Month: November 2019

November 11, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC While codependency in a relationship is something I’m well-acquainted with, counterdependency is a new word to me describing a concept I understand quite well. The opposite of being all-consumingly clingy and codependent, a counterdependent individual tends to resist intimacy, clearly defined relationships, and uses pet names like “dude” to keep distance from you. Need a face to illustrate counterdependency? Consider the following two words: Justin Bobby. I know I’m very late to the early-aughts game, but I’m currently watching The Hills for the first time, and I have all-caps STRONG and AUTHENTIC FEELINGS about each and every character. But no one makes my blood boil like Justin Bobby and his manipulative, counterdependent BS directed at on-again, off-again flame Audrina Patridge. Counterdependency signs can include a fear of commitment, a fear of intimacy, and a resistance to monogamy, says sex and relationship therapist Tammy Nelson, PhD. Regarding the last point, I understand that monogamy is hardly the only desired relationship construct, with setups like swinging, polyamory, and open relationships being more gloriously mainstream with each passing day. Still, plenty of people still seek monogamy, and plenty of counterdependents drag them through the mud in pursuit of it. (Ahem, Justin Bobby.) Counterdependency signs can include a fear of commitment, a fear of intimacy, and a resistance to monogamy, If you are seeking an exclusivity, it’s easy to get stuck in an exhaustingly ill-fated game of chasing a counterdependent person. I’m four seasons deep into The Hills at this point, and I

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November 11, 2019 at 06:35PM by CWC After months spent working to get your skin to a good place, having everything suddenly blow up in your face after trying out a new makeup or skincare product is the worst feeling ever. Trust me, I know.Whether it causes a breakout or irritation, your skin doesn’t always just bounce back to normal. Sometimes it can take days, weeks, or months to undo facial skin irritation or breakouts caused by something your skin didn’t agree with. But a dermatologist says there’s no need to worry. “The beauty industry is always trying to sell us something new. It’s how they stay in business! But in reality, less is more and the best skin routine is simple,” says board-certified dermatologist Caren Campbell, MD. “While it’s frustrating when breakouts or irritation happens, they’re usually temporary and taking away the cause usually helps resolve things quickly.” So say goodbye to whatever caused your skin woes and listen up, because these are all the steps you’ll need to recover from a skin disaster in record time. If a new product causes a breakout Acne can be caused by a variety of different factors, including hormonal influences, excess oil production, bacterial overgrowth, and clogged pores from dead skin cells or topical agents, says Dr. Campbell. “In the case of acne triggered by a product, the clogging of the pore is likely the primary cause,” she says. “The clogged pore creates a modus for oil and bacteria to accumulate, which

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November 11, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC “It’s 11:11, make a wish.” This was a daily refrain among my high-school friends—twice daily, in fact, on Fridays, when we were together right until our curfews. The idea is that when when telling time and all the ones line up, if you notice it within the minute, you could score a bit of luck. It’s not out of nowhere we came to hold this belief, either: 11-11 has significance in numerology and the date 11-11, or November 11, is widely considered to be a lucky day. But today, the 11-11 significance is all about revelation. This year on 11-11—that is, November 11, 2019—we’re halfway through Mercury retrograde, and the planet is transiting the sun. This midpoint is crucial in the retrograde cycle, because not all days of cosmic event are created equally. Some days are all about flight delays and texting miscommunications, while others, says astrologer Chani Nicholas, are akin to a magical or transformational portal. Today, 11-11 falls into the latter bucket. “It’s a moment where it’s said that Mercury enters the heart of the sun, or enters the chambers of the sun,” says Nicholas, author of You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance, available for pre-sale today. “There’s an Arabic word, cazimi that means ‘into the heart of,’ and when a planet, especially Mercury, enters into the heart of the Sun astrologically, it’s said to be able to receive information and receive a kind of solar infusion.” This

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November 11, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC The holidays are a time for giving—but our desire to connect and give thanks, in the absence of a budget, can often lead to that too-familiar overwhelmed, under-water feeling. Studies show that much of this “festive stress“—as worry related to the holidays is called—can be attributed to gift-giving and receiving. Merriment can be expensive. This year, it doesn’t seem as though we’re poised to rein in our spending. Roughly half of shoppers have already started searching for gifts on their friends’ and family’s wish lists, per a new online survey from The Harris Poll and OpenX. The poll also found that consumers plan to spend 5 percent more this year than in 2018. To help reduce money-related holiday stress, here are some budget-friendly moves to successfully navigate the season—call it my early holiday gift to you. 1. Craft a plan—and stick to it Really, though. It’s one thing to create a list of the important people in your life and a budget for each gift, but the true test is being able to stick with the plan, especially as marketers bombard us with deals and offers. Walking into the holiday frenzy without a clear set of goals and budgetary limits will make it very easy to feel ambushed and impulse purchases are more likely to be made. A plan of action will ensure you spend more intentionally and within budget. Pro Tip: Save your list in your phone and desktop so that you

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November 11, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC It’s super common—even among non-card carrying Costco members—to buy items like toilet paper, tampons, and soap in bulk, but for some reason, the same logic doesn’t often carry over to healthy food staples. Some believe that in order for something to be healthy that it has to be bought fresh, and therefore buying in bulk doesn’t really apply. But it turns out that this isn’t always true. According to The Conscious Dietitian blogger Rachel Dickens, RD, it’s actually cheaper and more sustainable to buy healthy bulk foods. Here, she gives the five she recommends to buy this way 5 bulk foods a sustainable dietitian recommends 1. pumpkin seeds While you’ll often find pumpkin seeds sold in little bags, Dickens recommends buying them in bulk because they don’t go bad and it’s an easy way to add more zinc into your diet, which she says most people don’t get enough of. “I love making pumpkin seed butter for a big dose of these healthy seeds,” she says. “I love buying my pumpkin seeds in bulk so I can make big batches of pumpkin seed butter to add to my smoothies, toast or just eat it by the spoon.” Giving your morning smoothie the pumpkin pie treatment? Done. 2. chickpeas “Canned foods, [including chickpeas] are often lined with BPA, which is a known endocrine disruptor, so I like purchasing dried chickpeas in bulk instead,” Dickens says. To cook with them she recommends soaking the dried chickpeas

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