February 19, 2019 at 02:04PM by CWC Wander the aisles of any health-food store and you’ll be bombarded with all sorts of buzzwords emblazoned upon food and drink packaging. “Free from artificial colors,” “high in protein,” “naturally flavored”—you know, all the things we’ve come to associate with healthy eating. Of course, language like this is now commonplace, as mainstream brands rush to capitalize on consumer demand for packaged foods with wellness cred. On one hand, all of these qualifiers can be helpful in providing a quick glimpse into a food’s nutritional info. But a growing number of products trumpeting their healthier attributes are still…not that good for you (or just misleading!), creating a more confusing environment for all of us. This trend was driven home a few weeks ago when Bud Light aired a series of Super Bowl commercials celebrating the fact that, unlike Miller Lite and other light beer competitors, it doesn’t brew its beers with corn syrup. To be clear, we aren’t talking about high-fructose corn syrup here—the sweetener linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease—but regular corn syrup, which beer makers often use to facilitate fermentation. (Sugar is necessary for fermentation to occur; Bud Light says it uses rice as its sugar source, rather than corn.) Here’s what’s tricky about the non-corn syrup stance: There’s no corn syrup in finished beer. “It’s more of a processing aid and is 100 percent fermented out,” Kaylyn Kirkpatrick, a brewing extension associate at Cornell University, told TIME. (Basically, it’s used to
Category: 2019 Health
10 woman-led movies streaming on Netflix to celebrate a record-breaking year in Hollywood
February 19, 2019 at 01:27PM by CWC The coziest way to pass the time until spring arrives is making a bowl of popcorn, grabbing your favorite fuzzy blanket, and firing up a movie. But don’t just pick whatever’s in the trending tab. There’s no shortage of strong female-lead movies streaming on Netflix.. According to a new study from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, 2018 featured the most women in starring roles with women as the leads or co-leads in 40 of the 100 highest-grossing films of the year. That’s an impressive increase since 2017, which featured 32 female leads, and 2007, which featured just 20. On top of that, 2018 witnessed the most people of color in leading roles with 28 films. Further, 11 films featured female leads over 45 years old. To celebrate the victory for #girlpower, grab the remote. Whether you’re into lovey-dovey rom-coms or action flicks or the ultimate thrillers, here are 10 women-led movies you can stream right now. 10 strong female-lead movies to watch on Netflix [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k86KDFh_q6E] 1. Dumplin You don’t have to like pageants to get all the feel-good vibes from this movie starring Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald. In fact, the body-positive message behind it shakes up the pageant world in the best way and proves star power come in all shapes and sizes. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INJ2bPFy108] 2. Bird Box Bird Box—the movie that inspired thousands of memes—follows Sandra Bullock as she takes on a mysterious evil force that’s killing off the human population, totally blindfolded. Yeah,
Knock out this 5-move, full-body resistance band workout in 5-minutes flat
February 19, 2019 at 01:07PM by CWC Out of all the strengthening toys you can find at the gym, resistance bands hold the (unfair) title of being the least intimidating. Those couldn’t possibly give me a good workout, say the haters. Go ahead, underestimate me, whispers back the resistance band. Okay, so I’m personifying inanimate objects here—but, for real: The rubber bands can make your muscles quiver when used correctly. Aaptiv master trainer Meg Takacs knows first-hand how stealthily brutal these bands can be. When she dropped by our office last week, we challenged her to come up with a full-body sequence you can do anywhere using your band of choice. Whether you tack the moves onto a fartlek workout or bang them out for a speedy sweat sesh right before work, you’ll be breathless in a good way. Below, Takacs shares her 5-move, full-body resistance band workout. View this post on Instagram Break a sweat without even leaving your house! Swipe through for 5 moves from @aaptiv master trainer @meg_takacs to try this weekend! 1. Push-up into single row⠀ 2. Single Leg RDL 3. Diagonal squat walks⠀ 4. Shoulder taps keeping your leggings at 90 degrees 5. Burpees with plank jacks #iamwellandgood #fitness #workout #saturdaysweat #fitnessmoves #homeworkout A post shared by Well+Good (@iamwellandgood) on Feb 16, 2019 at 6:39am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js Get ready for this resistance-band workout 1. Push-up into single row: Begin in push-up position with the band wrapped around your wrists. Push-up, then pull your right elbow back in a row. Return to push-up
The heat from the blowdryer can damage your skin, but here’s how to protect it
February 19, 2019 at 12:31PM by CWC There’s an annoyingly long list of things that most people know to protect their skin from. Sunlight, for one. The cold weather, for another. Your cell phones, for yet another. And recently, I found out there’s an entirely different element that could be wreaking havoc on your face: heat. I know, I know—cue the “womp, womp.” But, according to derms, doing things like sitting in an infrared sauna or blasting yourself with hot air from a blowdryer can present its own set of not-so-ideal skin situations. “While UV is much more damaging, over time infrared light can also have an impact on skin,” says New York-based dermatologist Kaveri Korgavkar, MD. Though it’s important to note that regular sunscreen won’t help with this, she says, so you need something that’s specially formulated to tackle infrared rays, like SkinMedica Total Defense + Repair ($68). “Heat from blowdryers or other sources can damage skin as well,” she explains. “First, some hair dryers emit energy in the infrared range. Also, heat itself can damage the skin by inducing oxidative stress, which can trigger conditions such as melasma.” This, she says, is more common in people with darker skin, and can be treated with regular use of antioxidant serums. “Extremes in heat can also trigger rosacea flares,” confirms NYC-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD, who points to infrared saunas as particularly problematic for anyone prone to hyperpigmentation. “Heat can lead to free radical damage and hyperpigmentation in the skin.” So, uh, what are
“Back on my bullsh*t” is the new mantra of modern wellness
February 19, 2019 at 11:00AM by CWC In the past few months, I’ve seen the same pithy caption hit my Fit-stagram feed over and over again. Whether stamped beneath a picture of a colorful kale salad or accompanied by an intense video of battle ropes class, the phrase “back on my bullshit” seems like the (and I mean, the) wellness call to action of our time. It’s the much-needed reminder that when the cult of busy, busy, busy pulls us away from our wellness habits, returning to them should be a light-hearted coming home, not a shame spiral. To investigate the origins of this statement’s social capital across media platforms, I performed a deep Google search pertaining to its lineage. The earliest record I could dredge up dates back to the album Back to My B.S. by rapper Busta Rhymes. Then, in December 2016, American rapper and songwriter Papoose released an album with a similar title, Back On My Bullshit, featuring an eponymous track. Among the lyrics: “This time I ain’t playing fair, I’mma take what’s mine…I’m back on my bullshit, I’m back on my bullshit. I said I’m back on my bullshit, I’m back on my bullshit, hey.” Flash-forward to 2019 and the “I’mma take what’s mine” connotation is still very much attached to the meaning. (The always illuminating) Urban Dictionary defines it in a few different ways, notably: 1. “[T]o be back on one’s bullshit is to return to a state at which you were your truest and most vocal self with a renewed focus on authenticity and a
Meet the beauty brand that believes swiping on red lipstick is the ultimate power move
February 19, 2019 at 10:31AM by CWC Forget the male power tie: As women, we’ve got red lipstick. At least, that’s how the team behind Fempower Beauty wants you to think about it. The brand, which launched earlier this month, was founded on the principle that women should feel empowered every time they swipe on their lipstick. Founders Alexis Androulakis and Christina Basias, who are both life and business partners, were inspired by the 2016 election and the army of women who stood up to Washington in the first women’s march. “We decided to emotionally activate our lipsticks,” says Androulakis. And what, exactly, does that mean? “Women are emotionally connected to the products that they’re using, and they’re not always cognizant of it. So it’s often been said that red lipstick is the equivalent of a male power tie, and we want to help people understand what these emotions are. Once they understand them, our hope is that they can feel empowered every time they use it.” As someone who—much to my mother’s chagrin—didn’t put on lipstick until I was 26 years old, this struck a chord with me. When I was a teenager, I loved playing with makeup (mostly for the sake of covering my acne scars) and eventually learned to create a mean smoky eye that carried me well into my early 20s, but finishing things off with a swipe of bright red or pink always made me feel ridiculous. In wearing a bold lip, it seemed like I was yelling
Feeling exhausted? You might need more iron in your life
February 19, 2019 at 09:22AM by CWC What has four letters, helps deliver oxygen to your body, and is a main component of Popeye’s favorite food? If you guessed iron, you’re 100 percent right. Iron perhaps hasn’t been given as much press time as other, trendier nutrients like collagen and turmeric. Along with calcium and other OG minerals, it’s actually one of the most important components of the human diet. Yet roughly 10 million people aren’t getting enough iron in their lives, which can cause some serious health complications (more on those in a sec). However, before you decide to start loading up on iron supplements, it’s important to more fully understand iron benefits and how the mineral works in your body. (Because, spoiler alert: Not everyone is meant to take an iron supplement.) Here’s what an expert has to say on the subject. What are the main iron benefits? Iron is an essential mineral our bodies need to function. It’s used to make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen via your red blood cells through the body. “Think of hemoglobin as breathing life into your tissues and organs,” says Robin Foroutan, RDN, an integrative nutritionist at the Morrison Center in New York and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Thus iron is crucial for keeping your body healthy and functioning in top form. It’s also key for proper brain function. It helps create serotonin, the chemical that helps regulate your mood. Because the brain needs a constant supply of
Flush your potty-mouth cursing habit for good, thanks to expert tips
February 19, 2019 at 10:14AM by CWC Whether you’ve stubbed your toe on a desk or you’re singing along to some uncensored Cardi B tracks, you’re bound to drop a few “bad” words every now and then. Or maybe you swear, like, a whole f*cking lot. And sure, depending on the company you keep (or the company you work for), your swearing habit might be NBD. “Cursing among adults can, in some instances, be beneficial. For example, in bonding based on a common language and mutual understanding,” says parenting expert Rosina McAlpine, PhD. But, if it’s causing you issues at the office, or if you just want to see if you can drop fewer F bombs as a personal goal, or if you’re trying to cut back for the sake of little ones in your household (they sure do repeat everything, don’t they?), there are tried and true ways to dial back on the expletives. (And hey, thanks to NBC’s The Good Place, it’s more fun than ever to say expletive-adjacent things like, “That motherforking son of a bench.”) However, it’s gonna take some effort on your part; as Dr. McAlpine says, habits like swearing “can be hard to break once they’re hardwired in the brain.” But not to worry—no matter why it is you’re jonesing to flush your potty mouth, experts are here to help. WTF, You’re at Work While some workplaces are more lax than others about using questionable language, listening to how others communicate can be a helpful guideline to
Watch your back cauli-rice, Banza just launched chickpea rice
February 19, 2019 at 08:14AM by CWC Ah, rice. The trusty sidekick to beans. The base that holds stir-fries together. An essential ingredient in your sushi. Cheap and satiating, what’s not to love about it? Oh yeah, the carbs. Sure, rice is healthy in moderation, but veggie rice is lower in carbs and calories, which prompted the rise of cauliflower rice. But that’s no longer the only option in town. (And by town I mean Whole Foods.) On Tuesday, Banza‘s chickpea rice moved into the neighborhood. According to Banza, a company beloved for its chickpea pasta, chickpea rice offers double the fiber and a much lower percentage of carbs as compared to brown rice. Not unlike its pasta product, the ingredients list is minimal. Ninety percent of Banza’s chickpea rice is chickpeas with the other 10 percent comprised of a mixture of potato starch, xanthan gum, and sea salt. How does it compare to cauliflower rice, you ask? Well, there’s an obvious difference in taste, so depending on whether you like the taste of cauliflower versus chickpea, that plays a role into what you’ll like better. But there are some big differences in terms of nutrition. In a half-cup serving, Banza’s chickpea rice contains 22 grams of protein compared to 4 grams of protein in its cauliflower counterpart. But it also has more calories: Cauli-rice only has four calories while the chickpea rice has 340 calories per half cup. When it comes to fiber, chickpea rice wins out with 10 grams
4 expert strategies to stop taking back that ex who keeps showing up in your life
February 19, 2019 at 07:45AM by CWC In an ideal world, matters of the heart (and mending a broken one) would be black and white: Navigating a nasty breakup with the partner of your dreams would lead directly to a Zen period of healing, self love, and lots of yoga. Shortly thereafter, love would reenter your life again—and it would be so much better this time around. But, let’s say there’s a guy from your past with whom you have great chemistry but who just “doesn’t want a relationship.” If he shows up (and he very well may), you’d walk away immediately, dignity intact, and never hear from him again. You’d then follow up this power move by finding someone who actually deserves you. In the real world though, lust, love, and everything between tends to skew a lot messier. Memories of the girl who broke your heart years ago and the guy who claims he just can’t be in a relationship right now (despite calling, texting, and watching your Instagram stories) haunt the prospect of love that so many romantics earnestly chase. Particularly in the case of the guy who keeps coming back even though he says he doesn’t want a relationship, interpreting the mixed signals can be incredibly confusing. And not giving into the temptation of giving things another go can feel near impossible. But also, like, why does he keep coming back if he doesn’t want a relationship? The situation can lead to sleepless nights, an inability to