January 23, 2020 at 07:00PM by CWC Dame Products’ co-founders Alexandra Fine and Janet Lieberman are on our list of wellness Changemakers for a number of reasons, and the company’s just-launched, easy-to-use, innovative sex toy provides even more evidence. The Dame Arc is the brand’s first G-spot-targeting sex toy, and it’s about to add potential for exploration and satisfaction to your pleasure game. The Arc, which comes in either berry pink or ice blue, looks like many wand vibrators currently available on the market upon first glance, but then you see its curved, soft-but-firm ridged tip and realize this actually isn’t your average toy. Retailing at $115, it’s an external and internal vibrator with a design that’s ideal for tapping that famously-tough-to-reach G-spot, which is located approximately a few inches deep on the front (or top) wall of the vagina. And while the Arc certain does optimize for G-spot stimulation, its goal isn’t to abandon the joy that a clitoral-focused external vibrator offers. Rather, the Arc is simply expanding on those pleasure possibilities. By surveying 1,000 members of its Dame Labs product research community, the brand found that 72 percent of vulva-owners report that they enjoy using internal toys for both clitoral and G-spot pleasure, thus calling for the innovation that ultimately became the Arc. With an easy-to-grip handle that allows you to really get creative with your positioning for stimulating your G-spot (or pretty much any erogenous zone that intrigues), the Arc lends itself to rocking, nestling, rotating and
Year: 2020
The 6 healthiest cereals to always stock in your pantry, according to a dietitian
January 23, 2020 at 06:30PM by CWC Did anyone else find immeasurable joy in the mini boxes of Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, and Cap’n Crunch as a kid? (It can’t just be me!) Now that you’re all grown up and shopping for cereal with the nutrition label in mind, it has probably come to your attention that the boxed breakfast choice—even in miniature—often packs a lot of added sugar. So to help you choose the healthiest box for you, we asked a dietitian to tell us what is the healthiest cereal for five of today’s most popular eating plans Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, a registered dietitian and author of The Better Period Food Solution, says that a few general guidelines can help you navigate the vast cereal aisle with your health in mind. “It’s a win when the ingredient list is on the shorter side, has more protein and fiber than sugar, doesn’t upset your stomach by overloading your gut with tough to breakdown sweeteners or sugar alcohols, is easy to find and most importantly, sets you up for dietary success throughout the day,” she says. So if you read that list and say check, check, check, check, you’re good to toss the one-step breakfast into your grocery cart. What is the healthiest cereal? A dietitian answers with the top 6, based on your preferred eating plan Photo: Magic Spoon Keto: MAGIC SPOON Magic Spoon’s colorful boxes reflect just how flavorful the cereal is. And Beckerman says that for keto-eaters,
Credit cards can actually be great for your financial wellness—if you use them responsibly
January 23, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC I didn’t receive a robust financial education from my parents while growing up, but my mom did offer one piece of advice that stuck with me: Credit cards are like guys who post shirtless mirror selfies on dating apps. That is, they’re to be avoided at all costs. I’ve often wished that I hadn’t ignored her, given the amount of cash I’ve lost to interest payments since I got my first swipeable piece of non-debit plastic in college. But many financial experts would say I actually wasn’t being irresponsible by opening my first line of credit. Because while credit card debt may well be a financial buzzkill, the benefits of credit cards can be valuable for leveling up your financial wellness, so long as you use them wisely. “Credit cards are like other financial products and tools—they are neutral, neither good nor bad,” says Amanda Clayman, certified financial therapist. Of course, plastic does come with some well-recognized risks: Not only can cards carry high interest and fees, but they can tempt an overspending habit and make slipping into debt feel a bit too easy. According to Clayman, it’s because of these risks that many people have relegated credit cards to the “swipe left” category. However, Clayman suggests that before writing them off, it would be wise to learn about the power credit cards wield when it comes to improving your financial wellness. “Rules of thumb are helpful when we need to make quick,
The Grammys gift bag is packed with wellness goodies—here’s what’s inside
January 23, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC As if attending the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards wasn’t cool enough—the glitz! the glamour!—there’s now another reason why scoring a seat would be the ultimate win: You get a Grammys gift bag that’s jam-packed with wellness goodies. Now, don’t get me wrong. Awards show gift bags are always impressively loaded with lavish items that add up to thousands of dollars. But this year has reached peak wellness with a handful of items aimed at your physical and mental health. From a self-watering planter that will fulfill your urban garden dreams to a virtual therapy subscription, these are the things award show attendees are going home with (that you might want to grab for yourself, too). The best wellness goodies in this year’s Grammys gift bag 1. HFactor Hydrogen Infused Pure Drinking Water, $15 for pack of 6 No one at the Grammys is going to be lacking energy with this hydrogen-infused water that’s not only said to help increase athletic performance and reduce inflammation from exercise, but also work as a caffeine-free pick-me-up and hydration-booster. 2. Muse meditation headband, $350 Meditation is easy with this comfy headband. It has sensors that provide real-time feedback on your brain activity, heart rate, breathing, and body movements, all of which can help you meditate like a pro. 3. Talkspace subscription, $260-$396/month If you don’t like the idea of seeing a therapist in person, try Talkspace. The Grammys gift bag contains a subscription to the online
Here’s what kind of rebellious Aquarius you are, according to your moon sign
January 23, 2020 at 05:00PM by CWC Aquarians (those born between January 19 and February 18) are known to be highly independent, a little bit quirky, and with a tendency to spend a lot of time in their own head. In other words, they can be tough to figure out. But when you add in the other nuances of their zodiac chart, like an Aquarius’ moon sign, it becomes straight-up impossible to put these visionary souls into a box. A person’s moon sign is the astrological sign that the moon was in when they were born, and it sheds light on the way that person experiences and processes their innermost emotions. This is an important cosmic placement to consider when striving to better understand any person’s chart, but especially so with Aquarians, who often don’t put their feelings on display. “Aquarius is an air sign that rules the intellect,” says astrologer and women’s empowerment coach Natalia Benson. “It’s not often watery and emotive, or even fiery and passionate—it’s more cool, calm, and collected. Aquarians have a little more of a disconnected relationship to their emotions because they seek to intellectually understand them versus really feel them.” A moon sign is important to consider when striving to better understand any person’s chart, but especially so with Aquarians, who often don’t put their feelings on display. Given that the moon changes signs about every two and a half days, there are 12 different combinations of sun signs and moon signs that an
We asked Well+Good readers their thoughts on recovery—here’s what they had to say
January 23, 2020 at 04:26PM by CWC Recovery is a hot topic among fitness folk: What does “active recovery” really look like? How many rest days should you take anyway? Is there really a right way to foam roll? The questions around this should-be-rejuvenating part of your workout routine never stop. For a deeper look into the confusion, we teamed up with UPGRAID, an inflammation-fighting supplement that uses only organic ingredients to help manage soreness, to ask our readers how they really feel about recovery. And you shared everything from how it fits into the rest of your routine, to how you spend that sacred rest day (or two), and your questions about making it work better for you and your workouts. Want to know how your recovery routine compares to other Well+Good readers? (It’s not a competition, promise.) Keep reading for all the intel—plus gain some useful tips on how to take your post-workout life to the next level, because everyone, even you all-stars, could benefit from a little more R&R time. Scroll down for 3 takeaways on how Well+Good readers approach recovery day, and what you can incorporate into your own routine. Photo: UPGRAID Four percent of readers don’t take part in recovery at all Off the bat, everyone is pretty split on this discussion. Nearly 34 percent of you always prioritize recovery in your workout routine, 29 percent do so half the time, and 32 percent don’t prioritize it nearly enough—leaving four percent of you who absolutely
Here’s where the 6 leading democratic candidates stand on healthcare
January 23, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC February 3 is a big day, politically speaking: It’s the date of the Iowa caucuses, which marks the official kickoff of primary election season. As states prepare to decide the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, all eyes are on the vast field of Democratic candidates, which is now down to 12 contenders. (Sixteen others have dropped out of the race, while only two nominees are challenging President Trump for the Republican nomination.) Clearly, there are many things at stake in this election—the environment, gun safety, and impending military conflict, to name a few—but recent polls have shown that health care is the issue that’s most important to voters in 2020. When you look at the Democratic candidates’ stances on health care reform, there are several things they have in common. Just about everyone wants to reverse the Trump administration’s attacks on the Affordable Care Act, while reversing the “gag rule” that bans government-funded health-care clinics from referring patients to abortion providers and, in effect, restoring funding to Planned Parenthood. Nearly all of the Democratic candidates are also pledging to make health care and prescription drugs more accessible and affordable. But their specific proposals for doing so are varied, and the most hotly debated aspects of their plans revolve around health insurance. Some candidates support a lower-cost, government-run insurance option that would be open to every American and exist alongside private insurance. Others are in favor of a single payer healthcare plan like the
How to start dating again after a breakup, divorce, or dry spell
January 23, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC Whether you’ve been off the market for a few weeks, months, years, or decades, getting back out there is no easy feat, especially if you’re not confident about how to start dating again. Common sense might urge you to be vulnerable, open yourself up for possible rejection, and be okay with the notion of kissing a few frogs in the process of finding a compatible partner. Sound intimidating? No problem if so, because it can be intimidating. The mere thought of going out on a date after a rough breakup, divorce, or extra-long dry spell might induce feelings of anxiety. Because, for one, where do you even start? Sign up for a dating app? Hire a matchmaker? Slide into people’s DMs? Theoretically, any of those strategies could work, but to help you feel extra-confident in your intention to learn how to start dating again, a few experts share their advice below. Keep reading to snag their top tips for getting back out there, once and for all. Your 10-step guide for how to start dating again 1. Close the previous chapter Perhaps it should go without saying, but before you return to the dating pool, you need to be over your previous relationship so you can officially close that chapter in your life. Without taking this prerequisite step to finding new connections, you run the risk of either getting stuck in the past or bringing that emotional baggage with you on your dates. “Turn
9 delicious, plant-based lunches you can make in 10 minutes or less
January 23, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC Even though plant-based eating is taking over the food scene, lunch can still be tricky to tackle. Eating the same salad over and over gets boring and buying something out can get pricey, fast. And even the best-laid meal-prepping plans can be waylaid by busy schedules and last-minute plans. Thankfully, there are still plenty of healthy, plant-based lunches you can make in less than ten minutes. (Which let’s be honest here, is about half the time it takes to leave the office, wait in line, and grab something to go.) Rounded up here are nine ideas to try. Bookmark this page and save it for inspiration when your lunch game needs some variety. Keep reading for 9 plant-based lunches ready in 10 minutes or less. Photo: Beauty Bites 1. 5-minute Mediterranean bowl Want your midday meal to mirror what people in parts of the world likely to live a long and healthy life are eating? This Mediterranean bowl has you covered. The only ingredient requiring any cooking whatsoever is quinoa, and truth be told, this meal is still filling and nutrient-rich without it, too. With hummus, tzatziki, and lots of yummy veggies, this colorful bowl is full of protein, fiber, and flavor. Photo: Jar of Lemons 2. 5-minute spinach quesadillas All it takes to whip up these quesadillas are three ingredients: whole wheat tortillas, spinach, and cheese. Five minutes later and you have yourself a vegetarian, fiber-rich lunch. As is, this lunch has
Apple is teaming up with the buzziest studios and gyms to reward you for sweating
January 23, 2020 at 01:00PM by CWC Working out is often a reward in and of itself. On the days when you feel like you could do literally anything else but exercise, there’s an instant payoff from those feel-good endorphins that make the effort feel worth it. Couple that with the longterm physical and mental health benefits, which include helping to prevent depression, promoting longevity, and enhancing balance and coordination, and the good times keep on rolling when you consistently work up a sweat. And now, there are some very tangible benefits to getting active, too: Apple is partnering with four of the buzziest studios and gyms in the country to launch Apple Connected, and there will be some pretty legitimate financial incentives to get your heart rate up. Apple Connected is a new program that utilizes the fitness intel collected from your watch (and GymKit, a way to pair cardio machines to your Apple Watch to track your gains) to provide incentives to work out. At launch, Apple will kick off the program with six Basecamp Fitness locations, YMCA St. Paul Midway, and two New York Crunch Signature locations, as well as drumrollllll: two Orangetheory studios, which has us the most excited, so allow us to gush. The ultra-popular high intensity interval training (HIIT) class— known for weaving treadmill, weights, and rowing machines into a single workout—is one of the first studios to join in the Apple Connected program and has some of the coolest rewards. Members who enroll will