February 22, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC If you’ve ever gone to a fertility doc for testing, you’ve likely had a blood taken to measure your levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) to as a relatively accurate measure of your ovarian reserve (i.e., roughly how many eggs you have left). While AMH is currently used only to help manage infertility, however, some doctors would like to use levels to more accurately predict when a woman will go through menopause—a big deal, they say, since current tests aren’t really very helpful until a woman’s periods are already over. In a study published last month, researchers measured levels of AMH and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone; elevated levels of which are used to check for menopause) in 1537 premenopausal women in their mid- to late-40s regularly until the women had gone through menopause. They used a more sensitive AMH test than what’s been tested to-date and were able to start closing in on an AMH level that seemed to correspond with a likelihood of having a final menstrual cycle (and thus marking the official menopause period). The test used in the study (Menocheck or the Ansh PicoAMH assay) was the first AMH menopause test approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 to predict menopause in conjunction with other tests and assessments. Study author Nanette Santoro, MD, the chair of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (who became a consultant for the maker of the test, Ansh Laboratories,
Day: February 22, 2020
The biggest myth about exercise and immunity has endured for 40 years, but it’s time to stop believing it
February 22, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC The rumor mill recently told me that certain workouts (low-intensity and moderate-intensity) outpace their higher impact counterparts when it comes to strengthening immunity. Since flu season is on the brain, and I silently curse anyone who dares sneeze in my direction, I needed to know the cold, hard fitness truth: do certain types of exercise boost immunity, and which ones make it worse? In search of the answer to that very question, researchers in the 1980s followed up with runners of the Los Angeles Marathon to see how their immune systems fared following 26.2 miles. Many reported having infections, leading scientists to believe that strenuous forms of exercise hinder the immune system. For 40 years, that belief persisted. That is, until 2018 research published in the journal Frontiers of Immunology debunked it, concluding: “We have critically reviewed related evidence, and conclude that regular physical activity and frequent exercise are beneficial, or at the very least, are not detrimental to immunological health.” What a wild ride, right? Research, it seems, has been wishy-washy when it comes to discerning whether yoga is better for your immune system than, say, going for a run. So I asked two different doctors to give their take. First, I asked immunologist Tania Elliott, MD, an attending physician at NYU Langone Health. “High-impact workouts are more taxing on our bodies overall within a shorter increment of time,” says Dr. Elliot. “This means higher chances of injury, and very high stress on
Find Chiron’s placement in your astrological chart to heal your past-life issues
February 22, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC Ever feel like one area of your life is a little tougher to navigate than the rest? Maybe you’ve been dealing with challenging family dynamics since childhood, or perhaps financial troubles seem to follow you around wherever you go. Whatever it may be that’s puzzling you, there’s good news, astrologically speaking. That’s because cosmically, our biggest challenges are actually a gateway into our most profound healing. And one great way to gain insight into your struggle zones? Locate Chiron in your astrological chart. Often referred to as “the wounded healer,” Chiron is an asteroid that orbits our solar system somewhere between Uranus and Saturn. “It’s argued that Chiron may be what’s known as a dwarf planet, which is what Pluto is classified as now,” says astrologer and women’s empowerment coach Natalia Benson, author of new astrology-inspired memoir Mystical AF. “Its placement in your chart is where you can get to know and understand what your deeper wounds are, as well as the karmic, past-life energy you’re here to work through to grow and evolve.” “Chiron’s placement in your chart is where you can get to know and understand what your deeper wounds are, as well as the karmic, past-life energy you’re here to work through to grow and evolve.” —astrologer Natalia Benson Like any other planet in your natal chart—like the sun or the moon, for example—Chiron was located in a specific zodiac sign and astrological house at the moment you were born.
Skin patches do way more than just bust zits these days
February 22, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC First came the pimple patch. In the early days, these were made exclusively of hydrocolloid, a material that dates back to the 1970s and is celebrated for its ability to form an occlusive barrier over skin, while drawing pus and gunk from deep within pores. At its advent, it became a novel way to treat breakouts without having to slather on ointments and serums. Fast forward to years later, and now facial skin patches are a common way to help to deal with skin concerns aplenty, including dark spots, fine lines, and yes, pimples. On beauty shelves now, you can find patches that use microneedling technology to deliver active ingredients deeper into the skin, fight dark spots, give skin-smoothing benefits to other body parts, and even patches that proudly display the fact that you’ve got a pimple (rather than just blur it on the sly). New York-based board-certified dermatologist Marnie Nussbaum, MD, is a fan of patches because they’re “very user-friendly” and give your skin a targeted, pre-measured dose of an active ingredient right to the spot in question. Keep scrolling for the low-down on this new generation of skin patches that you can pop on for healthier, happier skin. Graphic: Well+Good Creative Microdart acne patches Microdart-style patches have teeny, tiny dissolvable “darts” that work like microneedling to deliver acne-fighting or dark spot-brightening active ingredients beneath the skin’s surface. Jennifer Chwalek, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Union Square Laser Dermatology, says that some
Make these 2 recipes now for a week’s worth of anti-inflammatory, plant-based dinners
February 22, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNBjXk0c65I] Want to get in on two meal worth of anti-inflammatory eats? Watch Chef Sam Kass do it in under 30 minutes. The act of coming home after work and making dinner can feel like exactly the meditative wind-down you need after a day of playing tag with your to-do list. Keyword: sometimes. On other nights, the mere thought of having to chop an onion may prompt a single teardrop to fall dramatically down one cheek. In that case, you’re going to want to have something—or two things!—prepped and ready to feed your delicate soul. On the most recent episode of Well+Good’s shiny-new video series, Cook With Us, chef Sam Kass whipped up a duo of anti-inflammatory dinner recipes that stay crisp in the fridge for seven days. (Even when the week feels like it’s been about seven years long.)”We’re all super busy and stressed out, so if you can create one foundational dish… then you can use it multiple ways.” Kass’s foundational recipe is a golden, turmeric-infused dressing that works on both a warm and cold salad. After whipping up a dressing featuring olive oil, turmeric, ginger, garlic, dijon mustard, and lemon juice, Chef Kass gets down to the greens. A simple mix of kale, pecans, red onion, and fresh mint, the cold salad is an absolute breeze to make and to eat. Meanwhile, the warmer options calls for a p-a-r-t-y of healthy roasted vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and Brussels sprouts topped off
Dry, damaged hair is no match for this $7 dry conditioner mist
February 22, 2020 at 03:00AM by CWC Saying it’s the season for dry and damaged hair is an understatement. Not only do hair dye and heat styling cause moisture to leach out of hair, but during wintertime, even on days when you don’t wash you hair, thanks to zero percent humidity and harsh winds, strands can still feel crispy. The best way to refresh things between washes? Pantene Mist Behaving Dry Conditioner Mist ($7). If you haven’t used a dry conditioner yet, these work similarly to dry shampoo, but instead of drying out your hair (to get rid of oils on your scalp), these spritzes add moisture back to the bottoms of strands. And the good news is that these work for all hair types, from the finest, straightest textures all the way to the curliest ones. The hydration comes from the product’s cocktail of omega-9 fatty acids, aloe, jojoba oil, and panthenol (a humectant that helps to smooth over your cuticle). The end result really does feel like you’ve just shampooed and conditioned your hair. Plus, it works to detangle and tame flyaways, as well as smooth static that tends to come this time of year. Photo: Pantene During a visit to Procter & Gamble headquarters this week, I visited the Pantene hair innovation research lab to see how hair-care products are formulated and tested before they’re sent to the shelves. In the mock hair salon, I played with the brand’s new line of waterless products that
Don’t get distracted by sweat—here’s how to tell if your workout is working
February 22, 2020 at 02:00AM by CWC Have you ever done a workout that doesn’t feel particularly difficult but for some reason you can’t stop sweating? Or, on the reverse, your muscles feel sore AF, but you haven’t sweat a single drop? It’s not always so cut and dry and it can honestly be pretty confusing. So much so that we’ve started to ask ourselves: Does sweat equal a good workout or nah? To find out, we reached out to fitness pioneer and creator of the Tracy Anderson Method Tracy Anderson for the low-down on why perspiration isn’t always the best indicator of how well you did in a workout and what to pay attention to instead. “You can sweat sitting at the beach,” she says in a pretty matter-of-fact way that cuts through all the noise. She’s right: Science shows that, when it comes to exercise, sweat is our body’s cooling mechanism, and the liquid that leaves our pores helps to prevent us from cooking from within. What’s more: Studies have even found that fit people tend to sweat more than those who aren’t, indicating that sweat doesn’t really play a role in helping you to understand how grueling a workout was. “The sad truth is that you can feel like you are getting a good workout when you aren’t for all kinds of reasons.” Along with sweating, think: getting out of breath, feeling tired, experiencing a ‘burn’ from a certain stretch, the list goes on. Truth be told,
Is it ever actually worth it to wake up before the sun?
February 22, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC Mark Wahlberg wakes up at 2:30 a.m. I repeat: Mark Wahlberg wakes up at 2:30 a.m. Wakes up. At 2:30 in the morning. On purpose. We like to break society into two different groups: morning people and night owls. But Marky Mark shows us that things are a bit more nuanced. I think that the fact I enjoy being up at 7 a.m. makes me a morning person, but people who willingly get up when it’s still dark? That’s a whole other beast. But is it better to wake up early? In the premiere of Zoë Tries It All, Well+Good beauty and fitness editor Zoë Weiner tries three different morning routines in order to find an answer to the question. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIrRsGzTU9w] Zoë tries things she’s never tried before, like making a smoothie, taking cold showers, and making time morning meditation (pro tip: get out of bed to meditate or you will just fall back to sleep). She also tries morning yoga, which, according to director of education for YogaSix Kelly Clifton Turner, actually helps you sleep better. “Once you make your morning yoga flow a habit, your body will get used to waking up at that specific time,” she says. “And this will help to regulate your circadian sleep cycles, which we often throw out of whack by varying when we go to sleep and wake up.” It’s safe to say that none of these tasks are necessary to start your day.