March 19, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC One thing keeping me going during this period of social distancing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic is the daffodils. I live next to a park, and I can see the blooms from my window—cheerful, bright, and lively, absolute rebels to the feeling of chaos that’s otherwise sweeping the world. I’m grateful for those daffodils and their promises of spring, but I also wish I knew how to bring nature indoors during this time so I could enjoy more than just a limited window view of said flowers. As Carla Marie Manly, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Joy From Fear, points out, being stuck inside can do a real number on mental health. “The sense of confinement and immobilization can be extremely difficult for people to bear. And for those who are accustomed to active lifestyles, being confined inside can be especially anxiety-inducing and depressing,” Dr. Manly says. That’s why if you can’t go forest bathing over a long weekend or, hell, even get some sunshine right now, you may feel as though you’re losing a sense of control. Nature inherently provides us with a sense of stability, and relaxation, so it’s a detrimental part of living a well life. “When we are confined indoors, it can be truly important to bring nature into our living spaces as much as possible.” —clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD “When we see ‘green,’ the brain immediately feels soothed and relaxed,” says Dr. Manly. “Hospitals and
Month: March 2020
This 10-minute, equipment-free Pilates workout seriously combats couch butt
March 19, 2020 at 11:00AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anFVLMbs-EU] Pilates instructor Chloe Gregor views the glutes as part of your core. Why? Your glutes muscles are also in the center of your body, and play a major role in practically every movement that you make, and so strengthening them by doing Pilates for glutes is a great way to ensure your whole body moves better. “Glute strength is so important to help stabilize your pelvis so that you move better, you stand better, you exercise better—I see them as part of our core, so let’s get them really strong,” says Gregor, who’s bringing us a 10-minute workout that does just that in this week’s episode of Good Moves, Well+Good’s YouTube fitness series (subscribe if you haven’t yet!). The good news is that this Pilates workout sesh requires zero equipment—all you need is a mat, and you’re ready to start sweating. Keep scrolling to try it for yourself. Pilates for glutes workout Lifted clam—left: Start on your side, and lie down, using either a pillow or extending your arm out to rest your head on. Keep your head in line with your spine. Pick your feet up and move them back so that they’re in line with your spine, bending your knees out. Stack your hips and make a space underneath your lower waist. Lift both of your feet up, squeezing your heels together. Then, lift your top knee up, exhaling to lift, inhaling to lower it back down. Keep your ribcage drawn in.
I’m an esthetician with sensitive-combination skin, here’s my beauty routine
March 19, 2020 at 02:00AM by CWC When you’re an esthetician, understanding what skin needs is crucial, and after years of treating other people’s complexions, it’s safe to say that Cindy Kim, co-founder of Silver Mirror Facial Bar, has learned a lot about what her own requires to stay happy and healthy. Dealing with skin that’s both sensitive and combination, like hers, requires a certain level of trial and error. “My skin is very finicky and sensitive,” says Kim. I often feel like a skin detective, constantly trying to figure out why my skin is behaving or reacting the way it is, and what I could be using to calm it down,” says Kim. Some of the things she’s figured out in her years of skin sleuthing is that her combination skin is prone to both dehydration and congestion, which means she’s learned to integrate ingredients into her routine that help treat both issues. “I always make sure to incorporate light daily exfoliants and hydrating powerhouse ingredients like hyaluronic acid into my skin-care routine,” she says. Here, she shares the step by step routine she treats her own skin to when she’s done treating her clients. Morning skin-care routine for sensitive combination skin For her morning routine, Kim swears by a simple five-step skin regimen that any dermatologist or esthetician would approve of: a gentle cleanser, a calming toner, a skin-protecting antioxidant, a moisturizer, and an SPF. Each of her product picks is safe for sensitive skin, and doesn’t dry or irritate
Want to give your brain *and* immune system a boost? Sip on pomegranate juice
March 19, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC If you think of the produce section as a treasure trove of healthy jewels, ruby-colored pomegranates are prized gems, but they’re often overlooked for bigger, more popular prizes. It’s easy to see why: they are a bit confusing. Even healthy eaters struggle with knowing how to cut a pomegranate or what the heck to do with it. If you’re unfamiliar with the fruit, pomegranates are red fruits traditionally grown in the Mediterranean region (the land of so many healthy foods). Inside, it’s full of seeds called arils, which are the main edible part of the fruit. Pomegranates are super sweet, with a slightly tart taste. In addition to being eaten whole, enjoying the fruit in its juiced form is one of the most popular ways to consume it. You’ll often find pomegranate juice right in the refrigerated section of the produce area at the store. You can also make it yourself using fresh pomegranates by seeding the pomegranates and then blending the seeds and pulp using a blender until the consistency is smooth. Besides being a sweet sip, there are also many benefits to pomegranate juice. Here, registered dietitian and Verywell general manager Rachel Berman, RD, explains the benefits as well as any side effects to be aware of. Plus, ideas for creative ways to sip on it at home. 9 pomegranate juice benefits that make it a delicious and healthy drink: 1. pomegranate juice is high in antioxidants. Berman says that one of the
Grocery delivery apps are seeing record downloads—here’s what you need to know
March 19, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Getting your groceries delivered has always seemed to me like something done by very bougie, busy people. But now, with the majority of the country hunkering down and practicing social distancing, there’s never been a better time to get your groceries delivered. The nation agrees—grocery delivery apps are seeing a surge in downloads. Instacart, Walmart Grocery, Shipt, have seen, respectively, 218 percent, 160 percent, 124 percent, 98 percent increases in average daily downloads compared to February, according to research from Apptopia. And grocers across the country are scrambling to hire workers to fill e-commerce, cleaning, stocking, delivery, and personal shopping positions. Stores like Walmart and e-commerce sites like Fresh Direct and Amazon Fresh deliver their own supply of goods. While services like Shipt and Instacart deliver from grocery stores in your area such as Costco, Wegmans, and Kroger (but, sadly, not Trader Joes). If you’ve never ordered groceries online before, it’s a pretty simple process. Here’s what you need to know to get started. A simple guide to grocery delivery apps Do these apps serve my area? Instacart seems to have the widest reach among the grocery delivery apps, serving thousands of cities in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Shipt serves 48 states, while Walmart Grocery serves 46. Can I order online or do I have to use an app? You can order online. Grocery delivery apps are great for when you’re on the go, but if, like most of us, you’re
COVID-19 has a lot to teach Americans about being brave
March 18, 2020 at 11:30PM by CWC I’m trying to think of the moment in my life when I felt the most brave. Maybe it was as a kid, standing up in front of a group of adults to bow after my very first piano recital. Or singing in my church choir as a teen—I was so nervous, I locked my knees and passed out, which made me feel rather stupid. As an anxious adult, it took a lot (of therapy; of Klonopin) for me to prepare to learn to drive a car again after many years of not driving. But I knew then that I had to breathe deep and fight my fears and get behind the wheel. This was vital for my independence, my ability to get what I wanted, to live a life unrestricted by self-imposed boundaries. That’s what bravery was: doing things, out in the world, showing people you weren’t afraid. But bravery has never been just that. Over the weekend, social media was full of scenes of people convening in restaurants and bars, doing what they had been explicitly told not to do. For them, tweeting and ‘gramming was a defiant (rather misinformed) signal that they refused to be afraid. A lot of the rest of us tried to explain that no, in this case, that was not bravery at all. It was only selfishness, and way more stupid than locking your knees while singing in the church choir. And it wasn’t just young people
How to properly clean and disinfect your beauty products
March 18, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC These days, keeping clean is top of mind for everyone. We’re washing our hands more often, wiping down our countertops on the reg, and tossing our clothes in the laundry after a single wear. One more thing you might want to add to your “daily disinfecting” list? Your beauty products. According to the CDC, in order to protect yourself from Covid-19, you should “clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas,” because from what we understand the virus can live on surfaces and transfer when you touch them. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to regularly disinfect any makeup or skin-care products you’re coming into contact with on the reg (which, for what it’s worth, is something you should be doing whether or not there’s a global pandemic going around). The CDC states that solutions with 70 percent alcohol (or more) serve as effective disinfectants, so celebrity makeup artist Mari Shten recommends keeping a spray bottle filled with alcohol (Jason Teatro, microbiologist and author of The Germ Files, suggests using nine parts undiluted alcohol mixed with one part distilled water) and using it to clean your products at least once a week. “You can use it for sanitizing the space you’re using, any powder makeup like pressed powder, eyeshadow, and blushes, and certain lipsticks,” says Mari. Just hold the bottle 10 inches away from the product, then spritz it generously and let it dry. You should also be regularly cleaning the
5 places to donate right now if you want to help feed your neighbor
March 18, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC While millions of people have loaded up their shopping carts with toilet paper and all the canned goods they can find, millions more throughout the country don’t have the option to buy foods in bulk or very much food at all. There are of course people in need year-round, but according to Lisa Davis, senior vice president of No Kid Hungry, there is an even greater need right now. “Millions of vulnerable children are losing the healthy meals they depend on as the [COVID-19] closes schools nationwide,” says Davis. “As of [March 17], 39 states had closed schools entirely. When you add in the districts closed in other states it means 41.6 million kids, or 4 out of 5 kids, are out of school.” Even in areas where the schools are still open, many businesses are currently closed, which means hourly workers who may already be struggling to make ends meet are being hit hard. If you are in a position to help, Davis says there are several ways to do so. “First, speak up! We can urge Congress to pass emergency SNAP funding for low-income families and empower community response,” she says, adding that it just takes a quick call to your state representatives to support this initiative. Davis says that another way to help is rallying your virtual community, creating Facebook fundraisers. (You can use this link to easily start an online fundraiser that supports No Kid Hungry.) And of course
How to avoid injury now that you’re running outside a lot more than usual
March 18, 2020 at 09:00PM by CWC One of the things that sets running apart from other forms of exercise is that you don’t need any special equipment—apart from your sneakers—to do it. Now that gyms are closing temporarily to slow the spread of COVID-19, you may be upping your miles to keep your body moving. But what about wear-and-tear? Before you hit the pavement, it’s important to know how to avoid running injuries now that you’re doubling or even tripling your miles each week. To help you get those lovely, mind-clearing and cardiovascular benefits of running without risking injury, we tapped Meg Takacs, trainer and founder of fitness app #RunWithMeg, and Cameron Yuen, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy at Bespoke Treatments in New York City, to tell us how to collect miles while social distancing without collecting injuries, too. How to avoid running injuries now that you’re pounding the pavement more often 1. Focus big time on your warm-ups Warm-ups are important always, but especially when you’re attempting to increase the volume of your runs. “Your warmup should increase body temperature,” says Dr. Yuen. “This makes muscles, connective tissue, and blood vessels more compliant for activity.” It will also help the blood move toward your muscles and away from your digestive tract (read: cramps be gone!). “In the case of running, you will want to activate your calves, quadriceps, glutes, and obliques,” says Dr. Yuen. Then, you’re good to go the distance. Your runner’s warm up: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xObddmVyXD4] 2.
Why Samantha Jones is still the role model young girls and adult women need
March 18, 2020 at 08:00PM by CWC While today I’m the co-founder and CEO of the sexual-wellness company Dame Products, sexuality in its many forms has always been a prominent topic in my life. In grade school, for instance, I got in trouble with my teacher after telling my class about a party I attended with my aunt where drag queens and non-cisgender folks were among the attendees. That not only sparked my interest in sexuality and gender, but also in what was then, at least, a societal inability to speak openly about those topics. So it should really come as no surprise that when I discovered Sex and the City, I embraced Samantha Jones as a role model of sorts who further fueled my interest in sexuality, owning a business, and being self-sufficient. I recall watching, awe-inspired, as this fiery, independent, sexually liberated woman not only navigated the world knowing what she wanted, but also knowing how to lead a pack. To this day, these are traits I value and strive to hone and cultivate in myself, and seeing how much they impacted me as a young girl, I’d want nothing less than Samantha Jones as a role model for my hypothetical daughter (who, to be clear, doesn’t exist yet, but one day may). Samantha Jones’s quest to fulfill her needs and desires makes her a timeless role model for young girls and adult women alike. Back in the late ’90s and early aughts when Sex and the City