November 14, 2018 at 09:52AM Bad news, guys. Mercury goes retrograde on November 16. And you know what that means? You’d better prepare yourself for mayhem concerning all things logistical and communication-based. Holiday travel plans are going to get screwed up. Your laptop is going to be on the fritz. You might get dumped. Or laid off. The long and short of it is that things are about to go haywire—and there’s not much you can do to stop it. Mercury goes retrograde roughly four times a year when, thanks to the way Earth orbits, the smallest planet in the solar system seems to travel backward. During these phases, it’s smart to not make any important moves. I’m talking engagements, big financial transactions, and huge trips. Communication and honesty are really put to the test, as are technologies and formal contracts, since these are all the areas of your life that Mercury rules. So when the planet is on the fritz, it’s best to let these sleeping dogs lie. But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence: I’ve put together an entire playlist to help you get through this trying and stressful astrological time. Apologies in advance if your noise-canceling headphones break trying to listen to it. That Mercury is a tricky minx after all…. Give a listen to the Mercury retrograde playlist below. https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/wellandgood/playlist/1QzObpGT9w3wyAg5gHzkq1 1. “Mercury” by Bloc Party Let’s kick this off on a literal note, shall we? This Bloc Party song is a refresher into
Author: CityWomen
Lilly Singh says she’s taking a mental health break from YouTube
November 14, 2018 at 08:47AM Lately, there’s been a storm of digital stars posting “Why I’m Taking a Break” videos on YouTube. Although it’s become a trend in recent months, it’s not something that’s being done as clickbait just to rack up millions of more views or wind up on the Trending page—it’s a crucial decision many YouTubers know they need to take for their mental health. And the most recent big name to open up about her time off? Lilly Singh, AKA “Superwoman.” In an emotional video to her fans, the YouTuber—who’s been on the platform for the past eight years and is one of the highest-earning creators—said she’s so drained that it’s affecting her well-being on many different levels, and she needs some time off the platform to recharge. “Why do I want to take a break? There are many reasons. First and foremost: my mental health. I’m mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted,” she said. “I want to be honest with you, I could be happier. I’m not my optimal happiness right now, I could be mentally healthier. I don’t feel like I’m completely mentally healthy. There’s a lot going on up here that I need to address and I’m not able to constantly pumping out content.” Obviously, this isn’t forever. Singh says her break could be a week, a month—she’s just feeling it out and won’t post any more videos until her “soul feels ready to do so.” And she definitely isn’t alone. Other big names have made
Is coffee, um, *allowed* while you’re intermittent fasting?
November 14, 2018 at 08:16AM What’s harder than giving up food for eight, 16, or even 24 hours? Asking a coffee drinker to give up their morning cup. (Or two. Or three.) But apparently that’s the deal when you’re intermittent fasting. Depending on the plan you’re following, there are often strict rules about what you can and cannot consume during a fasting period in order to enjoy the promised benefits of more energy, less brain fog, and healthy weight management. And surely, drinking something as delicious as coffee is “cheating,” right? Well, not exactly. I posed these questions to Nora Minno, RD, and to Josh Axe, a doctor of natural medicine, to get the deets. The good news: Neither expert gave coffee a hard no for anyone doing intermittent fasting—but it did come with some caveats. If you’re using IF primarily to help with weight management, Minno says straight coffee shouldn’t interfere with your goals because it has nearly zero cals (a plain cup of brewed coffee has less than 5). It also won’t take you out of ketosis (the state where your body is burning fat instead of carbs for fuel), which is great news if you’re on the keto diet and want to incorporate IF. But once you start adding in anything more caloric to your coffee, like milk or MCT oil, that’s more of a no-go. “Technically, when you’re fasting, you’re not supposed to eat anything,” Dr. Axe says. And some more elaborate coffee drinks can come packed with calories—even Bulletproof coffee
Spotify’s Apple Watch app is here, but there’s a hitch for runners
November 14, 2018 at 08:14AM Despite the Apple Watch’s ever-evolving smart technology (it can track your heart health and help diagnose thyroid issues), runners have long lamented the absence of one simple, much-desired feature: Spotify compatibility. And while today Apple (finally!) released the music-streaming app for the Apple Watch, you still won’t be able to stream your go-to playlist offline without bringing your phone along for the mileage, too. Rather than allowing you to run hands-free into the sunset with just your bluetooth headset and your watch, the Spotify app really just acts as a smaller remote for controlling what’s playing on your phone or speakers while you’re online, reports Tech Crunch. Still good for directing your cooking playlist while you’re prepping for Thanksgiving dinner, but you can’t (yet, at least) can’t download Drake’s latest album then leave your phone at home to stream it on-the-go. The good news? Spotify has confirmed that future updates will let you jam out anywhere (WiFi or no WiFi). So there will be a day when the wearable wipes out the need to bring your phone along at all. Until then though, the new feature could make your at-home workout habit that teensiest easier. Because hey, if you decide you hate a song mid-burpee, you could theoretically hit the skip button on your wrist mid-jump. Here’s how to DJ your runs to crush every workout. And if you’re in the market for fresh pair of running shoes, here are our editors’ favorites. Continue Reading… Author Kells McPhillips |
Women stockpile birth control as Trump administration finalizes religious exemptions
Women stockpile birth control as Trump administration finalizes religious exemptions https://t.co/4dYS2Noh6J November 14, 2018 at 07:41AM Employers will be able to opt out of covering contraception if they have a “moral” objection. #mw pic.twitter.com/9kF5B63jGh — AI👩🏻💻Sue (@iversue) November 14, 2018 To read more, click above t.co (twitter) link November 14, 2018 at 07:44AM When Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, many women and reproductive rights activists were worried about what his presidency would mean for family planning services like abortion and birth control. Some started took matters into their own hands. Melanie Roven, a 29-year-old brand director in New York City, began stockpiling Plan B, an over-the-counter emergency birth control, early in Trump’s campaign for president, she told MarketWatch. “It was kind of a joke at first, but as he started forming policy ideas I realized I should actually do this,” she said. ‘This should be the end of a long and unnecessary culture war fight.’ —Mark Rienzi, president of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Plan B has a shelf life of up to four years and retails for around $50. Roven now has five boxes sitting in her bathroom. (Another emergency birth control, Take Action, retails for $35.) Roven also got an intrauterine device (IUD) shortly after Trump’s election, a form of birth control that lasts from three to six years, out of concern for her future access to reproductive care. Prior to his election, Trump said women who seek abortions should receive “some form of
The simple exercise Hilaria Baldwin swears by for super-toned arms
November 14, 2018 at 07:41AM When it comes to arm workouts, the options are endless. Using resistance bands, weights, you name it, you’re able to work toward that all-over toned look. Despite there being a number of totally effective options available, one of the best doesn’t require a single piece of equipment: push-ups. And yoga phenom Hilaria Baldwin, for one, swears by ’em by for developing impressive strength without putting too much stress on the rest of your body. Those standard push-ups, done from a plank position, are a great way to work your entire body; but the celebrity yogi actually prefers taking the from-the-knee route—especially for those just starting out. Don’t be fooled, though, into thinking the modification will make things easy. By the time you’re finished, your body will likely feel the burn. “Everyone’s afraid of push-ups, and it’s because we kind of just go for it. Doing push-ups on your knees is actually a really great way to make you strong,” Baldwin tells Today of why knee push-ups aren’t to be discounted. Proper form is vital for getting the most out of your workout, so follow Baldwin’s outline for the perfect push-up: First get on your hands and knees and draw your navel in toward your spine with all your fingers facing forward. Then, make sure the insides of your elbows are facing forward as well. “As you bend down, your elbows are going to bend back. Keep your shoulders connected to your back, long through the back of the neck. You
Let neon knits light the dark days ahead
November 14, 2018 at 07:26AM Here’s a bright idea for you. Now that it’s dark at 5 p.m. (thanks, Daylight Saving Time), be the light you want to see in this world by wearing neon knitwear. The DayGlo trend that got its start this summer has resurfaced this fall as cozy clothing in fluorescent shades. High-voltage hues add an element of surprise to otherwise basic pieces such as beanies or boxy sweaters like this electric crewneck. The key to pulling off neons is to wear them with confidence and not be afraid to shine. That being said, you can tone down any tone by pairing it with light-wash jeans and simple white sneakers or boots. You can also amp up the wow-factor with a full-on monochromatic outfit. For the latter, keep it in the color family but play with different textures, like velvet or corduroy to make things interesting. Either way, neon knits are one cure for the seasonal doldrums and general feelings of meh that can set in this time of year. It’s like color therapy for your closet. Get the look Photo: Anthropologie Anthropologie Wilhelmina Pullover, $98 Available in sizes XS to XL Photo: Banana Republic Banana Republic Sloan Skinny-Fit Solid Ankle Pant, $90 Available in sizes 0 to 20 Photo: Zara Zara Soft Feel Oversized Sweater, $40 Available in sizes S to L Photo: Agolde Agolde Riley Hi Rise Straight Crop Corduroy in Tabasco, $168 Available in sizes 23 to 30 Photo: Asos Asos Weekday Balloon Sleeve Open Weave Knit
That never-ending breakout on your chin? Yeah, it might not be hormonal acne after all
November 14, 2018 at 06:02AM Shortly after my 30th birthday, during a particularly stressful time at work, I found myself with a breakout of epic proportions. (Like, call-in-sick-so-nobody-has-to-see-me bad.) So I recruited the big guns: glycolic acid face wash, prescription retinol, and antibacterial spot treatments. But no matter how many new acne products I tried—and I tried a lot in my panicked state—my skin just kept getting bumpier and more inflamed, especially on the lower half of my face. A dermatologist prescribed me a steroid cream, which helped to a certain extent, but things never fully cleared up. For the next five years, my chin was perpetually red and covered in pimples of varying size and severity, which I blamed on stress and hormones. That is, until I went to see a new dermatologist at the end of last year, who took one look at me and told me that I wasn’t actually dealing with acne at all. Instead, she gave me an unfamiliar diagnosis: perioral dermatitis. Peri-what? “Perioral dermatitis is inflammation around the mouth that appears as small, red bumps that can be itchy or uncomfortable,” explains New York City dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD, who notes that it’s often mistaken for acne. “This is very common in my practice—[I see] at least 8 patients a day with this condition.” No one actually knows what causes perioral dermatitis, which is found most often in women under 45, or why it only tends to affect the lower half of the face.
Exclusive: How Arianna Huffington course-corrects stress in just one minute
November 14, 2018 at 04:00AM Arianna Huffington’s list of accomplishments is at least as long as the total amount of hours she’s spent asleep (which is to say, a lot). And with her latest venture Rise & Thrive, a partnership between Thrive Global (Huffington’s enterprise for tackling burnout) and WeWork (a global network of coworking spaces), the superstar entrepreneur-slash-author is channeling all of her expert intel into one mission: Making workplace culture more wellness-minded. The first step of the partnership will be an immersive, all-day experience on January 19th at Rise by We in New York City ($299), where participants will become quick studies on how to keep well-being top of mind, even if they spend 40-plus hours a week at their desk. “By bringing together both of our communities, we have the unique opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind wellness experience for more people, allowing them to pursue personal growth for a sustainable and enhanced quality of life,” says Avi Yehiel, head of wellness at WeWork. If you’re not located in NYC, you can still benefit from Huffington’s wisdom, because she shared her thoughts on how to live your best, wellness-infused life with us. Below, Arianna Huffington talks the future of mental health, how to boss your to-do list, and more. View this post on Instagram At the #ManovaSummit with @SleepNumber CEO Shelly Ibach, who introduced me. She is a friend, a @Thrive partner, and a true pioneer in bringing science and innovation to sleep. Love her mantra: “Sleep well, dream big.” As she
Can weighted blankets quell bedtime anxiety? I tried one to find out
November 14, 2018 at 02:00AM In case you’ve missed the kicker of every mattress commercial ever, here’s an existential crisis-inducing fact for you: Everyone spends about one-third of their lives either asleep or tossing and turning in an attempt to do so. I’d be willing to bet that, for me at least, the split between struggle and success lands at about 50/50. Even though I take a nightly five-milligram dose of melatonin, a combination of work and school (I’m earning my MFA on the side) has made my pre-snooze anxiety flare up lately. And when I turned to the sleep-tech industry to see if any solutions out there could rekindle my committed relationship with Mr. Sandman, one option stood out. Enter weighted blankets: Quilted cocoons designed with “deep pressure touch” (DPT) that has been found to decrease anxiety, improve sleep quality in insomniacs, and act as an aid in soothing children with autism. Though many companies now sell this peak hygge snooze aid, I’d heard the most about Gravity Blankets, so I decided to put the company’s space grey blanket, which costs $320, to the test. The first decision I make is to select how heavy a blanket I want to drape over my comforter for the course of the experiment. Mike Grillo, Gravity’s co-founder and president, advises choosing an option that weighs in at about 7–12 percent of my body weight. And since I sit squarely between the 15-pound and 20-pound options, I go ahead and size up. When the blanket arrives about a week