March 02, 2019 at 02:52AM by CWC So, what is the spirit animal for this month? That’s a question that “RockStar Shaman” Alyson Charles meditates on for Well+Good readers, as she divines each energy forecast for the next 31 days or so. And for March, it’s tktk. Get ready for tktk. After a month of many energies shifting and scrambling at times, we enter into March with a beautiful opportunity to step even more onto the path of the heart. In my walk as a mystic, one of the teachings that has presented with ever-increasing clarity, importance and power is being able to access your heart and its essence and feel. As you do practices and live a lifestyle that allows your heart to open (thus allowing you to get more in touch with it), you can begin to clearly feel the difference when you are making decisions from your mind, desires, attachments, or from your illuminated heart. While the mind is obviously vital for humans to function, to learn to be in communication with and take steps forward in life from the messages of your heart is a main factor in living a life that feels in alignment with what your soul really wants for you (which allows you to feel deep gratitude and fulfillment) and learning how to step with the light. This is all about making decisions that are not based on what your ego wants for you, or what you think will make you “look good”
Category: 2019 Health
Pets can definitely handle CBD, but here’s what you need to know before dosing yours
March 01, 2019 at 11:45AM by CWC These days CBD is found pretty much everywhere, in basically everything. For a short while, CBD was a common ingredient in foods at cafes and restaurants. You can still find it in snacks, lip glosses, and even lube. The purported benefits of CBD—namely that it calms anxiety, relieves stress, and helps with pain—have made it a very popular within the wellness community. And now CBD for animals is going mainstream with the introduction of a new line of products backed by Martha Stewart. Before you start dosing your pup with CBD, there are a few things you should know about how the stuff will affect your furry friend. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), it’s quite possible for pets to overdose on CBD products, resulting in symptoms similar to those of a THC overdose Be sure to keep those treats stored out of reach! While the ASPCA notes that few studies have been conducted regarding the safety of CBD for animals, here’s what you need to know about the cannabis byproduct and how your pet will tolerate it. 1. Animals have an endocannabinoid system In humans, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which runs through your nervous system, organs, tissue, glands, and immune system. When humans take CBD it can allegedly help rebalance the body’s homeostasis which is disrupted by all things bad for you (diet, stress, etc). “Like humans, animals have an endocannabinoid system that is used to
Interested in health coaching? Here’s what it takes, according to someone who’s done it
March 01, 2019 at 10:54AM by CWC As a wellness journalist, one of the best parts of my job is getting to share my favorite healthy discoveries with people. Whether it’s a new eating plan, just-released food product, or buzzy workout, I love helping people live their best, healthiest lives ever. Are you the same way? Then you might make a pretty stellar health coach. I had never heard of health coaches before I worked at Well+Good and it became my job to interview wellness experts for a living. I had a vague idea of them meeting with clients, but wasn’t quite sure how they were different than dietitians or nutritionists—or even if they were legit. If, like I was, you’re vaguely aware of holistic health coaches, but aren’t quite sure what they do and what it takes to become one, keep reading. Now that I’m one myself—surprise!—I can tell you all about it. What does a holistic health coach do, exactly? After it seemed like everyone I was meeting in the wellness world was a holistic health coach, I decided to find out for myself first-hand what they’re about. I went to an open house hosted by the Integrative Institute of Nutrition (IIN), the world’s largest health coaching program. They broke it down to me this way: You know how there are trainers who help keep your fitness on point? Health coaches are trainers for other areas of your life, primarily diet and eating habits. And holistic health coaches
The oyster exercise is the no-equipment butt-sculpting move you need to add to your routine
March 01, 2019 at 10:00AM by CWC You know those moves that look easy but leave your body feeling like it’s on fire? Yeah, the oyster exercise is one of those. Also known as clamshells, the Pilates exercise is done right on the mat—no equipment required—to target your hips, thighs, and glutes. While the move is easy enough for total beginners to successfully complete—and gentle enough to do while you’re pregnant, according to Kate Hudson—it results in feel-good burn. Plus, it brings on benefits beyond a perkier booty. Not only is the low-impact move super easy on your joints, but it also protects your knees from high-intensity exercises that can cause pain like jump squats and burpees. “The gluteus medius helps in external rotation of the hip, and strengthening it also prevents internal rotation of the femur, which prevents internal rotation at the knee, keeping it tracking properly to prevent injury,” exercise physiologist Michelle Lovitt tells Self. So what are you waiting for? Mastering it will only take you a minute, tops. How to perform the oyster exercise. According to the American Council on Exercise, there are only a couple steps to performing the oyster exercise. 1. Lie on your side with your knees bent to 90 degrees. 2. Raise your top leg, keeping your feet touching the entire time, then lower it back to the ground. Yep, it’s that easy. All you need is 15 to 20 repetitions on each side during your workouts to help increase your strength. And if you
Why fitness pros say the treadmill is the best way to get your run in
March 01, 2019 at 09:25AM by CWC People think I’m a freak, but I can go on-and-on about my love of treadmills for hours. Days, even, probably. The cardio machine is my OG fitness love, and it’s become a total source of empowerment for me and my workouts. But I get that, for a lot of people, the tread is torture. And to be honest, that’s exactly why it was created. According to Business Insider, at its advent in 1818, the treadmill was first released as a form of punishment for prisoners that was akin to a stairclimber that just. kept. going. It was outlawed in the 19th century, but in the middle of the 20th century made a resurgence for the purpose of helping people exercise. Now let’s be clear: I definitely know plenty of people who hate the monotony of running in place, and other runners who swear that an outdoor jog is the most elite form of running…but I am not one of those people. The main reasons why I live for treadmills is because they give you total control over your speed. When I run outside, I have no earthly idea how fast I’m going and if my sprints even compare to the 8, 9, or sometimes 10 mph speeds I hit on the treadmill. When I run outside, it’s a true guessing game, in which I’m blindly adjusting my speed and how long my intervals are. When I’m on a treadmill, it’s a safe space in which I
Here’s how to eat at Olive Garden on keto, Whole30, or the Mediterranean diet
March 01, 2019 at 08:15AM by CWC Even if you live in a city with endless restaurant options, chances are you still end up at Olive Garden from time to time. (Those breadsticks are everything.) But with “endless,” “bottomless,” and “never ending” options galore on the menu, sticking to a health-minded eating plan isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Fortunately, there are a decent amount of healthy options to choose from if you know what to look for, says executive chef and registered dietitian Jessica Swift, RD. Her general advice: Share your order or take half home for later, since Olive Garden’s serving sizes are pretty massive. “I would also suggest taking advantage of the vegetable side dishes, like asparagus with minced onions, instead of just focusing on the pasta,” Swift says. But if you’re craving pasta, opt for one that has a tomato-based sauce rather than a creamy sauce to save on calories and saturated fat. And unless you have a gluten allergy, you don’t need to sub their GF pasta for the sake of better health. “Nutritionally, the gluten-free pasta is right in line with the regular pasta,” she says. “It’s actually lower in protein because it’s made with potato starch and not wheat.” However, if you’re on an eating plan like Mediterranean diet, ketogenic, or Whole30, things can get a little more challenging when navigating the menu. Here, Swift gives tips on how to enjoy Olive Garden—in all its glory—while still sticking with your health goals. Mediterranean diet Menu picks: Herb-Grilled Salmon; Chicken Giardino What an
I’m a mascara skeptic, but this $8 tube might have me convinced
March 01, 2019 at 08:37AM by CWC As a self-admitted clutterbitch, my makeup philosophy mirrors my decor inclination—I try to work in as many bright and sparkly cosmetics as I can to achieve the exact opposite of no-makeup-makeup. That includes: red and blue eyeshadows, a highlighter that is almost blinding, and the continued use of lip liner (despite it being, like, the only ’90s trend that hasn’t made a comeback). But, I’ve never really gotten into mascara, which is, for all intents and purposes, starter makeup to my crimson lids’ dash of daringness. That is, until 7 tubes of $8 Colourpop mascara made their way into my vanity. To be quite honest, I’m not sure that I’ve own another single full-sized tube of mascara. To me, mascara either didn’t have a noticeable impact on my eyelashes, it didn’t make enough of an impact once I put my glasses over my shellacked fringe, or it morphed my lashes into three giant long clumps. So, when I first tried Colourpop BFF mascara ($8) I was skeptical to say the least. The mascara comes in 7 shades total: black, lilac, hot pink, red, teal, yellow, and navy. Photo: Colourpop And so, I pulled out the black tube and mindlessly combed it into my eyelashes before sauntering off to watch TV, and TBH, I forgot I had it on. Half and hour later, I walked past a mirror and caught a glimpse of myself looking bold and beautiful. “Who is she?” I asked myself outloud. The mascara did make my
This is exactly how long to spend in the shower, according to a derm
March 01, 2019 at 08:16AM by CWC There are two types of shower-takers: those who lazily luxuriate under a waterfall as they lather up with essential oil-spiked suds and those who simply cannot. I fall in the latter category. I treat my showers like sprint practice—the sooner I’m in and out the better. And TBH, while my mom side-eyes the fact that I regularly keep my showers under three minutes (way below average), my skin is likely thanking me for it. For many people, their average shower time far exceeds dermatologists’ recommendations. Allow me to explain. Despite the fact that the warm water is the perfect antidote to chilly temps, the heat isn’t so great for our first line of defense. Studies have shown that hot water can strip away moisture within the epidermis, leaving the skin barrier compromised, inflamed (and dry, in the irony of ironies). Given this, dermatologists say that there are a few things that we can do to address the situation. First off, keep showers short. They don’t have to compete with my gold medal efforts, but they shouldn’t run the length of, say, a Netflix episode either. “I definitely would cap it at 15 minutes,” says dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. “If your fingers and toes are wrinkly, you’ve been in for too long.” (Rather than Seinfeld, maybe you flip on an episode or two of our YouTube series What the Wellness to count as your timer.) While the length of your showers is super important, so too, is keeping the
Why Sunday is the best day to have sex—and other things I learned about peace in the bedroom
March 01, 2019 at 07:56AM by CWC One of the most popular topics discussed at Well+Good HQ is sleep. Sometimes we’re drooling over cozy, fluffy, hygge-heavy bedrooms on Instagram, and other times we’re trying different hacks to get the R&R that we need, but one thing is constant: the pursuit of grade-A is a THING. And, based on the results of a survey we conducted on the topic, it seems some of us are blaming our partners for our less-than-stellar zzz’s. When asked if it would be an issue if your partner had a different bedtime, 43 percent of respondents said yes (though only 14 percent noted a bedmate as a main cause of sleep disruption). The discrepancy created a lot of chatter in the office—so we took to Slack to figure it all out. (Slack chats are how we’ve recently delved into such mysteries as the real meaning of fish photos in dating app profiles and why astrology is suddenly everyone’s not-so-secret obsession.) Here, senior lifestyle editor Alexis Berger, Los Angeles editor Erin Magner, audience development manager Celine Cortes, and client services manager Caprice Serafine help me get into the real challenges that come when you share a bed with someone night after night (and not necessarily a set bedtime). ERIN HANAFY: Hi everybody! So if you had taken the survey, what would your answer be: Would it be an issue if your partner had a different bedtime? And why? ALEXIS: YES—huge problem. My husband and I are (maybe weirdly?) codependent when it comes
4 ways to stretch your neck when it’s feeling seriously tight
March 01, 2019 at 07:19AM by CWC When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is stretch out my arms, my legs, and crack my back. That’s the extent of prepping my body for the day ahead though something I know I’m likely falling short on since my back and neck are likely the most strained parts of my body. And I know this isn’t just me either—there’s a reason we’re all so obsessed with our posture and the 21st-century boogeyman that is tech neck. According to Alain Saint-Dic, trainer at Stretch Relief, there are many other reasons that you could be feeling discomfort in your neck. “The first form can come as acute pain, such as being involved in something that causes impact (ex. car accident or contact sport), or rapid movement in the neck area which is surrounded by tight muscles groups, leading to a strain.” The second type of neck strain and tension is the more common one and comes from things like postural issues, or “by constantly leaning your head forward to look at a computer screen or phone, spending long periods of time driving, or sleeping in an awkward position.” In general, Saint-Dic says that prevention is always better than treatment, which is why he advocates “stretching regularly when you wake up in the morning, or before you go to sleep every night.” But stretching your neck is not a cure for a serious issue, and if you suspect you’re dealing with something more