July 24, 2019 at 06:48AM by CWC If record-breaking sales of sexual self-care products are any indication, the contents of people’s nightstands are looking a little bit different these days. In late 2018, Well+Good forecasted fast-approaching wellness trends, finding undeniable evidence that Big Bush Energy (and all the self-intimacy that comes along with it) would be, well, big in 2019. Body literacy continues to gain traction (seriously, the feminine hygiene market is set to reach $42.7 billion by 2022)—and it’s just the self-acceptance inspiring foreplay we need to truly unlock the power of sexual pleasure. Masturbation and sexual energy aren’t dinner table topics just yet; in fact, they remain maddeningly taboo. But brand after brand—Womanizer (the buzzy device boasting an “O-guarantee”); Dame (the sex toy that recently released a sex pillow); and Enby (one of the first gender-free toys to hit the market)—has stepped up to orient the conversation toward what feels good. Beyond the bounds of physical products, adult sexual education platforms like Allbodies (an informative online destination for all things related to sexual health), and feminist porn sites, like Lust Cinema, Indie Porn Revolution, and Pink Label TV, have entered the space to make the know-how of sexcapades more gender-inclusive. ad_intervals[‘408451_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408451_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); At Foundermade East, an annual discovery show of innovative brands with their fingers on the pulse of wellness, vibrator companies made a strong showing. The colors, shapes, sizes, and uses varied as much as the produce
Category: 2019 Health
Memorize the “four pack” to make your burpees over-the-top effective
July 24, 2019 at 06:45AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLBImHhCXSw] Finally nail the perfect burpee form—watch how it’s done, here. To me, I dread doing burpees as much as I dread getting a Pap smear. They both suck, but I gotta do them once in a while for the sake of my health. (Too dramatic? Just right? LMK.) Anyways, we can pretty much all agree that burpees are a workout move that nobody really likes doing. Even some trainers don’t like ’em. But, still, there’s a high chance you’re going to be instructed to knock some out if you’re in some sort of HIIT class. As you try getting through them, though, there are a lotta ways you can do them incorrectly, which makes them even harder, not to mention makes you more prone to injury. ad_intervals[‘410279_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘410279_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); “Burpees are really hard and nobody really likes to do them, and there’s a lot that can go wrong in a burpee,” says Charlee Atkins, fitness trainer, in Well+Good’s latest episode of The Right Way. When you’re doing them incorrectly, you’re falling flat onto the floor and scrambling to get back up. When you think about it, a burpee is actually a perfect combination of four different exercises: a jump, a squat, a plank, and a push-up, or as I like to call ’em, the “four pack”. Here are Atkins’ tips for nailing it: Strong but soft jump: With your head aligned with your
How one media executive overcame imposter syndrome by repurposing a swear jar
July 24, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC A friend and I recently created what we’ve come to call our “You Are Beautiful (in Every Single Way)” Jar. It’s an old flower vase with a marker-drawn label, and it’s currently filled with dollar bills (and one glaring $20). We came up with the idea after one of our typical volleys of self-flagellating call-and-response, which usually go something like this: Friend 1: Ugh, I look so fat today. Friend 2: Stop it, no you don’t. Friend 1: Sorry, sorry. [beat] But I do. I look fat. Good friends will call you out when you are unkind to yourself—and not just in regards to how you say you look. Maybe you reflexively label your ideas as stupid. Maybe you doubt your decisions. Maybe you worry long after the fact about the way you handled yourself during a social interaction. Maybe (actually, make that a ‘probably,’ especially if you are a woman) overcoming imposter syndrome feels impossible, thanks to a constant fear of being exposed as a fraud despite the evidence everywhere that you are not. ad_intervals[‘409344_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘409344_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); My friend and I decided to monetize our self-sabotage in hopes that by forcing ourselves to pay for the action, we’d start to change our thought process and begin overcoming imposter syndrome. Think of it as a kind of cognitive behavioral therapy, but instead of curse words or bad behavior (à la the Douchebag Jar
Cancel your facial, these serums are like a laser treatment in a bottle
July 24, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC My feelings about laser treatments are bittersweet. I love them because they’re a speedy way to brighten, tighten, and lift my face. But this time of year, with UV indexes soaring through the roof, some derms have told me that it’s smart to pass on lasers because of sun sensitivity, meaning that derm-office radiance flashes before my eyes and inevitably fades. With all of the innovations in skin care these days, though, we’re actually able to tap the potency of professional-grade treatments via beauty products that you can find on the shelves of your local drugstore or find a click away on Amazon. Within certain serum droppers or oil pumps or dabs of a cream, active ingredients join together to emulate what a laser can do to your skin, all without a dermatologist appointment or downtime. It’s particularly a perk, because not all laser treatments are the best option for every skin tone or skin type. “People with darker skin tones can run the risk of some lasers, such as Fraxel, CO-2, and Erbium, causing increased or decreased patches of pigment, leaving them with uneven skin tones,” says Dennis Gross, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. In addition, he adds that people with super sensitive skin are also not good candidates for lasers because they’re prone to irritation, which can show up in the form of redness, dryness, or pigmentation from the treatments. “I recommend active serums instead—firmer skin
Megan Rapinoe shares her winning food philosophy that keeps her energy up on and off the field
July 24, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC The average soccer player runs seven miles a game (!), and if this summer has made anything clear about the U.S. women’s national soccer team, it’s that they are definitely above average. Imagine if you went into your workouts with as much energy as these women brought to every single World Cup game—you’d crush it! But the key to being able to do that, of course, is fueling your body properly. It’s something team co-captain Megan Rapinoe has down to a science. (Um hi, World Cup winner over here.) “Overall, my philosophy is just to put good things in my body,” she says. “I don’t really eat anything artificial, fake, or that I can’t pronounce. I try to keep it simple and clean.” Whether she’s crafting a meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Rapinoe says she always incorporates lots of fiber-rich veggies, protein, and a serving of carbohydrates, all of which help keep her energy up on and off the field. ad_intervals[‘408676_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408676_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); A sample eating day: For breakfast, she typically scrambles two eggs with some vegetables like onion or green pepper. Then, she puts the scramble on an English muffin to make a healthy breakfast sandwich. After her workout (during the soccer season, she practices with her team from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the off-season she does a cardio workout followed by weight training or Pilates), she has a
For the love all things skin-care, please wash your new clothes before you wear them
July 23, 2019 at 05:01PM by CWC I always try to wash new clothes before I wear them. Mainly, out of fear that other people tried them on first. But sometimes, whether I get lazy or of I’m in a rush, I’ll wear something without giving it a good cleaning first. Apparently, that’s not the best idea. Dermatologists say you should always wash new clothes, because they can contain chemicals that can seriously irritate your skin. “I definitely wash all my clothes before wearing them,” says California-based dermatologist Shirley Chi, MD. “I am really careful to wash my kids’ new clothes, too, since their skin is even more sensitive to irritation from chemicals.” Dr. Chi explains that wearing new clothes without washing them can lead to contact dermatitis, a reaction that occurs when is a your skin is sensitive to, or allergic something that it comes in contact with. Time reports that contact dermatitis can be the result of disperse dyes, which are used to color synthetic clothing materials like polyester and nylon. Dr. Chi says that it can also be caused by preservatives like formaldehyde, which is used to keep clothes wrinkle-free during shipment. ad_intervals[‘410152_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘410152_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); You should wash your clothes (as well as bed sheets and bath towels) at least once to get rid of most of the chemicals. Some chemical residue will linger, but it should dissipate with subsequent washes. If you have sensitive skin, an
How to fall in love—even in the age of ghosting and orbiting—according to the pros
July 23, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Seth and Summer. Jack and Rose. Noah and Ali. Each of us have one pop-culture power couple in mind that made us believe in love—the type of love that would make you stand on a coffee cart and profess it, sacrifice your seat on a life boat (although, HOT TAKE, there was room for both of them on that damn door), or write letters every day for a year. But that smack-ya-in-the-face, wake up with googly eyes and an intense desire to sing Savage Garden kinda love isn’t as easy to come by as TV and the movies make it look. Rather, if you’re constantly saying to yourself “I want to fall in love,” you first need to be open to receiving it. And, lemme tell ya, that isn’t so easy. In fact, at times—especially in the age of ghosting, orbiting, cloaking, etc., etc., etc., it can feel downright impossible. So for the sake of my own single soul (and the others out there who are also Googling “I want to fall in love” 3 to 15 times a week), I chatted with two relationship experts about how to fall in love—and, most importantly, how to open your cold, cynical heart to letting it happen. ad_intervals[‘409352_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘409352_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); If you can’t stop saying “I want to fall in love,” check out the 6 tips below from relationship experts. 1. Be aware of your
Spice up any healthy meal with this low-sugar Hawaiian take on sriracha
July 23, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC I could tell you about the killer coconut ice cream I discovered on Maui’s Road to Hāna—or the sugar-crusted banana bread, hand-blended orange chocolate, freshly-caught fish, or variety of lilikoi (AKA passionfruit)-spiked foods devoured during my recent long weekend on the island. But instead, I’m writing a love note to a far less Instagrammable Hawaiian food: chili pepper water. I’ll be honest—as someone with a pathetically low spicy-food tolerance, I almost turned down my first taste of chili pepper water when it was offered to me as part of an egg-and-veggie breakfast at the Travaasa Hāna experiential resort. Yes, I was rejecting it for its name alone. (Pepper water? No thanks.) But I’ll be forever grateful for the waitress who insisted I give it a chance, because she’s essentially the matchmaker who set me up with my condiment soulmate. Chili pepper water contains a lot of the same ingredients as sriracha—chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, water, salt—but is much lower in sugar. This is helpful if, like me, your vacation meal plan already involves a lot of sugar. (See the aforementioned coconut ice cream, banana bread, chocolate, and lilikoi everything.) It also looks a lot different than its distant hot sauce cousin. Whereas sriracha is fire-engine red and fairly opaque, chili pepper water is quite literally water infused with its various ingredients. This makes it a lot less spicy than sriracha, but still with the same ability to make just about every meal taste
I limited my mirror time to 10 minutes a day—and it made me rethink my own reflection
July 23, 2019 at 12:57PM by CWC On an average day, I probably spend 30 to 60 minutes looking into a mirror. Last week, I set out to see if I could change that. My mission was simple: I whittled the time I spent with my own reflection down to just 10 minutes, either all at once or sprinkled throughout the day. For the most part, though, I used up my allotted time when I was getting ready in the morning. Then, I spent the rest of the day dodging my own reflection in bathroom mirrors and storefront windows. Throughout the course of my experiment, I stuck to my typical exercise regimen, work schedule, and social life as best I could. Most of the time, I actually liked this experiment! It taught me that I can cut down my beauty routine significantly and still go about my day as usual. The only times the parameters I’d set for myself really got in my way were during a workout and when I really wanted to check my smile for spinach before heading to my next meeting. ad_intervals[‘410163_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘410163_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); During fitness classes I made a point to book my spot in the back of the class so I wasn’t as inclined to look in the mirror. Obviously, there were times when I caught catch and correct myself. It did become an issue during Barry’s Bootcamp, a treadmill and strength training class
The most important thing to know before getting a haircut—no matter your length
July 23, 2019 at 12:41PM by CWC Getting your hair cut can be a stressful process. It’s a way to totally change up your look in the course of a single hour, which in and of itself can be daunting. Add to that the fact that it’s irreversible, and that hair takes kind of a while to grow out, and, well, yikes. Frankly, I’m getting heart palpitations and a slight anxiety giggle just thinking/typing about it. If you’ve ever walked out of a haircut and thought “what the heck did I just do?” well, same. Because it’s hard to make any sort of logical decision when someone is standing over you with a pair of scissors. And so, to make the experience slightly less overwhelming (… am I being dramatic, or do other people hate haircuts this much, too?!), I asked Dhiran Mistry, stylist at the David Mallett Salon in New York, what every person should know before going in for a haircut, regardless of what lengths they’re working with. ad_intervals[‘410096_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘410096_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); A few general rules that apply whether you’re short, long, or medium haired: Don’t show up late, drunk/hungover, or with wet hair. Seriously. And one more thing to tell your stylist before they get started? “I always like to know how often someone is washing and drying their hair to grasp an idea of how much damage is incurred in between haircuts, as this will determine how