March 13, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC You pay extra close attention to toning your core, arms, and butt—but how about your hamstrings? The often overlooked muscle group (which includes the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris) isn’t just responsible for giving you a perky behind and toned legs. Hamstring exercises strengthen a muscle group that greatly affects functional movements. “Your hamstrings contribute to your functional motion (such as walking and running), help with posture, and are responsible for your speed, power, and agility in many sports. The stronger your hamstrings are, the faster you can stop, resume running, and change direction,” says Emily Samuel, a trainer at New York City’s Dogpound. “Muscles work in pairs, so if you have weak hamstrings, you’re mostly relying on your quads to take the load and stabilize the knees and hips. Those imbalances can lead to injury—you definitely don’t want the quads doing all the work.” To give your hamstrings get the attention they deserve, bring on the burn with these strengthening exercises, whether you’re working on a mat in your living room or lifting at the gym. 8 trainer-approved hamstring exercises 1. Kettlebell swings “Starting with the kettlebell about a foot in front of your feet, hinge at your hips, grabbing the kettlebell as it’s tilted back. Hike the kettlebell back to the upper part of your thighs, then drive your hips forward, using momentum to let the kettlebell float. Then let it come back between your legs and drive again through your
Category: 2019 Health
If cold and flu season is wrecking your life, slippery elm might be just the herb for you
March 12, 2019 at 01:54PM by CWC Even though spring is apparently upon us (buh-bye, Daylight Saving Time), we all are still stuck with an especially clingy cold and flu season this year. And if you’re dealing with a sore throat or cough that just won’t quit, here’s one remedy besides tea and honey that you might not have considered: slippery elm. “Slippery elm, an oldie-but-goodie herbal remedy, is derived from the Ulmus rubra or Ulmus fulva tree, which is grown in many parts of the world, including North America, says Aumatma Shah, ND, a naturopathic doctor. “The medicinal part of this tree is the inner bark.” That inner bark has a gummy texture and was used by Native Americans to make healing salves for wounds and infections, adds Josh Axe, D.N.M., C.N.S., D.C., the founder of Ancient Nutrition and author of KETO DIET. “Some tribes also found that when the bark was used [in] tea, it helped to relieve sore throats and acted as a natural laxative,” he says. Today, the “slippery” inner bark of the tree is dried and powdered, and it’s offered in many forms as a source of natural medicine. While a cursory image search shows you something that basically just looks like a pile of sawdust (not necessarily promising), here are some slippery elm benefits that make it worth trying. 1. It can help soothe a sore throat Don’t let that nasty cough linger for too long. “Herbal teas, lozenges, and tinctures for soothing coughs are often made with slippery elm because of its demulcent effects.
A collab between ‘Game of Thrones’ and Adidas’ iconic Ultraboost is coming (and I’d battle across the 7 kingdoms for it)
March 12, 2019 at 01:48PM by CWC Today in collaborations that I didn’t know I needed but now cannot possibly live without: Adidas has partnered with Game of Thrones on a limited-edition collection of six new varieties of its popular Ultraboost running shoe. Call me Beric Dondarrion, because I just came back to life after seeing this lineup. Thanks Lord of Light slash Adidas, I’ll be setting my alarm for 7 a.m. PST on March 22, which is when you can officially order the collection. I have no shame. I take sneakers very seriously, and I take GoT very seriously. I often “joke” that when Game of Thrones is airing new episodes, it’s the most stressful time of the year for me—which is saying something, because I always operate under a high level of stress. I’m currently testing the limits of my anxiety by rewatching all seven seasons before April 14th, when the final season premieres. (I’m close to the Red Wedding, pray for my heart.) But I digress… As mentioned, the shoes are the brand’s iconic Ultraboost, which feature a lightweight and breathable Primeknit upper and the signature supportive sole. Each design in the GoT line was inspired by a different faction in the show and feature the House sigils on the tongue and mottos on the heel tags. The night may be dark and full of terrors, but at least we have these sneakers to bring us joy. Let’s look at the Adidas x Game of Thrones Ultraboost shoes (each $18) one by
Buh-bye basic crunches! This abs-quaking resistance band circuit hurts so good
March 12, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC I’m pretty diligent about working on my core. Over the years on the mat, I’ve learned a few things about what it takes to really get your abs burning and feeling like you’re strengthening them to Hulk-like levels. Despite doing everything from bicycles to planks to classic crunches—and everything in between—I’ve never really incorporated anything besides weights into my workouts. Then I was streaming a 5-minute ab workout that called for another tool: the resistance band. Using a resistance band was like cranking up the muscle-quaking powers of a simple core workout and upgrading it to something that somehow made the burning even more intense. Phew! Trainers are savvy to the core-busting tool, noting that it works your muscles in a slightly different way. “Not only does a resistance band add a different stimulus to the muscle—which helps to engage more muscles and work you harder—but it also provides an extra challenge and an element of fun to your workout,” says Oliver Lee, a Peloton tread instructor. “It means you could be a lot more motivated to work your core by incorporating new and interesting exercises.” Celebrity trainer and founder of LA’s The Wall Fitness Jason Wimberly is also a fan of the workout tool. “Resistance bands are everywhere these days, and for good reason,” he tells me. “Elastic bands provide what’s known as cumulative resistance, which means that unlike a free weight—which depends on gravity to add force to the muscle—a resistance band
Of the 3,500 food brands at the world’s largest natural products expo, these 5 are going to be huge
March 12, 2019 at 12:15PM by CWC Imagine walking through grocery store that’s, like, four times the size of Costco, with aisles full of products from your favorite brands (and some really cool new ones) and a smattering of products that aren’t available to the public yet. Oh, and you get as many free samples as you want. That’s a little what it was like to attend the 39th annual Natural Products ExpoWest. The largest natural, organic, and healthy products event, brands come from all over the world to reveal new products they’ve secretly been hard at work on, giving grocery store buyers and food writers (like me) a first look. This year, over 3,500 brands descended upon Anaheim, California. The Well+Good team was there in full force, trying as many new foods and drinks as humanly possible. So, what did we see exactly? These 5 products caught my eye at ExpoWest. Photo: Vital Proteins 1. Vital Proteins Collagen Water I do my best to consume collagen on the regular, but my smoothie is loaded with other add-ins and I’m already lugging around adaptogens to the coffee shop to stir into my oat milk latte. Bless Vital Proteins for providing a way that’s as simple as drinking water. (Hydration, FTW!) Their new collagen water comes in five different flavors, shown here. It will be available on the brand’s site now, and rolling out in stores this May. Photo: Purely Elizabeth 2. Purely Elizabeth Cauli Hot Cereal Not to brag or anything—okay, fine, maybe
Never get turf burn again with this guide to workout surfaces at the gym
March 12, 2019 at 11:09AM by CWC When I’ve completed a workout from start to finish, I want to feel like I’ve earned a fitness gold star. I want to be sweaty, satisfyingly sore, and fueled with endorphins. After a recent HIIT workout, though, I walked out of the gym looking like I’d been maimed by an angry cat with razor-sharp claws. I’d made the rookie mistake of completing bodyweight moves on harsh fake grass. Turf burn is real. The harsh surface left a million tiny scratches patterned across my stomach, legs, and every bit of exposed skin. My wounds have now healed, but the #gymfail got me thinking. Is each surface found at the gym conducive to particular types of workout moves? Aaptiv master trainer Ackeem Emmons tells me that the workout surface really makes a difference in the efficacy and safety of your workouts. Below, he breaks down exactly how to choose the ideal area for your workout—whether you love to lift, play a team sport, or tend to stick with a body weight-based regimen. Avoid turf burn by choosing the right surface for your workout. Turf: Emmons tells me that turf’s primary use is for sports like indoor soccer, football, and lacrosse. For those of us who don’t participate in the team activity, the coach says the surface can still be useful in certain types of movement. “The turf is better to train on because it can improve overall balance, proprioception, as well as strengthen the feet,” he tells me. “It engages
The hottest power couple in wellness is CBD and adaptogens
March 12, 2019 at 10:21AM by CWC If someone were to rank the decade’s most hyped-up wellness phenomena, I’d bet you an oat milk latte that CBD and adaptogens would be fighting for the number one spot. It’s obvious why so many people are obsessed: Both buzzy substances are credited with soothing stress, which is pretty much the plague of our times. Not-so-surprisingly, brands are now creating products formulated with both CBD—a compound found in hemp and marijuana plants that’s said to provide numerous health benefits without the high—and adaptogenic plants, which are traditionally used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. One of the first to do so was CAP Beauty, whose Daily Hit oil caused a legit sensation when it debuted back in 2017. The product combined CBD with add-ins like immune-enhancing reishi mushroom. More recently, Plant People launched Stay Sharp, a CBD supplement that’s said to improve focus and mental clarity with an assist from gingko and bacopa monnieri; Calivolve‘s CBD truffles are crafted with a blend of stamina-boosting maca and calming ashwagandha; Yuyo Botanics’ AM Formula stress-support tincture also combines CBD with ashwagandha. According to Plant People co-founder Gabe Kennedy, CBD and adaptogens make sense together because they both have similar functions: They’re believed to help the body maintain balance when we’re on the brink of burnout. “When stress occurs… our systems become interrupted and our vitality diminishes,” he explains. “Both CBD and adaptogens help mitigate our response to these stressors, making it easier to reach homeostasis and therefore better wellbeing.” CBD
The internet lied. That pineapple pulling “hack” is just a sticky mess
March 12, 2019 at 10:21AM by CWC If you were stranded on an island and you could bring only three things, what would they be? If one of your chosen items is a knife to split open juicy pineapples (hopefully) growing on the isolated atoll, the internet has news for you. A series of viral “pineapple pulling” videos suggests you don’t need a sharp edge to slice through the tropical plant’s barbed exterior to reach the sweet golden flesh. Instead, while you’re secluded and staring out at a miles-long crystal blue sea all around you, you can simply pluck a pineapple straight from the trees and proceed to pull it apart like monkey bread. At least, in theory. In case this is the first you’ve heard of this so-called “hack,” it involves slicing off the bottom of the pineapple (this part is optional but helps) and yanking out pieces of the fruit in bite-size chunks. “Pineapple is like a Jenga of pulp,” says YouTuber Patrick Cloud. Pineapple belongs to the Fibonacci fruit family, which means each ridge visible on the outside corresponds with a “spear” of fruit within. When my coworkers and I tried the technique for ourselves, we were rendered speechless but for one word: “Why?” Why would anyone do this? Yes, the technique worked, stripping the pineapple piece by piece to leave nothing but the core. But under the fluorescent lights of civilized office decor, it seemed—well—extra. I suppose if you don’t know how to cut pineapple, have at it with your
I don’t have a single pimple on my face, but my body is breaking out. What gives?
March 12, 2019 at 09:09AM by CWC So, you’ve finally done it: Through some combination of good skin-care practices, a healthy diet, and balanced hormones, you’ve managed to keep your complexion clear and pimple-free. Congrats! But just when you feel like you’ve got it all figured out on your face, a nasty one pops up on your back/butt/boobs/body, as if to say, “Not so fast, sucker!” What gives?! Why can’t the rest of your body get with the program? “Acne can show up anywhere, but the most common areas for body acne are the back, chest, and butt,” says Dr. David Lortscher, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Curology. “There are a few causes of body acne. Genetics, normal hormonal fluctuations, stress, diet, and other lifestyle choices can all contribute.” He also notes that tight clothing—like your workout leggings—can also cause body acne, which is why you may see back zits cropping up along the line of your sports bra. Part of why pimples pop up has to do with excess oil (aka “sebum”) which is secreted by glands into the pores of your skin. “These sebaceous glands are more prominent on our chests and backs, which can explain the prevalence of body acne in these areas,” explains Dr. Lortscher, noting that microorganisms like P. acne (a bacteria) and pityrosporm (a fungus) contribute to the inflammatory aspect of acne. “Our immune system works hard to fight against them via inflammation, [but] they love a warm, oily, moist environment, such as the one
Something to ink about: The body-positive healing power of tattoos for many women
March 12, 2019 at 09:00AM by CWC I heard it all when I was thinking about getting my first tattoo. That they’re not very ladylike. That I’d regret how it would look when I got older. And, my personal favorite: What if I met a guy and he didn’t like tattoos? The horror, right? I felt discouraged from getting a tattoo—something I should have had the agency to choose for myself, no questions asked—because of an archaic ideal of keeping up “feminine” appearances. What the naysayers don’t realize, though, is tattoos can contribute to a positive sense of self. That they can make you feel like a work of art by literally adding one to your body. I have two tattoos currently (getting a third soon), and beyond the skin-deep ink, they have become part of me—they’ve even helped me become more myself. Put simply, they just make me feel more confident. And I’m hardly alone in my my feelings here: According to recent Pinterest data, searches for “self-love tattoos” is up 1320 percent, and psychologically, it totally makes sense why. “In a culture that constantly polices how women show up in their bodies, getting tattoos can be a symbolic and empowering act and can help people see parts of themselves in a new light.” — body-image therapist Sarah Herstich, LCSW “In a culture that constantly polices how women show up in their bodies, getting tattoos can be a symbolic and empowering act and can help people see parts of themselves in a