February 23, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC When you get sick, you’ll do just about anything to feel like yourself again. Even if that means eating a piece of toast topped with raw garlic for breakfast. Now, let’s be real—that doesn’t sound like the most appetizing way to start the day. But when it comes to boosting your immunity, it’s nothing short of a recipe for success. Liz Moody, a writer and healthy living expert, recently shared her go-to $1 immune booster on Instagram. She eats garlic on toast once a day whenever she’s sick. The recipe is simple: All you need to do is chop 4 to 5 cloves of garlic (make your life easier by using this peeler!) and put it on sourdough toast “with a bit of butter or olive oil, a pinch of salt, and whatever herbs I have around, just to make it taste good,” she writes. The result is an intense garlic bread that’s (somehow) easy to stomach when when you’re at the peak of your cold or flu. So, what’s the secret to this toast’s ability to heal? After chopping the garlic, Moody lets it sit for 20 minutes before putting it on the bread in order to activate the allicin—a powerful antiviral and antibacterial compound found in garlic. And the tactic checks out. While garlic has been shown to provide many health benefits on its own, its the chopping that really unleashes its cold-fighting powers. View this post on Instagram
Month: February 2020
This is why it’s so hard to escape the ‘daytime blemish blues’
February 23, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC This might be your first time hearing about the “daytime blemish blues,” but you probably already know exactly what it is. After waking up in the morning, everything looks top-notch: all that redness is gone, the zit that showed up a couple days ago is barely rearing its ugly (white)head, and any bumpiness in the skin is hardly detectable. Then as the day goes on, those blemishes become increasingly more visible. So why does skin look best after waking up? The daytime blemish blues is a term coined by a Reddit user who couldn’t help but ask the masses if they, too, experience the problem. Not surprisingly, others also chimed in about the changes that pop up in the mirror midday, saying they’ve been on the hunt for answers. According to Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, it checks out—and answers you will receive. “Our skin is busy repairing itself overnight with increased cell repair and regeneration occurring, so there’s truth to ‘beauty sleep’ and waking up with great skin,” she says. “Overnight is also a time when skincare products have a chance to set in, so the skin reflects those benefits when you wake up.” (Although, if you’re using more aggressive products like retinol that can cause irritation, even so-called beauty sleep can’t leave you feeling bright and shiny every day.) Unfortunately, those benefits only last so long. Dr. Garshick says during the day, any build-up of dead
I’m a corrective exercise specialist, and this is how I detect imbalance in the body
February 23, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC New York City-based trainer Tatiana Lampa, NASM, is a different kind of fitness expert. As a certified corrective exercise specialist, she prides herself on helping clients train with injury prevention at front of mind. And, a lot of times, she says that means identifying any muscle imbalance in the body that come along as her trainees get stronger and stronger. Then, making a plan of action for restoring balance. “More often than not, people will notice their imbalances at the gym,” says Lampa. “Once they start to work out they’ll realize that one leg is stronger than the other, or one arm is significantly weaker. I hear a lot of people say, ‘I have really bad balance’ or ‘my right arm is so much stronger than my left because I carry my kid in my right side.’” You’ll always have an underactive and an overactive side. For example, if you find that your right arm can handle a 20-pound bicep curl, but your left arm isn’t strong enough yet, your right side is overactive while your left side is underactive. That’s where Lampa comes in. Lampa’s ultimate guide for tackling imbalance in the body Step 1: Identify the cause of the imbalance Once you identify the part of your body that feels wonky, Lampa says it’s time to do a bit of detective work. How did it get there? What movement patterns are throwing your body out of whack? “These imbalances form because
The easiest way to give your hummus an upgrade? Bake it
February 23, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Most people can agree that there’s one standard way to eat hummus: straight out of the tub. It’s pretty much always served as a cold dip, so why mess with a good thing? Well, I’m here to tell you something that will probably make you a little suspicious, but hear me out: Hot hummus is good too, and baking it will most definitely change your snack life for the better. You can only dip so many carrot and celery sticks before you send the chickpea-packed staple right back into the fridge. When I came across baked hummus, my eyes lit up. Not only is it such an easy way to upgrade what’s already in your fridge, but it also makes the finished product taste—dare I say it—even more delicious. Just ask Sarah Schutz, the healthy food blogger behind The Cutting Veg, who dreamt up the perfect recipe. For her baked hummus recipe, she starts by spreading two containers of hummus—whichever kind you want—in a baking dish. Next, you sprinkle on some of your Mediterranean favorites, like sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese (or you non-dairy cheese of choice), spinach, and capers. Then finish things off by drizzling on some olive oil and popping it in the oven for about 20 minutes. “The idea for baked hummus came from a restaurant I went to in Israel where they served the hummus warm. It has a similar texture to cold hummus but, when you warm it up,
With new scientific breakthroughs, predicting menopause could soon be as easy as a blood test
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,
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