April 01, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC When my devastated super-monogamous friend told me that her Bumble hookup had been hiding his open relationship from her, I all but texted “Mazel Tov!” while Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” played in my head. At least in the Big Apple, it seems that only the Bronx Zoo swans and like five humans singles are monogamous, so this switch-and-bait experience is basically a sad Bat Mitzvah of sorts. In recent years, along with the rise of app culture, dating has been all about diversifying your options. Part of that means normalizing open relationships and/or polyamory, which isn’t necessarily bad news since ethical non-monogamy can be healthy. In fact, one study by the University of Guelph showed that people in consensual non-monogamous relationships “experience the same levels of relationship satisfaction, psychological well-being and sexual satisfaction as those in monogamous relationships.” But take note of the word “consensual,” which here means everyone was involved with other partners, and more importantly, everyone was aware of said other partners. And if non-monogamy isn’t your thing (which is totally acceptable), finding out your new fling has other flings or even a full-blown serious relationship other than you is off-putting. Suffice it to say that this specific omission is a weird catfish aspect of dating that’s breeding all sorts of chaos in the appverse and elsewhere. And it really begs the question: Can someone monogamous date someone polyamorous without it being, like, searingly painful for everyone involved? “Just
Category: 2019 Health
Are you taking a turmeric *supplement* yet? Here’s why you should consider it
March 31, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC On top of not being totally confident whether you should pronounce the first “r” or not, there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to the anti-inflammatory spice-turned-supplement that is turmeric—like, what it actually does for your body and how, exactly, to use it. Despite Instagrammers everywhere dousing their veggies in turmeric, whisking it into lattes, and blending it into smoothies, Nick Bitz, ND, chief scientific officer at Youtheory®, says there are actually a couple reasons you should opt for supplements over food for your turmeric intake. “The first reason deals with potency,” Dr. Bitz explains. “The type of turmeric used in culinary dishes is about four percent curcuminoids, whereas the type of turmeric used in most supplements is 95 percent curcuminoids.” If you’re scratching your head wondering what the heck a curcuminoid is, FYI they’re the active compounds in turmeric that give it all its health benefits (and golden color). “The type of turmeric used in most supplements is 95 percent curcuminoids. So, supplements are nearly 20 times more concentrated than foods.” The second reason deals with absorption. “When consumed in food, turmeric is rapidly broken down and only very little reaches the bloodstream,” he says. To make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to potency and absorption, Dr. Bitz recommends taking supplements, like the Youtheory® Turmeric Extra Strength Formula, because the combo of a super concentrated turmeric extract plus black pepper has the potential to help boost blood
How fitness gave this 26-year-old the confidence to have a preventative double mastectomy
March 31, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC If you’ve ever danced out of a spin class buzzing with endorphins, you know the power of the post-workout high. But did you know that those feel-good vibes can actually go much deeper? Like, way deeper. For Caroline Szum, an office manager at a Boston physical therapy practice, her fitness journey wasn’t just about building muscle—it was about re-building a foundation for self-worth that had been broken down by bullies starting in childhood. (Told you it was deep.) “I specifically remember when I was in third grade and one of my classmates said I should go on Jenny Craig,” Szum says. “I would get bullied weekly, and was constantly trying to hide my body in hopes that my classmates would just leave me alone.” Flash forward to today, and Szum couldn’t be more proud of the body that has carried her through everything from powerlifting competitions to the death of her mother and an elective double mastectomy. To honor strong women like Szum, we teamed up with Target to celebrate the beauty in bodies of all shapes and sizes by sharing their stories. Szum’s starts in a high school weight room. Keep reading for more of Szum’s inspirational story—from the start of her fitness journey to her decision to undergo a double mastectomy. Finding her power “There is absolutely no way I can do this,” 14-year-old Szum thought as she faced the 200-pound Atlas stone her strength coach had just challenged her to lift.
Not in on the Collagen Trend? Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the Buzzy Supplement
March 31, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC From beauty products to beverages, you don’t have to listen hard to hear the buzz around collagen supplements (which we called as a rising trend in 2017, just sayin’). But if you’re still scratching your head over what it actually does and how to get it in your diet, we got you. In a nutshell, collagen is the popular protein that’s touted for its benefits for everything from your hair and nails to your gut health. But that begs the question of the hour: Do you really need a collagen supplement, or can you just get it through your diet? According to Nick Bitz, ND, chief scientific officer at Youtheory®, your once-a-week bone-broth splurge isn’t going to cut it. The question of the hour: Do you really need a collagen supplement, or can you just get it through your diet? “Food-derived collagen is much too large to be absorbed effectively by the intestine,” Dr. Bitz explains. “Although bone broth soups and bone-in, skin-on meats are excellent sources of collagen protein, they provide very little usable collagen, most of which never reaches the bloodstream.” Instead, he suggests finding a hydrolyzed collagen supplement, like Youtheory®’s Collagen Powder or Tablets, which have been engineered for better absorption, according to Dr. Bitz. “[Supplements] supply a unique type of collagen that has undergone hydrolysis (a gentle enzymatic process that breaks the protein into smaller, more uniform peptide fragments),” Dr. Bitz says. “Studies show that over 90 percent of hydrolyzed collagen
Pop quiz: Do you know how a probiotic actually works?
March 31, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC As more and more products have started tapping the powers of probiotics (probiotic granola bars! probiotic chocolate!), it seems like everyone has the basic science down: probiotic bacteria is the good kind, all other bacteria is bad, and consuming probiotics will support gut health—right? Actually, it’s not quite so simple, according to Nick Bitz, ND, chief scientific officer at Youtheory®. “Traditional probiotics do not work in the manner that most people assume,” he says. Here’s the catch: That assumption that probiotics will make us exemplars of gut health is often more dream than reality because consuming live probiotics is key—and it’s harder to do than you might think. The assumption that probiotics will make us exemplars of gut health is often more dream than reality—because consuming live bacteria is key. Survivability studies on leading probiotics have shown that 99 percent of the most common strains die before they reach your gut, Dr. Bitz says. “Companies have tried increasing overages, protecting the bacteria in enteric-coated capsules, and storing them in cooler temperatures to improve survivability, but the end result is the same: dead probiotics.” So how do you get the live version? Dr. Bitz suggests taking a spore probiotic—like Youtheory® Spore Probiotic—which is surrounded in a natural covering similar to a seed’s shell that protects the bacteria from heat and stomach acid. “Spores are unique because they remain in a protected state until arriving safely in the small intestine, where they shed their coat and exert positive effects,”
The “cosmic spring” is here: Why the season of renewal is super-charged right now
March 31, 2019 at 12:08PM by CWC The flowers are blooming and the days are getting longer—but the season this year is also amplified by the cosmos, says astrologer Jennifer Racioppi. Here’s why springtime renewal is getting an extra celestial boost—and how to tune in to its power. As we settle into the post-Mercury retrograde reality (Mercury initially went retrograde on March 5, and after a few weeks of a tumultuous ride, the planet of communication stationed direct on March 28) we do so with Mars, the planet of action, now in the sign of Gemini. Mars moving into Gemini on March 31 opens the doors to a fresh start. Think of it this way: We find ourselves in Aries season—the sun travels in Aries from March 20 to April 20—and Mars rules Aries, the sign of new beginnings and fresh starts (hello astrological new year). So, as we go through this season of awakening, Mars’ location in the sky tells the story of how we’ll do during this time of emergence. Gemini, a sign famously known for a fickle disposition, can influence Mars in such a way that things feel unsettled—decisions that felt solid are now up for review. Up until now, Mars has traveled in Taurus, a fixed earth sign—Mars entered Taurus on Valentine’s Day—and Taurus is not its favorite part of the zodiac. Think of it this way: Mars likes speed and action, and Taurus doesn’t. Mars traveling through Taurus can bring feelings of frustration, as our
What to know about usnea, the antibacterial lichen that’s in some natural deodorants
March 31, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC If you’ve ever gone on a hike and seen funky-looking fungus growing on trees, you were probably staring right at usnea, a type of lichen with purported health benefits. (A lichen, btw, is basically when a fungus and an algae fuse together to make a symbiotic life form.) According to the Institute of Traditional Medicine, the lichen—also known as “old man’s beard” because of its hairy appearance—has been used for hundreds of years as a healing compound in Native American, Chinese, and European medicine. Today, you can find usnic acid (basically the active ingredient in usnea that’s largely responsible for its purported benefits) in toothpastes, mouthwashes, sunscreens, and deodorant. Are there any potential usnea benefits? Real talk: There’s not a ton of concrete research out there on usnea or usnic acid. The one benefit that’s generally agreed upon are usnea’s antibacterial properties. Usnic acid shows up in a lot of hygiene products because it has been shown to slow and prevent the growth of certain kinds of bacteria and fungi. A 2005 in vitro study also showed that the acid has some antioxidant potential, too. Take that with a grain of salt—the study wasn’t done on live subjects so it’s unclear how this would affect the human body. The whole antibacterial thing likely is part of the reason why the lichen has a traditional rep (and usage) as a cold-fighter. It also contains mucilage, which—stay with me—is a slimy, gooey substance that can
Wait, people slathering kombucha scoby on their face has to be peak wellness, right?
March 31, 2019 at 08:00AM by CWC I refused to drink kombucha for a very long time. Not because it has a funky, acquired taste… but because it has a weird glob floating around in it that can easily sneak into your mouth. I’m shuddering in utter disgust just thinking about it. That glob is called a scoby, and it’s actually how kombucha—the gut-friendly wellness beverage that delivers a healthy dose of probiotics to your system—is made. BTW, it’s not just a weird name for the hell of it (although “scoby” does kinda match what it looks like IRL)—it’s actually an acronym for “symbiotic culture of bacteria.” Not that it makes it any more appetizing. Anywho, I bring up the mysterious, bacteria cultured-item because I’ve been hearing murmurs in the beauty world about people slathering scoby onto their skin for a… glow. After vomiting, I began thinking about it, and it started to make sense in my skin-care obsessed brain. First of all, probiotics on your skin is a good thing. They support the healthy microbiome that keeps your skin barrier in tact and thriving. And fermented beauty makes skin-care products more bioavailable. So a scoby is just a perfect mix of the two that’d only bestow your complexion with radiance, no? “Topically applied probiotics can have a really positive effect for many skin conditions by helping regulate the pH and by balancing the appropriate bacterial flora on the skin,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology.
Good friends are hard to come by—here’s what to look for in one, according to your MBTI profile
March 31, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC Ever notice how some friends turn your energy up a notch, and others have more of a calming effect on you? What about the friends who bring over the pints of nice cream as soon as they find out you and your S.O. broke up versus those who drag you out to the bar and don’t ask questions? All your friends all have their strengths—but some of those strengths may benefit you more than others. Every Myers-Briggs personality type has a different set of core needs based on intellectual, social, and emotional profiles. (Don’t know what your MBTI is? Read this first!) Luckily, there are types out there who complement your specific needs and thus hold the power to dramatically improve your life. So without further ado, keep on reading to find out who should be your bestie, based on your Myers-Briggs personality type. The top traits to look for in a bestie, according to your Myers-Briggs personality type. Graphic by Well+Good Creative ISFJ You may not be the first to jump into a new activity or to take initiative in meeting new people, but even though you’re shy, you’re an inherently a social being. You thrive when you’re surrounded by people you love and people who help you see the world in new ways. ESFPs and ESTPs are the quintessential social butterflies of the MBTI system, and they can teach you to be more spontaneous and crash that party you were too
I took CBD oil for two weeks straight, and here’s how it made me feel
March 31, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Whenever a wellness ingredient becomes mainstream, I have to try it in any and all forms possible (I’m looking at you, turmeric). Now, the buzziest ingredient in town is the all-hailed CBD, AKA cannabidiol. So I have to wonder: With its many accolades, how does CBD oil make you feel? CBD is the major, non-psychoactive cannabinoid complex from the cannabis plant that offers significant health benefits. I’ve explored these benefits via skin-care products, body wash, and in my workout recovery routine—but I’ve yet to take it internally, which many say is the most direct way to absorb it. Taking CBD oil has been studied to have pain-relieving, inflammatory-fighting, and anxiety-reducing prowess, so ingesting it on the reg seems as though it might not be the worst idea in the world. “A daily dose of CBD will rebalance imbalances within the body and, depending on the specific individual, the benefits manifest themselves differently,” explains Emily Heitman, co-founder, COO and CMO of Leef Organics. “As a regulator and a modulator, CBD acts in a dynamic and comprehensive fashion to get to the root of individual issues. I believe it should be part of everyone’s daily routine for maintenance and preventative support.” As for how it actually makes you feel, it’s more of a subtle effect. “CBD is used and repurposed by your body in the way you need it most, so the feeling by each individual tends to be a bit different,” says Heitman. “However, I think