March 04, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC On the surface, it looks as though the cannabis industry is wide open with opportunity right now. By 2025, the market for the medicinal plant is projected to be worth $66.3 billion, expanding at an annual growth rate of almost 30 percent. In five years time, experts say 625,000 people will be employed by hemp-related businesses, triple the current number. But look a little more closely, and you’ll see that those currently profiting from the marijuana boom are largely white men—a reality that prompted Charlese Antoinette Jones, Mary Pryor, and Tonya Rapley-Flash to launch Cannaclusive in 2017. Their mission is big but simple—to give people of color a stake in the burgeoning cannabis world, both as business owners and consumers. “We originally came together out of frustration,” says Pryor, who was named one of Well+Good’s 2020 Changemakers along with Antoinette and Rapley-Flash. Most of the time, when they would attend cannabis industry events in Los Angeles, Pryor says she and her business partners were the only women of color in the room. “We were all interested in doing work in the industry and had a shared respect for the plant, but we were not being met with opportunities because of [racial] microaggressions.” According to Pryor, there are many reasons why the cannabis scene isn’t as diverse as it could be—racism, sexism, murky government regulations, and lack of access to capital among them. Then there’s the fact that people of color are four times
Day: March 4, 2020
I’m a psychological astrologer, and this is the unique stressor I see for each sign
March 04, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC For zodiac enthusiasts, Jennifer Freed, PhD, is the self-help hybrid of your dreams, a psychologist who also utilizes astrology (a psychological astrologer) to help patients cope with life in ways best suited to their unique makeup. According to Dr. Freed, each member of the zodiac tends to seek therapy for reasons specific to their astrological chart. No matter where in your chart a sign falls—sun, moon, or rising—it likely impacts the areas of your life in which you need pro assistance, says the in-demand therapist. Astrology may also dictate whether you’re a fan of therapy or avoidant. “Air signs like to be in their head and not in their feelings and bodies, so we could have Aquarius and Gemini and Libra avoiding therapy,” she says (noting that Sagittarius “might also want to run for the hills”). Water signs, meanwhile, may experience the opposite issue. “They stay in therapy forever because sometimes they just drown in their own recollections and feelings,” says Dr. Freed. “So, it’s important for the therapist that they go to to hold them accountable to growth.” Keep reading to find out more about the your sign’s unique stressors and how to deal with them. A psychological astrologer explains what each zodiac sign wants to talk about in therapy Aries “Aries most often come in to therapy [to deal with] impetuousness, recklessness, and anger,” says Dr. Freed. To combat these issues, Dr. Freed recommends slowing down to be more contemplative. “It’s
This is the part of your face derms say shows signs of aging the fastest
March 04, 2020 at 09:30PM by CWC Of all of the steps in a skin-care routine, eye cream often feels like the most superfluous. People (dermatologists—and myself—included) have argued that “eye cream is a scam,” and that you can get most of the same benefits from your regular moisturizer without having to spend extra cash on a pricey miracle potion. But while your under eyes might seem like the easiest place to skip out on skin care, they’re actually the ones you should be paying the most attention to, because they’re the spot that will show the first signs of aging on the face. “The skin under your eyes is thin, with fewer collagen and elastin fibers,” says board-certified dermatologist and president of Amarte, Craig Kraffert, MD, which makes the effects of things like dehydration, lack of sleep, and sun exposure show more readily. It doesn’t help that your eye muscles are constantly getting a workout, and that there are very few oil glands in the area to keep the skin from drying out, all of which contribute to those “crow’s feet” wrinkles that often occur. Then, there are dark circles, which appear because there are lots of blood vessels in the area and very little fat between them and your skin. “Aging can appear from genetics, stress, and not taking proper care of your under eye skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Michele Farber, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology in NYC. “Using harsh cosmetics can damage the gentle skin under your eyes, rubbing
Does canned food ever really expire? Here’s what you need to know
March 04, 2020 at 09:00PM by CWC I’m a canned beans hoarder. Black, kidney, garbanzo—you name it, I’ve got it. I like beans, but I don’t love them. I’m truly just a sucker for a sale, and grab a few cans nearly every time I go to the grocery store. But how long will my stockpile last? Does canned food expire? “In general, canned food has a shelf life of about two years from date of purchase,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Los Angeles. Angela Lemond, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Texas says the shelf life varies from product to product. “High acid foods like pineapples and tomatoes last about a year to 18 months. Other canned foods like vegetables or shelf-stable meats last between 2 to 5 years.” She points to the USDA shelf-stable food storage chart for more detailed guidance. Ron Giles, director of quality assurance at Goya Foods, explains why the canned food industry prefers to use “best by” dates rather than expiration dates. “Canned foods do not expire on a certain date,” he tells Today. “One cannot say that the canned food is good on one day and not good the next day. Canned foods are under a vacuum. The absence of oxygen helps to extend the shelf life of canned foods.” Sheth, the author of My Indian Table, says that you have to read the dates on the can closely. “The best if used by date is telling you that the
A *lot* of people are ditching bootcamps for Pilates—and there’s a science to why
March 04, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC In 2020, Pilates will celebrate its 94th birthday. It’s the OG boutique fitness class, and Joseph Pilates’ 34 original exercises set the stage for a number of other workouts, like barre and Megaformer (which BTW: was one of our 2020 Trends) to become mainstays for those with stacked studio fitness calendars. Nearly a century after its advent, people (particularly women) are trading their sneakers and HIIT workouts for grippy socks, as Pilates has proven to be more popular than ever. According to a 2019 survey from MINDBODY, the modality ranked among respondents’ top choice for “what to try next,” and a third of those surveyed said they were looking to start doing Pilates. But they won’t be the only newbies in class: Nearly half (48 percent) of people currently practicing Pilates have only started taking classes within the last 12 months. Across the country, studios are seeing the effects of this increased interest. In early 2015, Club Pilates had only 30 studios—at the end of 2019, there were 650. Elaine Hayes, founder of MNTSTUDIO Pilates in San Francisco, says that she saw business increase 25 percent last year, and is opening a second location in Palo Alto in 2020. “My business is better than ever,” she told Well+Good. “I’m starting to see more and more people flock to reformer classes.” But what is it that’s sending so many people to the chair, mat, reformer, box, and tower? In a word: burnout. Forty-eight percent
8 of the most name-dropped skin-care products that are worth the splurge
March 04, 2020 at 07:00PM by CWC If someone were to suddenly win a few million bucks, there would surely be a list of things they’d run to put that money to: vacation (and probably debt), for obvious starters. And unquestionably: beauty products. It’s the golden age of skin care, when drugstore products churn out major results; however, it’s undeniable that even with all of the pocketbook wins, there are some skin-care products that are worth the splurge. In Well+Good’s Beauty Geek Facebook group (join it if you haven’t yet!), we posed the question to our readers: If you could splurge on one beauty product, what would it be? And our followers happen to have wish lists full of dermatologist-recommended skin-care essentials. Their picks range from science-backed brands like SkinCeuticals and Augustinus Bader to California cult-faves like Vintner’s Daughter. To see their picks, and hear why these items really are worth the splurge, keep scrolling. 1. SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum, $166 Photo: SkinCeuticals This is the vitamin C serum that skin-care devotees mention as their dream product time and time again, and it’s one that Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and our Dear Derm host recommends on the reg. It’s potent, effective, and truly brightens your complexion. One reader says it’s “amazing” and “worth the high price tag.” 2. Dr. Barbara Sturm Enzyme Cleanser, $75 Photo: Dr. Barbara Sturm A lot of Well+Good readers cited Dr. Barbara Sturm products in their splurge-worthy picks, including this cleanser. The product basically works
The 5 best heart-healthy snacks that nutrition experts love
March 04, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC There are a lot of things that people can do to take good care of their heart health, like exercise, eat a Mediterranean-style diet, avoid smoking, and manage your stress levels. But I have good news for you: You can protect your heart and avoid hanger (a daily struggle!) at the same time with heart-healthy snacks. “Foods that are good for heart health include fiber-rich foods, like produce and legumes, and sources of healthy fats, like salmon, avocado, nuts and seeds,” says Charlotte Martin, RDN, CPT. While you might think those are only dinnertime foods, there are lots of opportunities to eat heart-healthy foods throughout the day—if you build it right. “A good heart-healthy snack should be well-balanced, be low in sugar and salt, and contain fiber. As a good rule of thumb, whole foods-based items will have less sodium and sugar and more fiber than packaged goods, too,” says Maggie Michalczyk, RD. Fiber’s role in supporting heart health stems from its ability to help lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Plus, fiber-rich foods, like produce, are often rich of other heart-healthy nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, adds Martin. She specifically aims for a snack that has at least a few grams of fiber, five to 10 grams of protein, and no more than five grams of added sugar for optimal heart health. “The good news is that these foods are easy and delicious to eat in a variety of ways and
Lube and arousal oil aren’t the same—but here’s why each deserves a place in your nightstand
March 04, 2020 at 05:00PM by CWC While it’s great to optimize your orgasm for ease in terms of time, duration, and tools, before streamlining, it’s key to understand potential issues in your way. One big, Sahara Desert-size issue you may encounter? Vaginal dryness, which advocacy organization Women’s Health Concern estimates affects about 17 percent of vulva-owners ages 18 to 50 and only increases in rate during and after menopause. “A range of factors can affect vaginal lubrication including diet, hydration, medication, menstrual cycle, menopause, overall health, stress, and pressure. The body’s response to arousal is not always predictable,” says sexologist Jess O’Reilly, PhD. Now, here’s the good news since you can’t control that very-common dryness: Many products exist that can assist with vaginal dryness, but it’s important to note that two power players on the market—personal lubricant and arousal oil—are not the same. Both work toward a similar goal of snagging you orgasmic sex, but when and how you use each varies. Below, get a primer on how to use each best, plus the key difference between lube and arousal oil. Arousal oil Arousal oils are a kind of topical aphrodisiac that’s meant to, well, get you in the mood. “Arousal oils are meant to be used externally to help promote blood flow in the vulva tissue and clitoris so you get wet,” says Rebecca Alvarez Story, sexologist and founder of Bloomi Arousal Oil ($58) (a product that worked for yours truly in five minutes flat). “Think of them as
Washing your hands sounds trivial—here’s the science behind why it works
March 04, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC As COVID-19 and influenza continue to spread across the country, everyone from coworkers to the CDC wants you to wash your hands. Using a face masks is ineffective (and makes it harder for heath care workers to buy masks), and while hand sanitizer is a good option, it’s still second to good old fashioned hand washing. “There’s really no substitute for controlling the spread of viruses to hand washing—nothing we do is going to work as well as that,” says Russell Buhr, MD, PhD, a pulmonary and critical care physician at UCLA Medical Center. “When you look at it historically, it used to be that infant mortality was a huge problem, right? A lot of it was because people weren’t appropriately doing hand washing, because we didn’t understand what germs were and how they worked.” Why is washing your hands so effective? “Some of its mechanical, the act of scrubbing and rinsing that stuff off is carrying the dead virus away,” says Dr. Buhr. “We know that soap helps break down the viruses, because soap works by dissolving fats and lipids and so the viruses are surrounded in a lipid shell.” He says soap chemically destroys the virus. “Sounds banal, but soap really is an amazing weapon that we all have in our homes,” says Karen Fleming, PhD, a scientist and professor at Johns Hopkins University, on Twitter. “This is because coronavirus is an ‘enveloped’ virus, which means that it has an outer
The newest alternative milk on the block: chia milk
March 04, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC At this point in the alternative milk revolution, almond milk and oat milk are about as basic as pumpkin spice lattes and bathroom mirror selfies. While many healthy eaters wouldn’t dream of giving up their fave alternative milk, many are still in pursuit of the latest and greatest. What can we milk next… The answer: Chia seeds. Chia-centric brand Mamma Chia recently launched a (you guessed it) Unsweetened Chiamilk in two flavors: original and vanilla ($4.99 each). “It was truly eight years in the making,” the brand’s CEO Janie Hoffman says. “It’s been a dream of mine for that long.” Now that the chia milk finally has the taste and nutritional profile Hoffman was aiming for, it’s on the market and ready to drink. Here, she shares more about what exactly is in the drink and a registered dietitian weighs in on how healthy it really is. Plus, the verdict on how it tastes. (You know you want to know.) What is chia milk, anyway? Curious about what goes into the making of chia milk? Here’s a run-down of what’s in the product (which is organic and GMO-free): coconut milk, chia oil, chia protein, pea protein, calcium carbonate, guar gum, sunflower lecithin, natural flavor, vanilla extract, gellan gum, vitamin A, vitamin D2, and vitamin B12. Wait, is that coconut milk on the ingredients list? Isn’t this chia milk? Well yes, in the sense that coconut milk is the base into which the other