November 21, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Testosterone has long been stereotyped as the alpha male hormone. It was long thought (and still is, in some circles) as a key factor as to what makes a person a man versus a woman. But as our understanding of gender has evolved, so too has our knowledge about testosterone. See, in reality, testosterone is one of the body’s main sex hormones—for everyone. And it can have major health implications (good and bad) for people who don’t identify as men. Here, leading hormone experts explain everything you need to know about testosterone, including the role it plays in women’s bodies and what happens when it’s out of balance. The role testosterone plays in women and people with uteruses “Testosterone is one of the most well-known sex hormones in the body, along with estrogen and progesterone,” says integrative doctor and hormone expert Arianna Sholes-Douglas, MD. It is crucial for the development of the penis and testes, sperm, and even muscles and bones. While people with uteruses generally have much lower levels of testosterone overall than people with testes, the Big Three sex hormones all work together, she says; if one is out of balance, it will affect the levels of the others. Testosterone is important for sex drive and desire in people with uteruses; too little, and someone might have a harder time feeling aroused or in the mood. “The medical community has known for a long time that low testosterone is connected to
Month: November 2019
Want to de-frizz strands in no time flat? Try avocado oil for hair
November 21, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Avocados are the Tom Hanks of fruits and veggies: They can do no wrong. They’re beloved by all and universally appealing. In the avocado’s case (because we all know why Hanks is great), it’s super delicious to eat (duh), really good for your skin, and even good for your hair. Yes, using avocado oil for hair benefits may be the least discussed perk of the fruit, but it’s definitely legit. “Avocado oil is an amazing oil for hair,” says Debbi Burnes, beauty expert and founder of Sumbody. “It has a high content of monounsaturated fat, vitamins E and D, and oleic acid, and is one of the very few oils that can penetrate the hair shaft and cuticle as opposed to just lying on top of the hair.” Because it can really get into your strands, it can work to moisturize your hair while reducing split ends and breakage. Most people will want to keep the oil away from the scalp since it can cause hair to look overly greasy, and because the bottoms of hair tend to be the driest (unless of course, you’re washing it out following or doing some sort of a scalp mask, as mentioned below, and then go ham). “In addition to the lipids, avocado oil contains fat soluble antioxidants and bioactive phytochemicals, including vitamin E and carotenoids, which help protect hair from environmental aggressors and pollutants that can make hair dry and brittle,” explains Paula Simpson, biochemist,
The official USA Gymnastics stretching sequence is a full-body workout on its own
November 20, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC For the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, stretching is as effortless as breathing. At the beginning of each training session, competitors complete a 20-minute warm-up to prepare them to take on the beam, the vault, the uneven bars, the rings, and the floor. And according to some of the world’s foremost coaches, gymnastics stretching is indispensable. “Most gymnastics coaches would agree that flexibility is an essential aspect of gymnastics training and performance,” wrote William Sands, PhD, USA Gymnastics director of research and development, and Jeni McNeal, MS, of the United States Elite Coaches Association for Women’s Gymnastics (USECA). “Flexibility is frequently included in talent identification and screening measures for gymnasts, divers, and dancers.” To find their balance, gymnasts spend a great detail of time strengthening in the warm-up as well. In fact, some people might consider the stretching sequence a workout in and of itself. Ready to try it? The USA Gymnastics stretching sequence the team does before every practice To follow the full warm-up of gymnastics stretching routine, visit USA Gymnastics. Round 1: Prep This section includes five minutes of either jumping rope or jumping to get your heart rate up at the start. The right way to jump rope: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3zgHI8QnqE] Round 2: Walk around the mat While you’re walking around the mat (or, you know, some other surface), you’ll complete mobility movements like toe stretches, shoulder circles, and trunk twists to get all your muscles warmed up. round 3: Cardio In
Derms say these super-common shower mistakes are the reason skin gets so dry
November 20, 2019 at 10:31PM by CWC Whenever anyone complains about dry skin on their bodies, they’re usually offered the same ol’ easy fix: Just put on some lotion. And sure, that helps… to an extent. But as any dermatologist will tell you, the key to fending off dryness actually starts long before you step out of the shower, and most of us aren’t doing ourselves—or our skin’s hydration levels—any favors with certain shower habits. In fact, there are a number of very common mistakes that could be contributing to those dry arms and flaky knees… only one of which has anything to do with the products you’re lathering up with. Here, board-certified dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD breaks down the easiest in-shower fixes for fending off dry skin so that your lotion won’t have to work quite as hard afterwards. Read your body wash label: Just like with your face, certain ingredients like salicylic acid and glycolic acid can dry your skin a bit. Instead, look for “nourishing” and “moisturizing” products with hydrating heroes like ceramides and glycerin, and anti-inflammatories like niacinamide or chamomile. Also try a soap-free cleanser, like Dove Body Wash for Dry Skin ($6) or Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil ($20), which is a favorite among derms. Turn down the heat: Luxuriating in a hot shower might feel amazing when it’s 10 degrees outside, but it’s not doing your skin any favors. “The issue with very hot showers is that they actually dry you out and can cause dry skin
The Korean concept of ‘nunchi’ lets you read any room effortlessly—here’s how to develop it
November 20, 2019 at 10:04PM by CWC Have you ever met someone with so much charisma and charm that they instantly change the energy of every room they enter? If you have, you know what it’s like to be in the vicinity of someone with “nunchi”: the Korean word to describe the ability to effortlessly tune into people’s thoughts and feelings. Euny Hong, the author of The Power of Nunchi, published earlier this month, says that unlike emotional intelligence, or EQ, (which primarily revolves around tapping into other people’s feelings), those with nunchi can take the temperature of an entire room and adapt their actions from there. “The people who do focus on the room are actors, directors, poker players, and other people who know that you can’t just focus on one person because it’s not really going to help you,” she tells Well+Good. “The people who do focus on the room are actors, directors, poker players, and other people who know that you can’t just focus on one person because it’s not really going to help you.” In addition, nunchi involves being quick on your feet as you move from location to location. That’s why, according to Hong, someone can’t have “good” nunchi in Korea, but they can have “quick” nunchi. “If you can figure out what’s going on, but it’s after the fact, that’s not as useful,” says Hong. A true master of nunchi can adapt to social situations on the fly to the benefit of those around
‘I was diagnosed with PCOS in my twenties. IVF made it possible to have a baby’
November 20, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common medical procedure for infertility, which affects one in twelve women of childbearing age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even if you’ve done your research and know what it entails—a series of procedures where eggs are removed from a person’s body, fertilized by sperm to create embryos, and re-implanted into the uterus—a factsheet can only tell you so much. Here, Diane (last name withheld), shares her experience undergoing IVF. From how it affected her physically and emotionally to how much it cost, she holds nothing back. The big decision I was 19 when my husband and I got married—a very young bride. While we never actively took measures to prevent pregnancy, we didn’t start officially trying to conceive until I was 24. We tried for about two years. I would literally buy pregnancy tests in bulk from Amazon, but every time I took a test, it came back negative. Finally, I got a positive test. I was so excited that after two years of trying, I was finally pregnant. I had watched several of my other friends get pregnant so quickly; I didn’t know why it was so much easier for them than for me. I went to the health clinic to confirm that I was really pregnant, but my test there came back negative. That day at the clinic, I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is one of
Listen up: These healthy nutrition plans could keep your hearing sharp
November 20, 2019 at 07:30PM by CWC The fact that how you eat affects your mind and body is hardly breaking news. And if you’re not yet thinking about how the food on your plate impacts auditory health, you’re about to get an earful. A new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that specific diets may slow hearing loss with age. Past studies have linked certain nutrients and foods (such as folate, which is found in legumes, leafy greens, and elsewhere) to a lower risk of self-reported hearing loss, but the researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital sought to analyze how specific eating plans could affect hearing sensitivity. To do so, they set up testing locations at nine testing sites throughout the United States and trained audiologists to measure changes in people’s hearing thresholds over time. Over 20 years after the start of the project, researchers found that women who followed the DASH diet, the Mediterranean diet, and Alternate Healthy Index-2010 (a plan designed to combat chronic disease risk) were nearly 30 percent less likely to experience a decline in mid-frequency hearing (that is, the frequency of a human voice) than those who had less healthy diets. The odds were even lower at higher frequencies. “The association between diet and hearing sensitivity decline encompassed frequencies that are critical for speech understanding,” said Sharon Curhan, MD, who helped lead and author the study. Since Dr. Curhan and her team studied predominantly white women between the ages of 50 and
I had a session with a medical intuitive—here’s what happened
November 20, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC From shamans and toe readers to crystal healers and beyond, there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of woo-woo professions to explore. A medical intuitive, though, is one title that’s often met with outsize skepticism—and understandably so, given that it involves a self-appointed practitioner tapping into your energy and then providing you with intel about underlying emotional and physical situations they see. The thought of taking health advice from someone without a formal medical background can seem a little out there and certainly isn’t for everyone. But, as is the case with many alternative-healing methods, working with a medical intuitive isn’t meant to replace seeking more traditional-leaning diagnoses, testing, or treatment. Rather, a session with a medical intuitive who taps their spirit-guide posse for guidance is just another healing modality you can add to your wellness toolkit. “Being a medical intuitive means helping people discover the root cause of mild to moderate health ailments and prevent them before they begin,” says Amy Mercree, medical intuitive and author of A Little Bit Of Goddess: An Introduction to the Divine Feminine. So, seeing one can be especially helpful as a second, third, or fourth, opinion for finding a root cause to symptoms that have stumped other pros, or if you want supplemental support in healing after getting a diagnosis. I fall into the mystery-symptom camp. I’ve been dealing with chronic (and often debilitating) headaches as well as digestive issues for years and doctors have only
It’s Latina Equal Pay Day—here’s why the gender wage gap is a wellness issue
November 20, 2019 at 06:06PM by CWC Equal Pay Day marks the day when the average women’s salary finally catches up to the average men’s salary. In the U.S., that day usually happens in April of the following year. In 2019, it was April 19. That means it took until April 19, 2019—an extra three and a half months—for women to earn what men made in all of 2018. Wowza. But like many issues that have to deal with gender, the wage gap is compounded by other factors. One of those big factors? Race. Because when all women are lumped together, Equal Pay Day lands on April 19, but when separated into groups, the Latina Equal Pay Day is nearly seven months later, and is the widest gap in relation to white, non-Latinx men. This year, the Latina Equal Pay Day lands on November 20. In other words, Latinas are the last group among Asian, white, black, and indigenous populations to meet the pay equity from the previous year when comparing to white, non-Latinx men. Latinas make 54 cents on the white men’s dollar. In other words, on average, Latinas are paid 46 percent less than white men. (And 31 percent less than white women.) There are, of course, a variety of factors that contribute to the wider gap. Many Latinas work in lower-paying jobs. Many Latinas work in the service industry (which is lower-paying and often relies on tips). Many Latinx workers are employed in industries that have hourly
5 Thanksgiving foods you should buy instead of make to save time, money, and stress
November 20, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC You’ve probably started to think about what to make for Thanksgiving. But have you given much thought to what not to make? Even for people who love to cook, prepping for Thanksgiving is stressful. You’ll definitely want to keep a few recipes that nothing found in the aisles of a supermarket would be able to replicate, but there’s no need to cook everything yourself. Thanksgiving made from scratch takes lot of time and money. So give yourself a break. Registered dietitian and The Foodie Dietitian blogger Kara Lydon, RD, says there are five foods you should always buy at the grocery store. When considering what to make for thanksgiving, these are the foods you should buy pre-made 1. Cranberry sauce “With all there is to prepare and cook for Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce shouldn’t be one of them,” says Lydon. “You can find a number of canned and jarred varieties that are inexpensive and just as delicious as the homemade kind.” A can of cranberry sauce is $1.50 and still full of antioxidants. 2. gravy The turkey and stuffing require a lot of attention, and when it comes down to it, people care a lot more about those main events than the side of gravy, which is why Lydon says to do yourself a favor and buy it. “When it’s finally time to take the turkey out of the oven, the last thing you want to be worrying about is collecting all the fat