January 28, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC Foundation is makeup’s most confusing category, and the cringe-worthy photos we’ve all got of ourselves with orange skin, an unblended line and/or a caked-on face serve as proof. Finding the right product (and then applying it) can be tricky, especially because there is so much information—and misinformation—out there on the subject. Thanks, Instagram. For example, did you know that applying three coats of light-coverage foundation is not the same as applying one coat of a full-coverage option? Or that you shouldn’t be applying any type of foundation directly to your face? Jaw-dropping stuff, I know. To clear up some of the most common misconceptions in the makeup world, we asked makeup artists to debunk the foundation myths that they wish people would stop believing. This way, you’ll be fully matched (and blended to perfection) every time you apply. Myth #1: Heavy foundation gives the best coverage In spite of popular belief, “full-coverage” and “heavy formulas” are not mutually exclusive. While you certainly can cover your skin with something more intense, if that’s what you’re into, a light or sheer product is also fully capable of doing the trick. “Layering a foundation will get you the perfect, full coverage you are looking for, while still allowing your skin to look like skin,” says Julia Dalton-Brush, makeup artist and founder of B3 Balm. Myth #2: Foundation should go straight from the bottle onto your face In the interest of time, it’s tempting to squirt your
Day: January 28, 2020
There are a lot of alt-milks out there, but this is the one a top dietitian loves the most
January 28, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO5rBK1Lte0] Oat, coconut, almond, oh my! Find out which non-dairy milk is an RD favorite here. Nothing has gone from zero to hero quite like the explosion of alternative milks. Five years ago, if you were vegan or lactose intolerant, your choices were pretty slim. Fast forward to 2020 where the bigger question is, what can’t you milk? While having more options is definitely a positive, the amount of choices can be overwhelming. Thankfully, registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, has some helpful advice on how to choose the healthiest milk substitute, which she shares in the latest episode of You Versus Food. “With an increase in both dietary and allergy concerns, people are relying on alternatives to cow’s milk more and more,” Beckerman says. In the video, Beckerman compares five of the most popular alt-milks (almond, oat, coconut, rice, and soy) to each other and also to cow’s milk. One of the OG milk alternatives is soy milk. “Nutritionally speaking, soy milk is the best plant-based milk because it contains as much protein as cow’s milk, but is low in calories,” Beckerman says. But she also adds that too much soy can negatively effect the thyroid. Then of course, you can’t talk about alt-milk without mentioning current queen bee oat milk. “Like whole oats, oat milk can provide energy and strengthen bones,” Beckerman says, adding that it’s also high in fiber and protein. Seems pretty legit right? Well, hate to break
I’m a yoga therapist and MD, and these are the 5 middle back stretches I recommend every day for a healthy spine
January 28, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC The human body is home to 33 vertebrae that support your muscles, protect your spinal cord, and aid in other ways that help you, you know, have a spine. The thoracic spine, or middle back, sits just between your cervical and lumbar sections, and Loren Fishman, MD, medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in New York City, says it can be a painful area for some of us vertebrates. So to make sure your back feels good all the way from T1 to T12 (a little spine humor for you), Dr. Fishman gave us a handful of middle back stretches to commit to memory. First, how common is middle back pain? And why do you have it? “[Your middle back is] not a frequent source of back pain,” says Dr. Fishman. “There’s much more neck pain and much, much more lower back pain. The ribs act like outriggers and keep the spine in relatively good alignment, but you can get pains there especially if you’re doing a lot of lifting over your head, because those muscles have to contract.” Rare as it is, though, discomfort in the center of the spine presents a very real—and very achey—problem for those who deal with it. “The main people [with middle back pain] are those who do the kind of exertion that raises your arms over your head—especially if they do so while they’re horizontal so that raising their arms in a way that
Your hormones want to help you thrive. Here’s how to let them do that
January 28, 2020 at 09:30PM by CWC If you haven’t heard, Alisa Vitti —pioneer of female biohacking, Johns Hopkins alum, women’s hormone health expert and founder of the period-positive platform FLO Living—is launching her latest book, In the FLO. It’s full of radical, groundbreaking information meant to help women understand and reconnect with their unique biological rhythm, just as nature intended. This book shows how mainstream health plans, self-care routines, fitness regimens, time management schedules, and even the power morning concept are all founded on a system that only optimizes male biology, and leaves out the specialized and cyclical needs of women. In the following interview, the Well+Good Council member shares an overview of the infradian rhythm: a long-ignored biological rhythm that, when properly cared for, can help you restore energy, reduce brain fog, and thrive overall. Annie Tomlin: This book introduces a concept called the infradian rhythm. What is that, in a nutshell? Alisa Vitti: There are many different biological rhythms. We have the circadian rhythm, which is something that we experience in the course of 24 hours. We have the ultradian rhythm, which are things that we experience that are shorter than a 24-hour period. And we have the infradian rhythms, which are cycles that are longer than 24 hour period—and for women, we experience it in our monthly cycle most noticeably, and it turns out that it affects key systems of the body. “Our hormones are a powerful gift.” —Alisa Vitti Annie Tomlin: Why haven’t we heard
Your A-to-O glossary of sex terms you’ll never have to nervously Google again
January 28, 2020 at 09:00PM by CWC You thought you’d learned your sex ABCs—or, rather, ACGs (that’s your A-spot, C-spot, and G-spot)—a long time ago. But then, you hear someone talking about cuckolding, queening, or a Wartenberg wheel, and you suddenly feel like you’re learning a new language. The thing is, when it comes to sex terms, you essentially are constantly learning a new language, and that’s okay. “Of course there’s some confusion on different sex terms,” says Gigi Engle, certified sex coach and author of All The F*cking Mistakes: A Guide to Sex, Love, and Life. “We have so little sex education in this country, and it’s not like the SATs include any of these fun and actually useful words and phrases.” Furthermore, unlike other choice words and phrases not covered in a traditional school setting, much of the language used to describe the wide spate of sex-related concepts are left out of other public streams of communication completely. “It’s not just the classroom where people aren’t exposed to certain sex terms,” says clinical sexologist Megan Stubbs, EdD. “TV shows, books, and movies aren’t detailing out and explaining a broad range of sexuality, either.” Because of this, and because, as Engle notes, new terms around sex, gender, and sexuality, are constantly emerging, many are left out of the know. In light of this ever-growing sexicon, educate yourself below with the comprehensive glossary of sex terms, defined by pros. Scroll down for your comprehensive guide to those not-so-basic sex terms.
5 things that can mess with your blood sugar that have nothing to do with food, according to a dietitian
January 28, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC Sorry, green juice: It seems that everyone in the wellness world is currently focused on optimizing their blood sugar levels. People are all about eating low glycemic index foods for stable energy levels, mental health experts stress the surprising connection between sugar and anxiety, and some people even advocate for everyone to regularly track their blood glucose—not just diabetics—as a preventative health measure. The fixation on blood sugar (or blood glucose) makes sense, given that how much you have in your system can have a trickle-down effect on health. When blood sugar levels rise, this signals the release of the hormone insulin to transport glucose from the blood and into your cells to be used for energy. This is a normal, essential, and healthy bodily process, but it becomes a problem when blood sugar levels rise too high and too quickly—like after eating a high sugar, low fiber food. If you have a very steep and quick rise in blood sugar, that drop will follow, which can leave you tired, cranky, and craving more sugar, says Charlotte Martin, RDN. Constantly high (or spiking) blood sugar levels can have long-term consequences, too. “Consistently elevated blood sugar levels—known as hyperglycemia—can damage the vessels that supply blood to vital organs, which can increase the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease and kidney disease,” says Martin. One of the biggest factors that directly impacts blood sugar levels is, well, food—particularly carbohydrates that lack fiber or
How to tell different kinds of pimples apart, according to dermatologists
January 28, 2020 at 07:31PM by CWC Acne is straight up the most common skin condition there is, but not all zits are the same. In fact there are many different kinds of acne, which can make dealing with pimples a tricky venture. Because while certain products can make one kind of pimple vanish overnight, they might be good-for-nothing when it comes to dealing with another type. It can legit feel like you’re playing a game of Clue to figure out what will make a given spot go away, which is frustrating (to say the very least). So we tapped dermatologists to get the low-down on treating the most common acne types that they see. “When we talk about acne, we are often referring to the most common type, which is acne vulgaris,” says Tiffany Jow Libby, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. Acne vulgaris is the medical term for inflammation from a blocked pore, and within this broad umbrella category, there are four major categories: comedonal, inflammatory, nodular, and hormonal (though all acne is technically a result of hormones). Besides these, acne mechanica, or breakouts you can get from things like sweat or friction, is also fairly common according to dermatologists. While it sounds overwhelming, Dr. Libby notes that most patients predominantly have one of the above types of acne (or some combination). “If the patient has a combination of acne types, I’ll combine different recommended treatments to figure out what works best,” she says. “For example, some patients have
8 healthy condiments you should keep in your pantry, according to RDs
January 28, 2020 at 06:25PM by CWC Your fridge is jam-packed with healthy flavor-boosting condiments, from your go-to nutty pesto to your beloved Sriracha. But if you’re not taking full advantage of all that space in your pantry too, you’re seriously missing out. There are plenty of condiments to store on those shelves that can immediately take your meals from a 7 to a 10. For registered dietitians, the pantry is basically a treasure chest loaded with nutritional gold. There’s room for healthy cereals, canned goods, nut butters, and of course the condiments you never thought to store there. If you want to eat like a health expert, these are the condiments you’ll always find behind those wooden doors. The 8 condiments RDs always store in the pantry 1. Mustard There are so many different types of mustard, and you should take full advantage. “I love mustard because it’s a low-calorie condiment,” says Tony Castillo, MS, RDN, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition. “I always spread it on my sandwiches to give them a nice flavor.” Try this option from Annie’s that doesn’t contain any added sweeteners. Then after you open it, pop it in the refrigerator. 2. Red pepper sauce There’s no better way to spice up your life than this red pepper sauce. “Mina Harissa Mild Moroccan Red Pepper Sauce is made with six simple ingredients: red chili pepper, red bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. I love adding it to eggs, vegetables, soups, fish, and meat,” says
Avocado leaf tea is now officially a *thing*—but is it healthy or is it all hype?
January 28, 2020 at 05:20PM by CWC Just when you thought the not-so-humble avocado had been exploited to the point where it could be exploited no further (e.g. avocado hummus, avocado mayo, avocado brownies, avocado pancakes, avocado face masks, avocado hair oil, etc., etc., etc.), I’m here to announce that avocado leaf tea is here. Though they’re not the first to utilize the leaves of avocado trees for their health benefits, a pair of avocado farmers in California recently created a patent-pending process to create single-serving teabags which optimally deliver the plant’s nutritional benefits. But are said benefits real, or just hype hoping to piggyback off the popularity of everyone’s favorite fruit? According to the makers of Avocado Tea—which won first place in the “People’s Tea Choice Awards” at the World Tea Expo—the stuff’s packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and serotonin. According to the makers of Avocado Tea—which won first place in the “People’s Tea Choice Awards” at the World Tea Expo—the stuff’s packed with antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and serotonin. As a result of this allegedly potent brew, avocado leaf tea is purported to support kidney health and also heart health (with allegedly three times the catchetins as green tea), help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, and reduce the incidence of seizures, among other things. Some small studies (linked in paragraph above) do support these findings; however, Brittany Modell, MS, RD, and founder of Brittany Modell Nutrition and Wellness, offers caveats to this research. “Similar to many studies, studies
The CBD lip balm benefits dermatologists want you to know about
January 28, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC You can find CBD in practically every product imaginable. Sometimes, it’s serving an actual purpose (like for showering or for muscle soreness), and sometimes it’s more of a marketing ploy (looking at you, CBD leggings). But experts agree that the CBD lip balm benefits are legit, and when your lips get extra dry this winter, it could be worth slathering on. When used in a lip balm, CBD extract works to moisturize dry, damaged lips. “CBD is very nourishing and has anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe chapped skin,” says Claudia Mata, co-founder of Vertly. Much like the most dermatologist-recommended ingredient to heal chapped lips (beeswax!), CBD is another top contender for hydration. “With a well-made CBD lip balm, the CBD oil will seal moisture in your lips, preventing them from becoming dry or flaky,” says Gretchen Frieling, MD, triple-board certified dermatopathologist. It does this by acting as an antibacterial and an antioxidant. For example, Dr. Frieling points to a study that reveals that CBD contains antibacterial compounds that help keep your lips protected. As an antioxidant, “CBD can help skin stabilize free radicals and [better protect itself from] overexposure to the elements,” she says. “It can also help reduce redness and irritation around the lip area, and can be helpful if you are experiencing cold sores, the aftermath of allergies, or have inflamed lips due to a dehydrated epidermis.” When shopping for a CBD-spiked lip balm to add to your collection, it’s