Real talk: Gym selfies aren’t *actually* helping to motivate that many of us

March 21, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC There’s only one thing in the fitness world more aggressively polarizing than burpees, and that’s gym selfies. Sweaty selfies. #swealfies, if you will. Whether you love them or hate them, you’ve most definitely got some sort of strong opinion about your IG feed being populated with flexed biceps. The practice has become so commonplace over the last few years—it’s nearly impossible to get through an entire fitness class without seeing someone whip out their phone to smize for the camera mid-plank, but when we take a closer look, is there really any benefit to broadcasting our workouts to the world? The answer, it seems, is slightly complicated. First, let’s start with the good stuff. “It’s a great way to announce: ‘I have a goal,’” says Janine Delaney, PhD, psychologist and fitness expert. “It’s a great way to keep yourself accountable for a goal, and I definitely think that is a very good motivation. A lot of people feel like once they put it out there into the universe, they need to be held accountable.” Once the selfie is live, the positive feedback you receive on it can actually help you stick with your regimen. “People work really hard, and if they get any sort of positive reinforcement, it’s nice to hear and it motivates them,” says Delaney. In addition to helping motivate you, these shots can also help motivate anyone who might happen to stumble upon them when they’re scrolling. “Not everybody may respond to you

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Two Honest Co. vets are partnering with the Cannabis Feminist to demystify hemp

March 21, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Ever since the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Schedule 1 drugs list, the once-maligned plant has developed an aura (a haze, even) of intrigue and excitement. Indeed, a small body of early research shows that compounds within hemp—including CBD, everyone’s favorite non-intoxicating cannabinoid—could be a helpful ally for those suffering from anxiety, poor sleep, and other modern woes, although more studies are needed to reach any definitive conclusions. But beyond the buzzwords, most of us still don’t know a whole lot about the hemp-based CBD products we’re putting into and onto our bodies, and how they could enhance our lifestyles in a holistic way. This is a problem, says Jessica Assaf, founder of Cannabis Feminist and a long-time clean beauty activist. “One of the greatest risks we see is that people think of CBD as this miracle cure-all,” she says. “We can’t just be using CBD in a bubble and not take care of our health in other ways.” Plus, she adds, there’s very little regulation or rigorous science in the CBD industry right now, and it’s hard for a buyer to tell whether any given product is legit. But an all-star trio hopes to change this by launching a new educational content platform called Prima, which has already raised over $3 million in venture capital funding. The site focuses on simple ways to optimize health on a holistic level and how plants like hemp can be layered into a broader self-care

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All of the most potent vitamin C sources your skin needs to know about, STAT

March 20, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC As someone who’s been told to not only regularly drink vitamin C (thanks, dad) but to put it all over my skin, you can say I’m familiar with the all-star ingredient’s benefits. Mainly, that it’s a big time antioxidant that boosts your immunity when you eat it, and brightens and restores your skin when you slather it on. Though I like to consider myself savvy to the ingredient, even I get confused about how to get my vitamin C. Typically (and I think this is true for lots of people) I equate vitamin C with oranges. Or, at the very least, citrus. But you can reap that tried and true antioxidant from a whole platter of fruits, which makes your beauty product shopping that much more fun. To begin, let’s just be clear on why you really want to stock up on a vitamin C skin-care product: “Naturally derived sources of vitamin C have multiple skin-care benefits, since it’s an antioxidant that helps to repair free radicals created from sun and environmental damage,” says Naissan O. Wesley, MD, FACMS, a board-certified dermatologist. “It’s also required in order to build collagen.” On top of that, it combats oxidative damage and revitalizes lackluster skin for a true glow. When it comes to the most potent source, oranges aren’t actually the top dog. According to Jené Roestorf, biologist and founder of Luxe Botanics, a berry called camu camu has one of the richest amounts of vitamin C in

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The placebo effect is getting stronger—and nobody knows why

March 20, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Most people are familiar with the placebo effect, but less aware of a surprising development: It’s getting stronger, but nobody knows exactly why. Here, ahead of the publication of her new book Energy Medicine, acupuncturist Well+Good Council member Jill Blakeway, DACM, LAc, explains what’s happening. In the world of medicine, a placebo is generally defined as a treatment—such as a pill or an injection or a procedure— that has a harmless effect and, usually, is proffered unbeknownst to the patient. Interestingly, research has shown that even the appearance of a placebo can influence a patient’s reported reaction to it. For example, the larger the pill, the stronger the placebo effect, and two pills elicit a stronger effect than one. Patients have a more positive reaction to brand-name pills than generic ones, and the most powerful responses result from placebos administered by needle. Even the color of placebo pills can alter the outcome: Blue ones are more effective than red ones for helping people sleep and green pills are preferred for anxiety. These are just the kinds of capricious details that have historically made scientists and doctors scoff at the placebo, dismissing it as a trivial mind game. Patients have a more positive reaction to brand-name pills than generic ones. But placebos are far from trivial. Research clearly reveals that our subconscious expectations lead us to better health and that our interactions with doctors and health-care practitioners also improve our sense of well-being. The

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