December 21, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC If you plan on leaving your home anytime in the next three months, chances are, you’re going to cross paths with some pretty nasty germs. Even when they know better, the truth is, the majority of people under the weather still go to work sick. (And to the grocery store sick. And the gym sick. And on and on and on.) Given that we’re in prime flu season right now, it’s no surprise that one of the first questions that came up during a recent Ask Me Anything in Well+Good’s Facebook group Cook With Us with registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, was how to use healthy winter foods to keep from getting sick. Given that a high proportion of the body’s immune system is actually located in the gut, it’s a very good question; the food-immune system connection is real! “While everyone is coughing on you, you can protect yourself with food,” Beckerman answered in response to the question. “Your gut plays a role in protecting your immune system.” How exactly? These are the top foods she recommends for keeping your immune system in top shape all winter long. Winter foods to keep you healthy 1. probiotic-rich foods Yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut all land on Beckerman’s list of foods to add to your grocery haul during winter. “It’s important to have plenty of probiotics to support the gut,” she says. The three listed above are all high in the good bacteria that
Day: December 21, 2019
Our leggings drawers are stacked but the best 2019 launches had us making more room
December 21, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC “What’s one more pair of leggings?” Those will probably be my last words as my dresser bursts open because it can’t take one more piece of athleisure stuffed inside of it. The excuses to buy more always seem so legit. Because you can wear leggings anywhere you go, you can never have too many (regardless of whether your dresser begs to differ). The best leggings of 2019 gave us so many reasons to have drawers stacked with spandex and when you look at the most covetable launches from the past year, you’ll definitely agree with me that your collection could use some additions (trust). In honor of this, we’re rounding up the best leggings of 2019. They include everything from Insta-worthy prints to utilitarian pocket placement, sweat-wicking materials, and sustainable fabrics. There’s even a pair of leggings that make your workout even harder. Keep scrolling for our faves, and, y’know… make room in that leggings drawer. 1. Gaiam Om Mesh Yoga Leggings, $37 If you’re on a quest to find leggings that will never, ever show crotch sweat, we’ve got you. This pair by Gaiam will keep the perspiration of your nether-regions a secret, no matter how hard your workout is. Photo: Gaiam 2. Alternative Apparel Cotton Modal Printed Legging, $54 Sustainable everything is taking over (thank goodness), and so the time has come for more eco-friendly activewear… which includes your leggings. Alternative Apparel adheres to the fair labor association guidelines and uses
Hundreds of new healthy foods and drinks came out in 2019—these are our 10 favorites
December 21, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC One of the biggest perks of being a healthy food reporter is without a doubt being one of the first to know what’s about to hit grocery stores. Every day, soon-to-be released healthy foods and drinks are sent to the Well+Good offices for us to try and potentially write about. I can’t promise you that everything we is particularly exciting or delicious, but sometimes, we are legit wowed. (And suddenly very popular with hungry colleagues asking to get in on the snacking.) Rounded up here are the 10 new foods and drinks Team Food at Well+Good (myself and our senior food and health editor, Jessie Van Amburg) became obsessed with this year. Scroll down to see the 10 best healthy food and drink launches of 2019. Photo: Minna 1. Minna sparkling tea, $36 for 12 “Sorry seltzer, but I can say with authority that this is one of the favorite drinks of the Well+Good offices,” Van Amburg says of her favorite drink launch of the year. “Think of it as the best possible marriage between iced tea and your favorite sparkling water. The brand makes three different flavors of sparkling tea with lots of flavor, quality ingredients, and no sugar.” Plus, they’re pretty. Photo: Hippeas 2. Hippeas tortilla chips Chickpeas are seriously taking over the healthy food scene, so get ready to see them being used in downright genius ways in 2020—like in the new tortilla chips from Hippeas, which just launched on
3 tips to get out of your own way and stop self-sabotage in its tracks
December 21, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Have you ever set a goal that you’re unable to reach, regardless of how hard you try? Or, perhaps you do achieve it, but something adjacent to the goal gets messed up, which, in turn, compromises all of your progress? That’s self-sabotage rearing its ugly head. Judy Ho, PhD, clinical and forensic neuropsychologist, author of Stop Self Sabotage, and co-host of The Doctors, defines self-sabotage as “thoughts and/or behaviors that undermine our best interests and conscious intentions.” Self-sabotage can show up in many different ways and spill into all areas of life, including relationships, career, health, and even finances. Maybe you stayed up all night binge-watching Friends (again), and now you’re stressed out about missing a work deadline you’re too tired to meet. No matter the specifics of the scenario, though, self-sabotage can hold us back from achieving our goals, feeling our best, and living the life we want to be living. Ready to recognize signs of self-sabotage in practice so you can put a stop to it once and for all? Below, get expert tips so you can live a life free of self-sabotage. Signs you’re self-sabotaging To be clear, self-sabotage looks different for everyone, says transformational life coach, mindfulness expert, and host of The Soulpreneur Show podcast Jenay Rose. While the existence of the habit does depend on the subconscious stories and beliefs people tell themselves, she does share common signs of self-sabotage we can all look for: The same pattern
Drop the contour: This highlighter hack will sculpt your face like none other
December 21, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Highlighter is one of those beauty products, like red lipstick and liquid eyeliner, that can backfire really quickly. With one accidental sweep of a brush, what started as a way to add a little radiance can easily become what looks like a glitter bomb exploded all over your face, and not quite the “natural, inside-out glow” you were going for. The best way to avoid looking like you’re heading to Coachella all year-round, according to makeup artists, is to apply product only to the parts of your face where the light would normally hit. When you think about what highlighter is, this theory makes sense: Highlighter should highlight areas where the light shines. But if you’re anything like me, you could wind up twisting in front of a makeup mirror with your phone flashlight trying to figure out what the heck that means. A far, far easier way to think of it? Use your facial bones as a guide. “You always want to hit [highlighter] on the bones—that’s ideally where you want the light to reflect really nicely,” says Covergirl makeup artist Brittany Whittfield. Think: your temples, cheek bones, brow bones, and nose, otherwise known as the “high points” of your face. If you want some glow on your body, too, the same method applies—look to your clavicle and breastbone, for example. For best results, Whittfield suggests pulling the skin tight, which “forces the skin to hit that bone that you want to hit,”
The most common mistakes people make in down dog—and exactly how to fix them
December 21, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Downward dog seems simple enough. It’s typically one of the first poses you learn, and you do it in pretty much every class you take. But even longtime yogis might be making some of the most common down dog mistakes. “At first glance, the down dog seems super easy and straightforward, but in truth, it’s a pretty technical pose when you practice yoga. Whether in a class or solo, you spend a fair amount of time coming in and out of a down dog, so it’s super important to master it,” says Corey Phelps, a yoga instructor and personal trainer. “When done properly, it stretches the hamstrings and calves, strengthens the arms, legs, back, and deep abdominal muscles that help stabilize the spine, and it can help relieve back pain.” Little tweaks can help improve your alignment, make poses more comfortable, and make them easier on your body, and these are the most common mistakes to avoid in down dog—and how to fix them. The most common mistakes you’re making in downward dog 1. Trying to force your heels to the ground One of the biggest goals of down dog is getting your heels to the ground, but you shouldn’t ever force it. Instead of trying to get on the same level of that super-bendy girl in your class, instead focus on what feels good to you. That’s when you’re going to reap the most benefits. “If you find that your heels are
Have flat feet? Pros say you might want to try a pair of stability running shoes
December 21, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Attention, runners: It’s time to take a look at the sneakers you’ve been wearing to log your miles these last few months. Are they worn in at the top inner edge? Congratulations, you’re a over-pronator. And it’s time to trade them in for a pair of stability running shoes. Over-pronation—often also referred to as “flat feet“—means that your feet collapse inward when you walk and run, and the best way to correct the problem (and to keep you from foot pain and potential injury) is with the right sneakers. Stability running shoes offer additional cushioning and support to keep your feet from rolling inward, making them better aligned with your legs. That’s why podiatrist Miguel Cunha, founder of Gotham Footcare, recommends them for people who pronate. “Shoes that are made for pronators consist of a medial post support, a wedge that is built into the shoe under the arch to prevent the arch from collapsing or rotating inward,” he says. “By minimizing pronation, this construct helps distribute the impact of running more effectively.” Flat-footed friends aren’t the only ones who could benefit from having a little bit more support in their shoes when they run. “Some runners are able to maintain their preferred motion path when going from walking to running, but some runners deviate from their preferred motion path when going from walking to running,” says Jon Teipen, senior manager of footwear at Brooks Running. “The runners that deviate more will benefit
The can’t-miss signs you’re suffering from social exhaustion—and how to deal with it
December 21, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC The holiday season brings plenty of opportunities to reconnect with family, friends, and maybe even past flames. Each invitation that comes your way may seem more tempting than the last, but by overloading your schedule with parties, brunches, and “catch-ups,” you’re also RSVPing to a bout of social exhaustion. “Social exhaustion is when you’ve socialized to the point that you can’t do it anymore, and you need some quiet time alone with no pressure,” says licensed clinical psychologist Aimee Daramus, PsyD. “It can be emotional, physical, or both.” The psychologist thinks that holidays are practically a pressure cooker for feeling spent, particularly if you don’t take time to be alone. “Being alone on the holidays carries a lot of emotional weight because of fantasies about how it should be. There are also assumptions that if you’re not around people you must be unhappy, which isn’t always true,” she says. For you, social exhaustion may be apparent. You may start the small talk with your third cousin, Sal, and Wow, I need to take a break, stat. That’s not always the case, however. “Other times, you might feel angry, stressed, or physically tired, and you’ll need to stop for a few minutes and think about why,” says Dr. Daramus. If you feel about ready to snap at Sal for asking why you’re still single, chances are you’ve got a case of the I-need-to-be-alones. A psychologists 3 strategies for dealing with social exhaustion 1. only