CWC Disclose to your friend group that you’re trying to get pregnant and everyone, it seems, has an opinion on what you should be doing to boost your odds. One may give you the name of a miracle-working acupuncturist. Another may share a list of their supplement suggestions, or the exact fertility boosting food and herbs they put in their morning smoothies. They might mean well, but second-hand advice (or hot tips in the depths of a Reddit forum) are breeding grounds for misinformation and confusion. When you’re considering changing your eating habits, taking supplements, or adding herbs to your wellness routine in hopes of boosting fertility, what’s truly important is getting advice straight from trusted experts. With that in mind, we asked Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, a dietitian and author of The Better Period Solution, integrative gynecology functional medicine doctor Anita Sadaty, MD, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility doctor Rashmi Kudesia, MD to set the record straight about three major myths many people believe when it comes to the connection between food and fertility. Myth 1: Adding just one particular herb or ingredient to your routine boosts fertility “There is a tight correlation between the foods we eat and its impact on fertility,” says Beckerman. “Food holds the power to give the body the ‘fertility’ green light… Diet and lifestyle adjustments have been shown to boost fertility by almost 70 percent.” That said, “the biggest myth is that a specific food or supplement
All our beauty editors use this tinted lip balm and there’s now a party-ready shade
November 18, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC Red lipstick gets a bad rap for being high maintenance, but I swear up and down that that’s just not true. Sure, you can spend hours lining lips and applying crease-proof mattes that will last until your first sip of coffee (read: five minutes after application). Or, for more of a “literally no maintenance at all” take, you can slather on Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 in Icon ($24), the brand’s newly-launched shade that imparts the most gorge red this side of 16 minutes spent applying lipstick in the mirror. Beauty editors sing the praises of these tinted balms for a few reasons, the least of which is that they contain SPF 15 (do not get trapped in a small space with a beauty editor and not expect them to rapid-fire list off the reasons you should be slathering sunscreen onto every inch of your body). In addition to the fact that they make your lips a no-go zone for sun damage, they’re also packed with good-for-skin ingredients like sugar, which acts as a humectant to lock in moisture, and grapeseed oil, which nourishes and squelches free radicals. But don’t just take my word for it: these balms are so effective that 97 percent of folks who swiped them in a clinical trial said their lips were softened after use. But not only do they feel good, they look good, too. The balms impart a buildable wash of color that
Ankle stability exercises that will get you solidly on your feet for any workout
November 18, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC Hot take: No one is giving their ankles nearly the credit or love that they deserve. We treat our feet to pedicures and our legs to regular workouts, but our ankles—which do their job every. damn. day. to hold up the rest of body—are largely ignored. Think about it: When was the last time you did ankle stability exercises at the gym? A week ago from…never? Same—and that’s a big mistake. Your ankles are an integral part of literally every single thing you do while you’re standing up—whether you’re taking a leisurely stroll down the street or squatting with a 50-pound dumbbell. Think of every standing movement you make as a chain reaction that starts in your feet and travels up through your ankles and legs. “Any disruption in that chain of movements means that the following movement is less likely to be performed correctly,” says Terri Dreger, owner of 30 Minute Hit Edmonton, and crappy ankle stability can be a big time disruption to the body at large. “If the foot and ankle mechanics are off, it will likely impact the knee, which can cause the hip movement to be misaligned, leading to unstable core movements and stress to one’s back,” says Dreger, adding that this all leads to inefficient and ineffective movement patterns. In other words, she says, you won’t be able to run as fast, kick a ball as far, or throw as hard of a punch. And even worse, you
You’ll want to run for miles in sustainable style with New Balance’s limited edition shoes
November 18, 2019 at 06:33PM by CWC Imagine a running sneaker splashed with bold one-of-a-kind colors, built on comfortable yet supportive sole made from recycled materials. New Balance accomplishes all of this with its new sustainable shoes so you can log mile after mile without worrying about your carbon footprint. Introducing the Test Run Project 3.0 (New Balance PRJ 3), which launched on November 15 for $180. Designed by Seth Maxwell at the New Balance Global Design Center, the sustainable shoes utilize scraps left over from other New Balance products to create a recycled shoe that comes in three colorways: pink, yellow, and green. Because each pair features a blend of reclaimed materials, each sneaker is unique. The uppers of the sustainable shoes are created using surplus mesh, synthetic, and upper webbing from the factory, according to a press release from New Balance. Maxwell also used leftover midsole color pellets to fill in the midsole, and surplus lining for the sock-like neck of the shoe. Plus, the outsole contains 30 percent recycled material. The limited-edition sneakers are flying off the shelves already. So if you’ve got your eye on a pair, run don’t walk. Stretch it out before and after you hit the pavement: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlKFPlXmHEc] Nike just released a shoe that’s not for runners. Plus, the reasons one writer wears her sneakers on a first date. Continue Reading… Author Kells McPhillips | Well and Good Selected by CWC
The gut-healthy reason Mandy Moore switches up her breakfast each day
November 18, 2019 at 05:46PM by CWC Eating the same thing each morning means you’re spared making hard choices about what to eat for breakfast. But as much as you may love your bowl of oatmeal topped with banana and peanut butter, a dietitian says that changing up your morning meal makes for a healthy gut. In a recent interview with Well+Good, the This Is Us star said that she has no loyalties at the breakfast table. “Gosh! Yeah, I try to change it up every day—just because it is my favorite meal,” says Moore, who’s working with Nature’s Way to mark the company’s 50th anniversary. Coconut yogurt with gluten-free granola, smoothies, eggs, turkey bacon, and paleo pancakes each earn a spot of her breakfast plate. “Maybe I’ll have oatmeal one day and coconut yogurt with berries and gluten-free granola the next. And scrambled eggs or an omelette and turkey bacon another day. I definitely cover my bases when it comes to breakfast.” Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, registered dietitian and author of The Better Period Food Solution confirms that mixing things up works wonders for your microbiome: the trillions of micro-organisms living in your gut. “Switching up your breakfast is an opportunity to sprinkle different strains of bacteria into your life,” says Beckerman. “A diverse diet equals a diverse gut microbiome which equals a tougher gut system.” Having a diverse microbiome is linked with having a strong immune system, an asset you’ll need to deploy during flu season, she adds. Beckerman
On the Cusp: What a blend of Scorpio intensity and Sagittarius optimism means for your personality
November 18, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Stefanie Iris Weiss Each month with On the Cusp, we point our astrological magnifying glass on all the people born between two zodiac signs. Because when your birthday falls at either the tail end or the very beginning of your sun sign’s season, your personality may be influenced by your cosmic neighbor. Now, as we begin to give gratitude and slip into the holidays, it’s the Scorpio Sagittarius cusp that’s taking the astrological spotlight. Below Stefanie Iris Weiss, astrologer and co-author of Surviving Saturn’s Return: Overcoming the Most Tumultuous Time of Your Life, explains what happens when deep and mysterious Scorpio (October 23 to November 22) merges with optimistic and cheerful Sagittarius (November 23 to December 21). As we fall deeper down the rabbit hole of fall, closer to the holiday season, when everything gets more and more festive by the day, celebrations become top of mind, what with friendsgivings, Thanksgiving, and holiday parties. Because of this, it’s easy for those with a holiday-season birthday, including those on the Scorpio Sagittarius cusp, to feel cast aside. So, let’s make this clear from the outset: There’s no better combo of fire-and-ice energy than you, Scorpio Sagittarius cuspers. “It’s like going from a slow, sexy simmer to a full-on high boil that might set the whole kitchen on fire,” says Weiss. “This cusp is about the way that deep waters transform into fire.” “This cusp like going from a slow, sexy simmer to a full-on high
The knockout foods UFC fighter Maycee Barber swears by for energy and strength in the ring
November 18, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Mixed martial artist Maycee Barber—who’s currently ranked number 10 in the UFC women’s flyweight rankings—knows first-hand that you can’t enter a ring only-half fueled for a fight. Not giving your body the fuel it needs is a major weakness in MMA, and it’s one she works closely with her trainers to make sure she avoids. “After I got signed with UFC, they did all these metabolic tests to create a meal plan for me, which they partnered with meal delivery service Trifecta to do,” Barber says. Based on her results, she says she avoids soy and dairy, and eats a diet high in protein, healthy fats, and lots of fibrous veggies. Her unique MMA fighter diet has helped her achieve some major victories—and deal out some pretty impressive moves in the ring: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maycee “The Future” Barber (@mayceebarber) on Jun 18, 2019 at 2:03pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js “I’ve gotten really into the science behind what’s best to eat because it’s so important [for my job],” Barber says. “I’ve done meal plans in the past where I haven’t felt good at all, I felt sick and tired all the time, but eating this way makes me feel energized and also keeps my immune system strong,” she says. Here, she explains what an average day of eating—and working out—looks like for her. Keep reading to see what UFC star Maycee Barber eats in a typical day
12 hygge-inspired gifts for card-carrying homebodies
November 18, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC What’s better than feeling cozy? Answer: Nothing. And since you can’t top that feeling, what could be better than giving the gift of hygge to all the people on your list this season? Answer: Nothing again. Now that that’s settled, here’s a list of 12 of the best gift ideas for sharing the warm-and-snuggly spirit, curated by our editors. With everything from Saje essential oil sets for all the tranquil feels (perfect for pairing with a calming weighted blanket) to pillowy slippers for head-to-toe contentment, these are the gifts the homebodies on your list really want. Scroll down for the 12 cozy holiday gifts you’ll want to grab for everyone in your life. Saje Sleep Routine Restful Sleep Kit, $30 Getting comfy starts with your bedtime situation, and this sleep kit is primed for peak snoozing. With a light-blocking face mask, a tranquility-boosting spray, and a sleep-promoting roll-on (featuring valerian, roman chamomile, and lavender essential oils), it’s basically a restorative moment you can gift wrap. Bearaby Velvet Napper, $249 This hand-knitted, organic cotton blanket is weighted to help reduce the production of stress hormones (cortisol) and increase production of happiness and sleep hormones (serotonin and melatonin), according to research. So you’re giving the gift of a nap that’s good for you in more ways than one. The Sill Plant For Beginners monthly subscription, $35/month Before you skip over this one for failed plant parents, listen to this: The Sill offers monthly subscriptions of