May 17, 2019 at 12:23PM by CWC This morning, I walked into my Pilates class in a brand new workout outfit. Three separate people complimented me on my #lewk before I had even sat down on the Megaformer, and for the first 10 minutes of class, every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, all I could think was, “Damn girl, you look good.” I was feeling myself, for real. But then, when it came time to do weighted squats, I looked down and realized there was a massive sweat stain between my legs. My thoughts of my own hotness were immediately replaced with was mortification (like, I genuinely considered bolting out of the class), followed quickly by annoyance: I loved these leggings so much, but I could literally never, ever wear them to a workout class again. I may be a strong, independent, confident woman (I’ve been listening to a lot of Lizzo lately), but I am not down with showing off my crotch sweat to an entire room of strangers. In order to avoid this situation from ever happening again, I reached out to a Gaiam senior designer, Nicole Andrick, to find out how you can tell if a pair of leggings will show sweat before you invest $85 in them… and then unknowingly wear them to a class in front of a whole bunch of people. “The fabric must have moisture wicking properties that will pull moisture away from body, keeping you cool during
Category: 2019 Health
How to just tell someone that you love them—because life isn’t a CW teen drama
May 17, 2019 at 10:59AM by CWC If I’ve learned anything from CW teen dramas—and trust me, I could get a PhD in Gossip Girl—it’s that most first instances of saying “I love you” are more-or-less unplanned. Those heavily weighed three words, eight letters can become a big point of contention in the relationship. Let’s say one person blurts it out, and the other person is totally caught off guard and says something asinine—obviously it’s about to be a belabored problem. Bravo to Riverdale for ignoring that trope for Betty and Jughead (but boo for pulling that noise with Veronica and Archie). Anyway, while you may well have more emotional control than a 25-year-old actor masquerading as a teenager, when those loving feelings start brewing for a new significant other IRL, you’d still be wise to have a plan of attack in mind for knowing how to best proceed. Because if I’ve learned two things from CW teen dramas on the matter, the second is that they’re, well, not un-right about “I love yous” being sometimes ill-received, which makes no one feel great. If the recipient reacts a little callously, or a little dismissively, or shuts down the whole convo completely, the result can be a breeding ground for anxiety. And perhaps this points to why so many people prefer for their partner to spill the “I love you” beans first. “Most humans fear being rejected,” says relationship expert Susan Winter. “Therefore, they don’t want to be the first want to say
There’s only one “right way” to roll up your sleeves, and it’s a J.Crew classic
May 17, 2019 at 10:42AM by CWC When you’ve been doing something one way your entire life, it’s really hard to accept that there might be a better method out there to get the job done. Sure, no one likes to be proven wrong. I’m still not over the fact that I’ve been cutting onions incorrectly for years. (Think of all the tears I’ve shed for nothing!) And when it comes to how to roll up sleeves, there’s only one right way, and you can master the technique just in time for the warm weather ahead. If anyone knows how to roll up sleeves like a boss, it’s Jenna Lyons, the former president and creative director of J.Crew. As someone who worked within the world of chambray shirts for 26 years (and, FYI, basically made them a trend in the first place), she’s probably styled a few long sleeves in her day. So it goes without saying that any method other than hers couldn’t be more wrong. Lyon’s iconic sleeve-rolling technique is actually really simple. First, unbutton the buttons at the end of the sleeve and roll the end up so it meets your elbow. Then, cuff the remainder about an inch, letting the ends stick out of the top. In seconds, you’ll have a #lewk so perfect it’ll make the mannequins at J.Crew do a double-take. Here’s how to roll up sleeves the right way: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cD_8UR7Xrc] This isn’t the only thing you might have to rethink. Here’s the
These super comfy grandpa sneakers are seriously speaking to the mall walker in me
May 17, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC This week, Hush Puppies announced that they were launching new colors of their Power Walker shoes. As you can see here, these shoes are highly geriatric. Enough so that they’re dubbing them “grandpa sneakers.” The new colors in question are things like “seafoam” and “shrimp” (a, shall we say, descriptive—name for a shoe color). I mean, let’s be honest: They will pair perfectly with all the pastel Taylor Swift 7 merch I’m going to buy. There’s also a silver metallic, a bright blue, and your classic black and white colorways. These orthopedic AF shoes were made for mall walking. They say, “I care about things like arch support,” and “You can have your strappy sandals and chunky heels, but I will be far more comfortable and practical over here with my velcro.” Check and check. While “ugly” comfortable sneakers have been trending for a while, and while dad sneakers and chunky sneakers have been spotted all over the fashion runways, Instagram, and IRL at Cha Cha Matcha, grandpa sneaks really take things to the next level. And I’m actually into them. You know how some animals are so ugly that they’re actually cute? Like opossums? (I was just told by several people that opossums are not cute even in an ugly way, but those people are wrong.) Yeah, that pretty much sums up my thoughts on these types of shoes. But Allie, you may be thinking, don’t you normally hate trends? How are
The gut-friendly ice cream drink that will float your boat all summer long
May 17, 2019 at 07:42AM by CWC https://content.jwplatform.com/players/vCLpBBnL-05dicDBi.js Who says you have to give up your childhood favorite foods when you get your driver’s license? With grown-up versions of mac-and-cheese, Doritos, and raw cookie dough, you can get your kids’ menu fix with an upgrade in nutritional value. And now, this dairy-free kombucha float recipe created by The Natural Nurturer blogger Taesha Butler will transport you back to the summer seaside vacation of your memories (water fights and airbrush tattoos not included). Butler gets inventive in the kitchen pretty regularly, but it took a trip to the bar to inspire this concoction. (Granted, it was a kombucha bar near her home in Southern California….) “My husband and I are regulars, and one of the employees told us he had a kombucha float in South America last summer. I was completely dazzled by the much-healthier twist on a traditional soda version,” remembers Butler. “So, I grabbed some coconut milk ice cream on the way home and tried it out. It was so easy and delicious.” The best part? The two-ingredient recipe actually boosts gut health. (Bye, bloating!) Butler encourages you to get creative and try different kombucha and vegan ice-cream flavors, finding a combo that hits your personal sweet spot. Her go-to is vanilla coconut nice cream (AKA vegan ice cream) with blueberry kombucha. “The creaminess combined with the sweet tang of the blueberries just tastes like summer to me,” she says. Want to try it for yourself? Watch the video above and keep reading for the kombucha float recipe. Photo: Taesha Butler Kombucha Nice-Cream Float
This is *exactly* how long to wash your hands to scrub away germs
May 17, 2019 at 07:32AM by CWC It’s a question as old as time: How long do you actually need to wash your hands after going to the bathroom? For some, the answer is a quick splash with soap and water. For others, it’s until you finish mentally going through your to-do list for the day. To kick germs to the curb, the real solution is somewhere in the middle. A short scrub to wash up just doesn’t to cut it. A 2013 study from Michigan State University found that only 5 percent of people wash their hands long enough to kill germs after using the restroom, and that’s risky behavior. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says proper hand washing is key to fending off illnesses and infections caused by salmonella, E. coli, and norovirus. It also ensures you don’t spread germs to others. It takes just little bit longer (seconds, really!) to wash your hands properly. If you’ve just used the bathroom or taken out the garbage, or if you’re about to eat, the rule is the same: You need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Don’t forget to wash the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Using warm water isn’t necessary, but most people wash for longer if the temperature is pleasant. To time it out, sing the Alphabet song, which lasta bout 20 seconds. (You could sing “Happy Birthday” twice instead.) After
Finally, there’s undeniable evidence that processed food really is bad for your health
May 17, 2019 at 07:13AM by CWC Processed foods, defined by the National Health Service (NHS) as “any food that has been altered in some way during preparation,” have long been considered public enemy number one in the realm of nutrition. Meals and snacks high in salt, fat, and sugar have been linked to growing rates of obesity, but a study published Thursday marks the first time a randomized and controlled trial has demonstrated that eating these foods drives people to over-consume and gain weight. So is processed food bad for you? The answer is a data-driven “yes.” To conduct the study, researchers enlisted 20 adults (10 men and 10 women) to stay at the National Institutes of Health for two weeks. Participants ate either a diet of whole foods or a diet of only ultra-processed foods. By the end of the experiment, those in the latter group ate an average of 508 calories more each day, and ended up gaining two pounds on average by the end of the experiment. The finding is truly a breakthrough in nutritional science, Barry Popkin, PhD, dean of Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy tells NPR. “The difference in weight gain for one [group] and weight loss for the other during these two periods is phenomenal,” he says. “We haven’t seen anything like this.” “We haven’t seen anything like this.” What’s even more interesting is that study participants across both groups consumed were offered meals with equivalent amounts of calories,
7 healthy summer recipes that prove veggies deserve to be grilled, too
May 17, 2019 at 06:25AM by CWC Backyard grilling is hands down one of summer’s biggest perks. The smell of heated charcoal, a cooler full of kombucha…you’ve been waiting all year for this. But grilling season isn’t just for carnivores. If you’ve never sizzled up some eggplant, portobello mushrooms, or greens, now is extremely the time for you to try it. Because everything, especially vegetables, tastes better grilled. Need proof? Check out this list of healthy grilled vegetable recipes. They’re all Mediterranean diet-friendly, and feature vegetables as the starring ingredient. They might not completely replace your love for burgers…but they certainly make eating your vegetables even more delicious. Wondering where to start? Rounded up here are seven grilled vegetable recipes, all cookout-approved. Photo: Minimalist Baker 1. Jamaican grilled eggplant Blogger Minimalist Baker proves that eggplant can actually work in place of a meat dish because the texture is so hearty. (Just make sure you’re getting your protein from another element in the meal.) This recipe spices up the eggplant itself (using cinnamon, coriander, all spice, cayenne pepper, and thyme, among other spices) and the sauce, which is a blend of barbecue sauce, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and ginger. The result is a marriage of smoky and sweet flavors. Photo: Making Thyme For Health 2. Portobello steaks with pesto aioli This dish from Making Thyme for Health may sound fancy, but it’s really only eight ingredients. (No one has to know how easy it is, don’t worry.) Besides being veggie-forward, this
Cosmetic chemists explain what the heck “plant stem cells” do in skin care
May 17, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC I think it was around the time I was in high school that I learned that people were using stem cells to repair otherwise diseased organs. Science is crazy, right? But now, I see “plant stem cells” touted as skin-care ingredients in beauty products all the time—and immediately my mind goes back to the laboratories. WTF are they actually? “The term stem cells is a generic phrase which refers to a special type of cell in an organism that can develop into many different types of cells,” explains cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. “Embryonic stem cells can be developed into all types of human cells like nerve cells, skin cells, muscle cells, etc. It’s important to know that these are human cells that are specific to an individual.” In layman’s terms, they’re “undifferentiated cells that have not chosen a path as to what cells they are going to be yet,” adds Purvisha Patel, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. More specifically, however, I’m looking at plant stem cells—which are different, but have somewhat similar functions. “In plants, these cells live in the meristems of plants,” says Dr. Patel. “They help and regenerate live plants after they have an injury.” The similarity comes in how the cells act, though. “Stem cells have the ability to self renew and self repair, just like human stem cells,” says Ginger King, cosmetic chemist. “The difference is that the plant ones actually have stronger antioxidant properties than human
4 tips to turn any boring business trip into a bona fide vacation
May 17, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Traveling for work may sound fun in theory (especially to someone who’s never done it), but in practice, business trips tend to be full of endless meetings, exhausting schmooze-fests, not much sleep, and roughly zero personal time. Like, way less personal time than, say, your average Tuesday. And when you’re finally done, you likely have to head straight back to the airport (or climb into your rental car) to return to where you came from. While tacking on a bit of time for play at the end of a work trip may seem tough to handle, armed with the right travel-expert-sanctioned intel, it can be done and result in a much happier you. 4 tips to maximize work trips by squeezing in vacation vibes before getting back to business. 1. Extend your stay Have to fly to Chicago for meetings on Thursday and Friday? Consider extending your trip into the weekend, if possible. “If you’re booking the flight, look around for one that leaves on Sunday that’s a similar price as the one your company would have you take,” says Kim Mott, a travel writer based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. So long as the trip extension falls on a weekend, staying away to make good on your work-hard-play-hard goal shouldn’t compromise any on-the-clock time, says travel blogger Christina Vidal of Jetset Christina. “Extending your trip is on your dime, but if the flight pricing isn’t different, it shouldn’t matter to your bosses