December 17, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC What if I told you that you could combine push-ups and yoga sun salutations to create a hybrid move that strengthens and stretches your body in one go? Introducing, dive bomber push-ups: the lovechild of the two movement patterns that acts as a compound movement all on its own. If you’ve never spotted the move at the gym, it involves starting in downward dog and snaking your body down, forward, then arching your body into and upward facing dog. Then, you reverse the whole thing (making it even more challenging). “I think [dive bomber push-ups] are way harder than a traditional push-ups,” says Maillard Howell, owner of CrossFit Prospect Heights and founder of the The Beta Way. “It involves more pushing with the shoulder versus pushing with the chest like in a traditional push-up. You’re also going to get a lot more hamstring and lower back stretch activation when you do dive bomber push-ups. So it’s a whole, full-body movement versus the regular push-up really just involves core, arms, chest, and back.” How to do dive bomber push-ups properly [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neiHSQrS0YI?start=14] Step 1: Start in downward dog with your knees slight bent. Step 2: Bend your elbows so they hug the sides of your ribs and lower your chest so it’s hovering just above the ground. Step 3: Push through your hands into upward facing dog pose: chest open, thighs off the ground, core engaged to protect your lower back. Now reverse it! Step 4: Bend your elbows and press your
Year: 2019
I consulted a behavioral scientist to learn how to stop biting my nails
December 17, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC I’ve gnawed on my fingernails for as long as I can remember. It happens when I’m bored, anxious, or basically anytime my hands aren’t occupied with typing or eating. There’s no denying that the habit is pretty darn gross, but ask anyone with chewed nails, and they’ll tell you: quitting ain’t easy. In fact, BJ Fogg, PhD, a behavioral scientist at Stanford Univiersty and author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, says that the question of how to stop biting nails is one he’s asked about with great frequency. According to Dr. Fogg, every habit—be it nail-biting (the scientific term is “Onychophagia”), procrastinating, appsturbating, or mindless eating— has three components: motivation, ability, and a prompt. “If you can take away any one of those items then the behavior won’t happen,” he tells me. Below, you’ll learn about each factor, and how—with a little patience—you can unravel one aspect to kick the habit to the curb. For good this time. How to stop biting your nails, according to a behavioral scientist Ability, motivation, and prompt all come together to encourage bad habits. But luckily the trio work a lot like the three legs of a stool—knock one out and you break the habit as a whole. For nail-biting, Dr. Fogg says the three components look like this. The 3 components of any habit 1. Prompt According to Dr. Fogg, attacking your prompt for nail-biting isn’t as simple as it is for
Drop the foam roller, full-body gua sha is the best way to melt tight muscles
December 16, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__ukzmTGAs] What’s old is new again, as they say—and in the beauty world, the ancient practice of using gua sha has been steadily climbing in popularity, thanks to its ability to sculpt and release tension in the face. However, many people don’t realize that full-body gua sha can have the same muscle-melting effects, as say, foam rolling on the entire body. In the latest episode of Well+Good’s YouTube series What the Wellness (the show where we test out the wildest treatments that wellness has to offer), director of creative development and the show’s star, Ella Dove, gets a full-body gua sha treatment, which purportedly has a whole lotta benefits. “[Gua sha] is a scraping technique that helps break up mini-capillaries, so [it’s creating] micro-trauma to the skin, which creates a healing response,” says Mona Dan, founder of Vie Healing in Los Angeles, where Dove gets the treatment. The response, according to Dan, boosts immunity, drains the lymphatic system, and stimulates collagen and elastin. So that little gemstone might be small, but it could have big potential when it comes to helping your bod. As Dove lies on the table, Dan moves the rose quartz from her neck to her chest and along her IT band, where it begins to feel kind of like a “tiny foam roller,” says Dove. So gua sha can even help with fitness recovery, too, since it digs into your fascia. The coolest part about it all, though? You don’t
The ‘secret weapon’ ingredient a gastroenterologist eats for breakfast
December 16, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC When it comes to making smoothies, there’s a short list of usual suspects that tend to make their way into the blender: alt-milk, protein powder, spinach, berries, bananas. But Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist and author of Fiber Fueled, has a favorite smoothie ingredient that’s a little more unexpected. “I am utterly obsessed with putting broccoli sprouts in my smoothie—it’s my secret weapon,” Dr. Bulsiewicz says. You can sprout your own broccoli seeds in water at home, but you can also buy broccoli sprouts at many grocery stores. “Broccoli sprouts release a phytochemical called sulforaphane, which causes them to taste bitter,” Dr. Bulsiewicz says. “I say, embrace the bitter! Sulforaphane [a phytochemical] is absolutely incredible. It heals the gut, reduces inflammation, and [could help] fight cancer.” He says broccoli spouts have a much higher amount of sulforaphane than mature broccoli, which is why he suggests going the sprouted route versus using mature broccoli. “I am utterly obsessed with putting broccoli sprouts in my smoothie—it’s my secret weapon.” —Will Bulsiewicz, MD Because a little goes a long way, you can still have your go-to smoothie and just incorporate the broccoli sprouts right in it. The key to keeping it taste yummy is balancing out the bitterness with something sweet or tart (like berries or a banana). And just like that, with one little add-in, you just gave your smoothie habit a gastroenterologist-approved upgrade. What a registered dietitian recommends when it comes to eating for
Together for 85 years, the world’s oldest couple shares their tips for making a relationship last
December 16, 2019 at 07:20PM by CWC When you’ve been married to the same person for 80 years, it’s safe to say you know a thing or two about relationships. Charlotte and John Henderson, the world’s oldest living couple, met in 1934 as students at the University of Texas at Austin. On December 22, they’ll celebrate their “oak” anniversary with eight decades of marriage. In an interview with the Washington Post, 105-year-old Charlotte and 106-year-old John shared their secrets to a happy, healthy, and long marriage. According to John, the couple has made the old adage “never go to bed angry” their relationship motto. All bickering and fighting gets resolved before they call it a night—and good sleep hygiene isn’t the only thing keeping their marriage on the upswing. Apart from keeping the number of arguments to a minimum, the couple leads an active lifestyle that revolves around moderation. The Hendersons enjoys nutritious foods (think: fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins) and drink very little alcohol. John still makes a habit of going to the gym regularly. And another factor may have contributed to their long marriage: The couple never had children. “[S]o some people have said that’s really why we’ve lived so long,” he says. Make of that what you will. While their marriage has lasted 80 years, John and Charlotte have been together for 85—”It took her five years to make up her mind that she wanted to get married,” he says—so don’t rush into it. The
The 9 biggest face-washing mistakes you’re making, according to dermatologists
December 16, 2019 at 06:25PM by CWC You may think you know how to wash your face properly, but chances are you’re making at least one of several common mistakes. As nice as it would be to just turn on the water, grab a bar of soap, and get to work, that’s not exactly going to help you reach your complexion goals. In fact, some of the most common techniques could actually be hurting your skin. Whether you’re just starting your skin-care journey or you abide by a 15-step routine, there are a handful of mistakes to avoid to ensure you’re getting the most out of your face-washing routine. These are are the top nine to be aware of, according to the dermatologists. The biggest face washing mistakes—and how to wash your face properly 1. You’re not washing your face long enough Be honest. How long do you actually spend washing your face? If it’s a quick 10 seconds, it’s time to up your time spent on skincare. “If all the prep—such as thoroughly removing your makeup—is already done, it should take 20 to 30 seconds to wash your face each morning and night,” says dermatologist Libby Rhee, DO. “Sometimes I recommend a slightly longer or more complicated cleanse depending on someone’s goals, like using a gentle exfoliating brush while cleansing, which usually takes around 60 seconds.” 2. You’re not washing your neck, too If you’re not thinking of your neck as part of your routine, you’re missing a crucial
8 women share the thing they wish they had known before being laid off
December 16, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC In a culture that teaches us to intertwine our self-worth with our jobs, getting laid off can have devastating effects. This year alone, hundreds of thousands have been there. Following the first quarter of 2019, outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas announced that job cuts totaled 190,410—the highest quarterly total since 2015’s third quarter. Sadly, the end of the year is looking just as bleak with cuts jumping 20.97 percent between September and October 2019. We can also expect additional layoffs to occur right around the holidays because, according to Fast Company, companies will want a fresh start for the new year and to reach end-of-year numbers. If you’ve recently been laid off, it’s important to remember that you’re not an anomaly, and that it’s normal if you don’t know what to do next (or even right now). To get advice from those who have “been there, done that” when it comes to layoffs, we talked with nine women about what they wish they’d known before being laid off. Though, spoiler alert: Getting let go could end up being for the best. Photo: Catherine Santino Catherine Santino Job then: Staff writer at a digital publication Job now: Freelance writer “The first time [I got laid off], I was completely blindsided, so I would tell myself to stash some money away in case of emergencies—especially since I was working at a startup in such an unpredictable field. That layoff devastated me, financially, and I had to put a hold on my student
This Greek super ingredient is your next go-to to help with nausea and other stomach problems
December 16, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC For the last 10 years, it seems the term “superfood” was on everyone’s tongue (and in everyone’s smoothie). But those superfoods? Fruit with deep blue or vibrant red hues, greens with a hearty, leafy texture, or seeds only found deep in some remote village in Peru. Yet there’s one the world has seemingly missed, although its existence has benefitted and been harvested by Greeks for more than 2,500 years, and first mentioned even centuries before by ancient Greek physicians Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Galenos. Mastiha is a sap that drips from the pistacia (or mastic) tree and hails from one part of the Greek island Chios, in the northern Aegean Sea near Turkey. The sap (pronounced: mas-tee-ha and also known as mastic) hardens in the shape of semi-translucent waxy tears that somewhat resemble tiny pieces of rock candy, and it has been used for centuries to aid in digestion, stomach issues, skin problems, and more. The resin is traditionally chewed as a gum to freshen breath, as well. “Chios mastiha has a long history of being used as the first natural chewing gum, and that alone is interesting,” says Artemis Kohas, founder of mastihashop in New York, who also notes that it was used as a spice for dishes and a natural remedy for ailments. “Add in that the resin comes from one island on the planet, must be hand-cultivated (making it fair trade), is [currently] run by a cooperative, and has many recognitions
Cortisol affects everything in your body—including your fertility
December 16, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC When things get stressful, the human body back-burners a lot of otherwise critical systems in order to focus its efforts on the production of the hormone cortisol. Why? Because cortisol, also known as the “stress” hormone, gives the body the boost it needs to survive. Among other things, it increases glucose (read: sugars) in the bloodstream, helps your brain use those sugars more efficiently, and aids in getting tissue repair going if needed. This whole process is super useful during, say, a saber tooth tiger attack. “Imagine if you’re trying to run away from a tiger. Your body doesn’t want you to be menstruating or ovulating—it wants to save all your hormones to keep the cortisol functioning so you can run faster,” says fertility reproductive endocrinologist Jane L. Frederick, MD. “It’s really a survival hormone.” These days, however, we’re generally no longer running from imminent death. Yet our bodies often think we are due to the chronic stress endemic of modern life. If this stress isn’t managed, its constant triggering of cortisol can wreak major havoc on immunity, digestion and, as too many people have experienced first-hand, reproduction. The “flatlining” effect of cortisol on fertility Nicole Jardim, certified women’s health and functional nutrition coach, says that when the body produces too much cortisol over long periods of time, that cortisol has a “dampening effect” on the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). When GnRH runs low, the hypothalamus—the body’s hormone control center—fails to send
Why do people talk in their sleep, anyway—and what can they do about it?
December 16, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC For many (lucky) people, sleeping entails closing their eyes, drifting off, and waking up rested, ready to take on the day. For others, though, the nighttime routine involves walking around in their sleep, or even chatting up a storm while soundly snoozing. The National Sleep Foundation defines sleep talking—also known as somniloquy, if you want to get fancy—as talking during your sleep and waking up with absolutely no recollection of it, until your significant other or bedmate or roommate points it out, that is. But still, why do people talk in their sleep in the first place? And can anything be done to stop the practice from happening? Well, most pressing to note is that although sleep talking may seem like a bit of a strange habit (and probably not one that’ll endear you to any bedmates), it’s nothing to worry about from a health perspective. “Sleep is the most important thing for the mind and should be considered a mental vital sign, like blood pressure and pulse are for the body,” says psychiatrist and sleep-medicine specialist Alex Dimitriu, MD. “Any disturbance in sleep is worth looking into, but sleep talking, alone, is quite normal.” Cue: Sigh of relief. Also of note, says Petra Hawker, PhD, sleep psychotherapist and author of A Little Book of Self Care: Sleep, is that sleep talking is more common in men and young children, and the chatter can range from complete gibberish to crystal clear (albeit strangely