April 04, 2019 at 06:16AM by CWC As much as I love matcha, there’s nothing more soothing than a chai latte. Even just one sip of those warm spices sends a wave of comfort throughout my entire body. But you don’t need to head to your favorite coffee shop every time you want to get your fix. By creating a mix at home, you’ll have a stash that stays fresh in your pantry for up to three months. Dana Shultz, the recipe developer behind the plant-based food blog Minimalist Baker, recently shared that she, too, is a lover of all things chai. And instead of treating herself to something whipped up by a barista, she created a six-ingredient, totally caffeine-free version she can drink at home anytime she wants. “This mix is made up of some of my favorite spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves,” she writes. “After much testing of different ratios, this is the perfect blend—in my humble opinion—to create a dreamy chai latte.” The blend—which can be used in both hot and cold chai lattes!—only requires a few minutes to create. After adding your spices to a small jar, all you need to do is shake or stir everything up to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Once you’re done, you’ll add 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of the mix to your favorite plant milk (she suggests coconut or almond) whenever you’re craving the beverage. Starbucks, who? [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91HA02Z7zWk] If you’re in the
Category: 2019 Health
What a full-body cryotherapy treatment actually feels like
April 04, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC I’ve always been dramatic and said that I hate heat. I’m in the minority in that spring and summer are my least favorite seasons, I keep my windows open at night during the wintertime, and I’m one of those people who drinks iced coffee year-round (even when it’s blizzarding). So you’d think that locking myself into a chamber where the temperature is a cool -166 degrees F for three minutes straight—to help rehab my sore muscles that have happened as a result of working out—would be right up my alley. Cryotherapy has been a practice that’s been around for quite some time. Immersing your body to those subzero temps could actually have some health perks beyond aiding post-working. “Some of the purported benefits of cryotherapy include a decrease in inflammation, pain relief, and improved mobility,” says Niket Sonpal, MD, a New York-based gastroenterologist. “For older patients, they may experience instant relief of chronic joint pain and improved rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Patients may also benefit from dramatic stimulation of the immune system (a boost), hormones, and nervous system, and feel increased energy.” He adds that it also aids in your body’s recovery time, as it increases muscle resistance to fatigue (hence why athletes love it). As with everything though, talk to you doctor before you make the decision to take on the chill. With all those health perks—and the added benefit of involving the cold, my favorite—I had to hop into a cryo pod
The most-common spot to miss SPF is also the first to show signs of aging
April 04, 2019 at 05:45AM by CWC Everyone has a story like this (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself). Despite diligence, there have been times when I’ve come home from the beach with sand between my toes and a sunburn on the top of a foot. Though I wore a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses, applied sunscreen before I even put my bathing suit on—then reapplied after swimming and throughout the day—and covered up with a long-sleeve top after a few hours in the sun. I had done everything by the book, and somehow I had still missed that one foot. It’s a common mistake, says dermatologist Heather Rogers, MD, medical director of Modern Dermatology in Seattle. “Anything that’s perpendicular to the sun is going to burn easier,” she tells me. “Anything that’s perpendicular to the sun is going to burn easier.” But these small spots matter. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that over the past 30 years in the United States, more skin cancers have been diagnosed than every other type of cancer combined. So keep your favorite SPF close at hand—all year long—and pay attention to the places you’re likely neglecting. Scroll down to learn about the body parts people most often forget to protect—and why slathering on the sunscreen is so important. The most common culprits for sun-damaged areas Dr. Rogers ticks off some of the places you’re likely forgetting to properly apply (or reapply your sunscreen): “Tops of the feet, tops of your ears, top of your head. People always forget the scalp and hair
9 Mediterranean diet benefits that explain why experts love it so much
April 04, 2019 at 04:50AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGnyqti9wsw] The ketogenic diet may have been the buzziest eating plan in 2018, but is it the healthiest overall? According to U.S. News and World Report, the tried-and-true Mediterranean diet rises to take the top honor. A panel of health experts examined and ranked 41 popular eating plans, concluding that the Mediterranean diet is the most universally beneficial for long-term health. Further down the list, U.S. News named the DASH diet as the second healthiest, with WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) as fourth, vegetarian as 11th, vegan as 20th, Paleo as 33rd, and Whole30 and keto tied for 38th. What makes the Mediterranean diet so beloved by MDs and nutrition experts? Registered dietitian Lauren Slayton, RD, points to the fact that it emphasizes the consumption of foods high in omega-3s and healthy fats, like fish, olive oil, nuts, grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies. “[Olive oil] has tremendous cardiovascular benefits,” she says. Meanwhile, you’re eating a lot less red meat—although it’s still permitted on occasion. It’s generally pretty easy for people to follow, Slayton says (and allows for small amounts of red wine). “Diet trends come and go, but the Mediterranean diet’s encouragement of eating a variety of foods in moderation is pretty aligned with the advice I like to give my clients.” —Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD “The Mediterranean diet isn’t a specific set of rules and restrictions, making it way easier to adopt than other trendy eating plans,” says Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, in
Palm reading 101: Learn to decode the story that exists right at your fingertips
April 04, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC If you’re making your way through life feeling like you have all of the things under control, then go you. Seriously, keep riding that wave. But for the rest of us, there are likely at least one or two areas that feel a bit less than satisfactory, whether it’s a ho-hum job, love-life goings-on that skew a bit beyond “it’s complicated,” or something else that’s just…lacking. That’s why when any bit of insight comes our way that’s supposed to make navigating life a bit easier, the intel can feel like a straight-up gift. Sometimes that comes in the form of advice from your BFF or celeb tips for multitasking, but other times, it’s more woo-woo in nature. And all you need in order to reap the benefits is the ability to understand what’s already right under your nose. Say hello to palm reading. While the roots of the practice can’t be traced to a specific period of time, research shows it has been used to shed light on a person’s unique story for quite a bit. (And really, it’s just plain-old fascinating, which is generally reason enough to learn more about it, right?) Bonus: It turns out you don’t have to be a palmistry expert to learn a few of the basics that come along with palm reading, according to Helene Saucedo, an Atlanta-based palm reader who runs Handful Of Stars palm readings out of a seriously cool renovated vintage camper. So, light
9 peel-and-stick wallpapers to give your home a chic (and easy) upgrade for spring
April 04, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Painting the walls in your home is on the same commitment level as chopping bangs. Once you go for it and brush on that first swipe of color, there’s no turning back. But if you’re a little uneasy about making that bold of a move in your space, there’s a simple solution to adding new life, minus the permanency: peel-and-stick wallpaper. Etsy just released its home decor trends for 2019, and this season is all about maximalism with “standout fixtures, bold patterns, and vibrant colors.” One of the most popular components of that, by far, is peel-and-stick wallpaper (as in, the kind you can easily un-stick later on). Searches for “peel stick wallpaper” are up 385 percent on Etsy over the past few months alone, and not just for use on walls. It’s also been spotted on staircases, dressers, and cabinets. Basically, there are no rules. Searches for “peel stick wallpaper” are up 385 percent on Etsy over the past few months alone, and not just for use on walls. Wherever you decide you want a pop of color, you simply peel off the adhesive backing of the wallpaper and stick it on. Then if you decide you want to do something different later on, you can remove it just as easily with no sticky residue to clean up. And the best news: There are more eye-catching ways to give your home a quick upgrade than ever—here are the most eye-catching designs out
These Are The Gut-Boosting Supplements You Should Take To Spring Clean Your Microbiome
April 03, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC Sometimes you’re able to totally nail your yoga flow without a hitch—other times, however, you need an extra boost of support to reach all of the endorphins waiting at the end. The same goes for your microbiome. You can eat all the prebiotic and probiotic foods you want, but it might not be enough to give your gut what it needs—and that’s where supplements for digestion come into play. “Some [supplements] help with the breakdown and digestion of food, others help with the health and integrity of the gut lining, and others help with keeping it from being inflamed,” says Amy Shapiro, RD, founder of Real Nutrition. “These together help to heal the gut, and when paired with prebiotics and probiotics can allow for a very healthy and well balanced microbiome.” Together with Renew Life®—the powerful gut-boosting supplement brand—and Shapiro, we found out exactly which ones your body needs to make that happen. Scroll down for 5 supplements for digestion that’ll give your gut the spring-cleaning treatment. Photo: @moyo.studio-via-Twenty20 1. A high-quality probiotic supplement Not really a total shock, right? Even if you do eat a fair amount of probiotic-rich foods, adding a supplement can amp up your gut health with barely any effort. Renew Life®’s Ultimate Flora Women’s Care 25 Billion Probiotic is created with 10 different specially selected strains and 25 billion live cultures that work together to support your digestive and immune health. And it’s good for your lady parts,
5 ways to increase serotonin levels naturally
April 03, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC If you’ve ever fallen down the Google rabbit hole, researching ways to boost your mood (or is that just me?), you’ve likely heard about serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that’s linked to better mood and overall satisfaction. And it’s tempting to wonder how to increase serotonin, since it seemingly is the thing that makes you happier. However, serotonin actually offers up quite a few additional benefits for your health. Besides helping regulate mood, serotonin is also needed for motor skills and cognitive functioning. It’s also included in nerve function that regulates blood pressure, heart rate, and the digestion system. So it’s pretty darn important. While boosting your brain’s serotonin could help boost your mood, too, it’s not a panacea for every mental health issue. Integrative psychiatrist James Lake, MD, warns that managing depression—or even just a bad mood—is much more complicated than zeroing in on serotonin. “Serotonin is certainly an important neurotransmitter and important in that equation, but there are numerous other neurotransmitters that are important, too,” he says. Besides serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins all play important roles in regulating mood. And if you’re truly struggling with what you believe to be a serious mood or mental health condition, With this in mind, there are several ways to naturally boost your serotonin levels. Keep reading to see what they are. Scroll down for 5 tips on how to increase serotonin. 1. Tweak your diet. Depending on what you eat, you could
Apps and online tools aim to ease the loneliness too many new moms suffer from in silence
April 03, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC There are certain expectations about how you’ll feel when you have a new baby, like, say floating on a happy cloud of new-motherhood joy. But even if you’re aware of how common postpartum depression is and the slew of ways it and societal expectations can impact your life, feeling it play out in real life is often more complicated. Some changes aren’t surprising, like the sleepless nights and the fact that it’s suddenly so much harder to find time to do basic things like shower and eat. But there’s one aspect that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: loneliness. “I see this a lot,” says Tamar Gur, MD, PhD, a women’s health expert and reproductive psychiatrist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. There aren’t a lot of hard numbers on how many new moms struggle with feelings of loneliness, but a survey conducted by the U.K.’s Channel Mum found that 9 out of 10 feel lonely after having kids. A lot of it has to do with the way the postpartum period is structured in our society, says Catherine Birndorf, MD, founder of the Motherhood Center in New York City and co-author of the forthcoming book What No One Tells You: A Guide to Your Emotions, From Pregnancy to Motherhood with reproductive psychiatrist Alexandra Sacks, MD. Women are usually encouraged to keep babies home to protect them from germs, and that can be isolating, Dr. Birndorf says. “You may be stuck at home,
These $4 razors are the best-selling Amazon secret to perfectly shaped brows
April 03, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Long before Lordes Leon set out to make the unibrow cool again, girls in my middle school mocked the patch of hair between my eyebrows incessantly, calling me names both to my face and behind my back (kids are the worst, huh?). While I’ve managed to get over their crappy teasing in the past decade and a half and learned to love my bushy brows, the few hairs that live above my nose and fuse my two eyebrows into one still drive me nucking futs. No matter how frequently I tweeze them—which is pretty much every day, and still after a decade and a half makes me sneeze every time—the hairs pop up out of nowhere. It’s the worst. But last year, while traveling through Asia, I discovered eyebrow razors—and the eyebrow primping game had officially been changed. The cute little single-blade razors (which can also be used to shave or exfoliate your face, ICYWW) are great for removing pesky hairs, especially ones that are too short for tweezers to grip onto. They’re small and easy to maneuver, and they don’t hurt or make me sneeze when I use them. And for what its worth, it looks like I’m not the only one who’s realized how great these babies are: Earlier this week, they rose to the throne as the number one beauty product on Amazon. Plus, they’re only 4 dollars for a pack of three—a serious steal. I recently asked celebrity eyebrow artist Joey