January 18, 2020 at 02:00AM by CWC Having a stomach bug is never fun. Your whole body hurts, you feel nauseated and dizzy, and it often requires you to spend lots of quality time in your bathroom. (Fun!) And if you do end up getting a GI issue like a stomach sickness or virus, you need to be super careful with what you eat as you recover so you don’t push your stomach too hard and overwhelm it with food. (No matter how good that bowl of mac and cheese looks right now.) So if all of this sounds a lot like you, you might be interested to know more about the “bland diet,” aka a sad, upset stomach’s life-force during rough times. What is a bland diet and what do you eat on it? The “bland diet” is essentially a temporary eating pattern that is low in fiber (yes, you read that right) and seasonings to keep things super plain, non-gas causing, and well, boring, to eat. “It is often used post-surgery for a patient, or when someone is dealing with GI problems, disorders and diseases such as ulcers, Crohn’s disease, GERD (chronic acid reflux), diverticulosis, and even acute GI illnesses,” says Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. It can also be helpful if you’re getting over a stomach bug or another similar kind of short-term issue. This type of diet emphasizes low-fiber starches, lean meats and protein sources, and calming foods, such as soups and hot cereals. It
Month: January 2020
Taking a device break can inspire *major* emotional growth—at any age
January 18, 2020 at 01:30AM by CWC In the digital age, distancing ourselves from phones and gadgets can be a challenge—especially for kids. But for Taryn Toomey, founder of The Class by Taryn Toomey, her daughter’s choice to leave her iPad alone wound up boosting her self-awareness. Here, the Well+Good Council member talks about the lessons her family learned while taking an analog-only trip. Screen time for children starts small, often with an educational show like Sesame Street. And yes, when my children were toddlers and I was rushing to make breakfast, sometimes I was very grateful for the presence of Elmo. But over the years, a build starts to happen—a few more shows here, a YouTube video there—until eventually kids get their hands on an iPad. That’s what happened in our family, anyway. About four years ago, both of my kids had iPads. Each morning, they’d rush to pick up their devices, and they’d quietly sit glued to their videos and games. I set boundaries around iPads—they were never allowed at the table, for instance—but still, I felt a growing unease with how my children were interacting with technology. My kids were constantly yearning for the iPad. I witnessed them transform into little zombies while watching it. And I worried about the effects this was having on our family. I felt a growing unease with how my children were interacting with technology. This was on my mind a few years ago, when my oldest daughter and I were preparing
The definitive ranking of boutique fitness locker rooms with the best beauty supplies
January 18, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC My old apartment had a scary bathroom that I hated using. To avoid it, I’d book evening hot yoga classes at Y7 Studio so I could shower there. The shower lines are much shorter in the evening, and the Malin+Goetz shower gel they provide smells so good you forget all about the 60 minutes you spent slipping around in your own sweat. Boutique studios have seriously upped the gym locker room game—so much that you may go out of your way to shower at the gym. If you’re ever out of shampoo, or, like me, have a bathroom straight out of a horror film, you can literally just shower at the gym. Where is the best place to go, you ask? We’ve got you covered. The 7 best-stocked boutique studios locker rooms for showering at the gym Photo: Kiehl’s best body lotion: EQUINOX While not exactly boutique, Equinox set this luxe standard when they partnered with Kiehl’s back in 2009. The Crème de Corps ($40) is a real stand-out. It’s packed with ingredients like beta-carotene, cocoa butter, and sesame, which fight free radicals, moisturize and soften the skin, respectively. It’s so good, one of our writers swears by it to nourish her dry skin. Photo: Chanel Best serums: THE CLASS BY TARYN TOOMEY I don’t know about you, but Chanel serums aren’t exactly at the top of my restock list. Feel like a French girl and do your skin routine at The Class
5 doctors share the healthy dinner recipes they make every week
January 17, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC With so many options out there, it’s difficult to figure out what to have for dinner (let alone carve out the time to prepare it!), but it doesn’t need to be complicated. We spoke to five doctors about what dinners make them feel their best from the inside out. What do these healthy dinner recipes with vegetables have in common? They’re super easy to make, and you probably already have many of the ingredients you need. 5 doctor-recommended healthy dinner recipes with vegetables 1. Meat, cheese and greens The best part about dinner is that you get to play in virtually every flavor—which comes with an increase in nutritional variety. Dr. Michael P. Rogowski, PhD, senior nutrition scientist at Plexus, goes for approximately 2.5 cups of green veggies (broccoli, spinach, and asparagus are his usual favorites!), paired with a small portion of nuts and cheese, and a modest portion of meat of around four to six ounces. Dessert is a serving of frozen fruit of either bananas, pineapple, or blueberries. “It doesn’t have to be frozen,” says Dr. Rogowski. “I just like the texture of frozen fruit.” 2. Salmon and quinoa Healthcare professionals choose salmon not only for its delicious taste, but its health benefits (think: a lower risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure). “It’s the omega-3 fatty acids that are key,” says Dr. Gretchen Frieling, MD, a board-certified dermatopathologist, who pairs her salmon with quinoa, avocado, and artichokes, which all
This $10 kitchen tool has 3,000 5-star reviews on Amazon—and ended my fear of cutting avocados
January 17, 2020 at 09:40PM by CWC I am no stranger to kitchen injuries—I one time sliced my finger down to the bone on a cheese grater while trying to make cauliflower rice, and I have a few other scars on my hands from various kitchen mishaps. Which is why cutting avocados strikes particular fear into my heart. Yes, I know avocado hand was a Thing we all laughed at in 2017. But the reality is that it’s horrifyingly easy to slice into your hand while trying to make avo toast or guacamole. According to an analysis of ER data from Insider, avocado-related injuries sent an average of 24 people to the hospital per day in 2018. 24! Per! Day! (Even a Well+Good staffer cut herself so deeply while preparing avocado that she recently had to have hand surgery. ) Since I only like being a statistic for things like “percentage of the population that is attracted to Adam Driver,” I decided to take a look on the internet to see if there was a safer way to cut an avocado. And I found the extremely highly-rated OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer ($10). Photo: Amazon Shop now: OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer At first, it seemed a little gimmicky and self-indulgent. Like, I’m going to spend $10 on a tool that serves only one purpose, and that purpose is to prepare avocados? The tool sounds like something my dad would make up to tease me about living in
How to be productive at work (all day) without that post-lunch cup of coffee
January 17, 2020 at 08:56PM by CWC If you think you’re the only one wishing you could take a nap at your desk a couple hours after you’ve finished lunch, take a look around. See all the stifled yawns and sleepy eyes? The tricky part about inviting your co-workers on an afternoon coffee run is that if you opt for another cup of joe too late in the afternoon, you might not be able to settle down once you are ready to snooze (i.e. in your bed, not at your desk). What you need when the 3 p.m. fatigue hits is an energy booster that strikes a balance between nodding off and bouncing off the walls, like Liquid I.V. Energy Multiplier. Made with matcha and guayusa, it contains the same amount of caffeine as one to to two cups of coffee, but you’ll feel a steady flow of energy and productivity without java’s trademark crash. “So many people are burned out from coffee’s spikes and crashes and the need to keep drinking it throughout the day,” says Brandin Cohen, CEO and founder of Liquid I.V. “We were really excited about making an alternative way to get the energy most people crave that would also feel good to the body.” Energy that’s actually sustainable? Okay, 2020, we see you. Scroll down to learn how you can boost energy levels all day—without overloading on coffee. Photo: Liquid I.V. Natural sources of caffeine Every latte’s BFF, matcha is touted as a healthier alternative
The unstoppable Betty White turns 98 today—these are her secrets to aging well
January 17, 2020 at 08:51PM by CWC Betty White, the queen of living your best life, is 98 years old today. But to her, age is just a number. Many of us grew up loving her on The Golden Girls, and she’s still making us laugh. Getting older in Hollywood isn’t easy, and White has done it with strength and grace. White’s career has spanned seven decades, and it shows no end in sight. Most recently, she voiced Bitey White, a toy tiger in Toy Story 4. In a 2017 interview with Katie Couric, White shared that staying busy has been key to staying happy and healthy. “Keep busy, and don’t focus everything on you—that wears out pretty fast,” she said. “It’s not hard to find things you’re interested in, but enjoy them, and indulge them and, I think that keeps you on your toes.” Research shows that being optimistic contributes to 11 to 15 percent longer life span, and to greater odds of living to the age of 85 or beyond. And White knows it. “I know it sounds corny, but I try to see the funny side and the upside, not the downside” she told Parade in a 2018 interview. “I get bored with people who complain about this or that. It’s such a waste of time.” For White, age is nothing but a number. She’s said that she was often told to lie about her age in Hollywood, but she felt she had nothing to hide. “I
The best predictor for bad skin days? Your weather app
January 17, 2020 at 07:00PM by CWC Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little head’s up when a bad skin day is about to go down? Unfortunately, asking your Magic 8-Ball isn’t the most accurate way to find out your skin’s future. But checking the weather on your phone just might do the trick. A Redditor recently shared a unique skin-care hack that utilizes any weather app. Some weather apps—like the Weather Channel app—have a “dry skin index.” Coupled with the UV index (you should be wearing SPF every day, by the way) and overall temp and humidity, you have all the intel you need to know on how to properly take care of your skin on particular days. Looks like I’m moisturizing today… So, how exactly do you use the info your weather app provides to upgrade your skin care routine? If it’s super dry out, you’ll know to slather on the moisturizer. And if the humidity is out of control, use products—like chemically exfoliating AHA/BHA cleansers and exfoliants—that will ensure the sticky, sweaty weather doesn’t make you break out. Who knows—taking a quick glance between Instagram scrolls in the morning before going about your routine might really change the game for your skin. Here’s the right way to wash your face, according to a facialist: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8F2SVbco8s] Here’s how to dry brush your winter skin in three minutes flat. Then find out the winter skin care hacks that will have you glowing. Author Tehrene Firman | Well
I’m an Olympic gymnast, and these are the 3 exercises for core strength I do on repeat
January 17, 2020 at 06:30PM by CWC Who doesn’t love watching gymnasts flip, swing, and leap their way through the Olympics? They make it look easy, but it requires some serious power to achieve such awe-inspiring feats. Whether they perform on the bars, on the floor, or on the beam, Olympic gymnasts know that doing regular exercises for core strength makes all the difference. Alisa Kano, a group rhythmic gymnast—and part of Team USA!—who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games, knows that without strong abs, her job would be pretty difficult. “The abdominal muscles are one of the most important muscle groups for a gymnast,” she says. “When we balance, jump, turn, and overextend our bodies in different positions, our core does most of the work in keeping the other body parts in the correct positions—especially when it comes to supporting our backs. It’s not only important for preventing injuries, but a necessary component in successfully executing these elements.” To maintain her impressive core strength, Kano has three go-to exercises. If you want abs like a gymnast, start with this routine. The best exercises for core strength, according to an Olympian 1. V-ups V-ups aren’t easy, but they certainly get the job done. “This exercise engages both my upper and lower body,” she says. “You can’t beat a two-in-one exercise where you’re able to work out several muscle groups at once.” How to do V-ups: Begin on your back with your knees extended and arms above head. Simultaneously bring both
Plant-based creamers are making a splash in coffees everywhere—here’s how they compare nutritionally
January 17, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC It was only inevitable that once alt-milks became nearly as commonplace as cow’s milk that a slew of other trends-within-the-trend would follow. Nut milk yogurt, “nice” cream, and plant-based butters have since risen in popularity too, and now a new iteration of dairy-free products is gaining steam: plant-based creamers. Similarly to the plethora of alt-milks now available at your local grocery store, the new-to-the-market selection of plant-based creamers spans the gamut: hemp, almonds, coconut, soy, and banana all serve as popular bases, and some, like Urby, even include extra plant-based protein sources. You may be wondering what the point of these new creamers are anyway—after all, you already have alt-milk in the fridge. It’s a valid question. Traditionally, the difference between milk and creamer was that creamer tended to be heavier (and had more fat) and include added sugar for a sweeter taste. But brands have wizened up to the fact that healthy eaters are looking for simple ingredients lists, and with added sugar mostly left out, the difference is less clear. “The difference between plant-based milk and plant-based creamers is that the creamers are more concentrated,” says registered dietitian Marla Heller, RD, author of The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution, among other books. While most alt-milks are primarily made of water—with the concentration of the actual nut or other primary ingredient being quite low—Heller says creamers are thicker and less watery. That makes the ingredients they do use pretty darn important. That said, she