January 15, 2019 at 06:45AM by CWC In the wellness world, the Mediterranean diet is as acclaimed as it gets, with research touting its cardiovascular and longevity-boosting benefits. Even though it’s old-school, it was recently named the healthiest eating plan to follow by medical researchers. The diet’s bursting with omega-3s and healthy fats (from fish, eggs, nuts, and olive oil), probiotics (hello, Greek yogurt), and lots of grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies. If you want to start eating more of a Mediterranean-style diet but don’t know where to start, look no further than the below roundup. Consider it your Mediterranean diet starter kit: Scroll down for 5 Mediterranean-inspired supermarket finds worth checking out. Photo: Gaea Fresh Gaea Fresh Olive Oil The number-one item that must (must!) be in every Mediterranean-inspired pantry? Olive oil, obviously. It does have a low smoke point, so you don’t want to cook it at super-high heats, but it’s perfect for, say, drizzling on salads—and the more flavorful it is, the less you have to use. Inside each Gaea bottle is the juice from about 2,300 olives, all of which have been harvested by hand—which makes this fresh-pressed, extra virgin variety extra tasty. Photo: Steep Echo Steep Echo Olive Leaf Tea Olive trees have been beloved for centuries for their medicinal benefits, and these teas tap into that time-honored tradition. “The leaves have the compound oleuropein—it’s also in the olives themselves—which wards off infection,” says Steep Echo founder Kimberly Branum. “They have double the antioxidants as green tea, and also a good
Category: 2019 Health
Measure sex by quality, not quantity, to reap all the pleasurable rewards
January 15, 2019 at 05:30AM by CWC For so long, the health and supposed normalcy of a person’s sex life has been measured in terms of “how often do you…?” Case in point: that scene in the first Sex and The City movie where Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, and Miranda discuss over brunch how often they do the deed, because Miranda is concerned that her lower-end frequency alone is symptomatic of big marital problems. By asking, listening, and analyzing how often our peers are hitting the sheets, we—perhaps subconsciously—assign value and meaning to certain benchmarks. And the rule of thumb has been that more sex is better sex. Well, it’s high time for the question of “how much do you do it?” to undergo a qualitative rebranding, making it more along the lines of, “so, how good was it?” And leading sexperts—along with the habits of the population at large—are in total support of the edit. Late last year, a piece in The Atlantic sent the internet buzzing because it concluded that in general, we’re just not getting it on as often as we used to. Evidence backs up the claim: A 2017 paper’s analysis of the General Social Survey found that Americans were having sex nine times less in the early 2000s than they were in the late 1990s, largely due to more individuals opting out of commitment and devoted couples abstaining from the act. The huge elephant in the bedroom though? Could having less sex open the opportunity to have better sex? Or, at least to rethink what we
Well+Good TALKS: ReNew Year Edition
January 15, 2019 at 04:05AM by CWC Why one smart change is enough. It’s the end of performative wellness—AKA being exhausted by all the things you do for the ’gram. In the next Well+Good TALK, experts and authors will share their experience and the science on fitness, skin care, and nutrition. Snag your tickets now to find out how to simplify your healthy life for a rad, woke, and really well year. EVENT DETAILS Thursday, January 31, 2018 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Location: The Assemblage NoMad | 114 East 25th, New York, NY 10010 THE PANEL Ali Finney | Well+Good Senior Editor, Beauty + Fitness With deep experience covering the beauty and fitness beats for Well+Good, Ali’s writing has also appeared in ELLE, Women’s Health, and Texas Monthly. An avid runner, she just ran the New York City Marathon in 2018. Daphne Javitch | Holistic Nutritionist + Founder of Doing Well Overcoming lifelong symptoms of Stage 4 Endometriosis through diet and lifestyle inspired Daphne to get certified as a Health Educator and become a holistic nutritionist. In addition to her work with corporate, private, and high-profile clients, Daphne appears on panels and podcasts, and her insights have been shared widely in women’s lifestyle media. Doing Well is her vision of health: simple, straightforward, and real-life friendly. Bee Shapiro | New York Times Beauty Columnist + Author of Skin Deep Bee Shapiro is the longtime New York Times beauty columnist and author of Skin Deep: Women on Skin Care, Makeup,
In 2019, drugstore beauty just keeps getting better and better
January 15, 2019 at 03:39AM by CWC Considering 2019 kicked off with a photo of Beyoncé strolling through Target, I’m calling it early: This year, the drugstore gets its due. More specifically, the drugstore beauty aisle gets its due. As a beauty editor, hundreds of products come across my desk every week—ranging from $2 hair serums to $200 eye creams. And I’ve got to admit: The ones I’ve been most excited about recently are a whole lot closer to $2 than $200, and I have yet to find one that hasn’t lived up to the hype. Least of which to say, drugstores have stepped up their game in a major way, making super effective actives and new textures and formulas more accessible than ever. Last summer, I replaced my entire luxury skin-care routine with one taken straight from the shelves of CVS, and many of the products I was introduced to have, since, become permanent staples in my routine. They’ve also been joined by a whole bunch of exciting new 2019 launches—all of which I’ve had the immense pleasure of testing out, and can say with full confidence that I am taken with. Scroll through for some of the best new drugstore beauty of 2019—all under $20. Photo: Sweet Chef Sweet Chef Ginger and Vitamin C Serum Shot, $20 Glow Recipe’s new line, Sweet Chef, feels nothing short of luxury at a drugstore price point. There are hydrating and smoothing serums in the inaugural launch, but my personal favorite is the brightening ginger and vitamin
5 places to get a legit pole dancing workout in Houston
January 15, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Even when your city is flush with fitness options for spin, yoga, and even stretching, boutique pole dancing classes are usually more difficult to pin down. But it’s worth putting in the extra work to find one because a pole dancing class can be a transformative form of exercise in more ways than one. Physically, it’ll help strengthen your total body—especially your core, arms, and back. Plus, many fitness studios and pole dancing devotees also champion the modality for its confidence-boosting side effects. And as the boutique fitness bubble expands to more places than New York City and Los Angeles, it’s becoming easier to find pole dancing classes in other places, like Houston, Texas for example. Below are five studios in H-Town to take pole dancing classes—just don’t forget your sports bra and bike shorts. 1. Verticality Fitness This Houston workout studio specializes in all types of pole fitness workouts. There are over 30 workout options that range from beginner to open-level or advanced technique. They also cover a diverse range of pole and pole-related workouts from beginner spin pole classes to Pollet (a combo of pole dancing and ballet). 554 Waugh Drive, Houston, Texas 77019; (713) 677-0100 2. Dance House Fitness Dance House Fitness is one of the only options with more than one location in Houston. The classes are split into two different types—ones that are cardio and sweat focused and those that are choreography focused. 1839 Richmond Ave., Houston, Texas 77098; (281) 793-3227
These Are the Three Things You Need for Fuel in the Morning—And Shocker: You Can Get Them in a Muffin
January 14, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC Setting a million high-stakes resolutions isn’t really a thing anymore (three cheers for mindful goal-setting!). But if there’s just one thing you’d like to crush this year—say, making that occasional morning jog a habit or earning that promotion—you still need a fuel-focused breakfast to make it happen. And you still don’t have an extra 30 minutes in the morning to fire up your oven and cook a full buffet. And you’re not alone in that. “We heard time and time again that people want a healthy breakfast that’s quick, will keep them full, and isn’t packed with sugar,” says Julia Wing-Larson, VP of marketing and innovation at Health Warrior, which specializes in foods focused on superfood ingredients. Through the company’s research, Health Warrior landed on a balance of protein and complex carbs as the magic formula for making that feeling of satiety last. And from that intel, Protein Mug Muffins—a spoonable, dietician-approved serving of 12 grams of plant-based protein—were born. The recipe includes only 6 grams of sugar, and blissfully requires the bare minimum of lift in the kitchen (you just have to add water, stir, and microwave). But most important is nailing the balance of ingredients your body needs to conquer your to-do list, sans exhausted meltdowns and desperate urges to raid the office snack drawer. “When we focus on real food ingredients, our blood sugars are more balanced which helps to control cravings during the day,” explains Courtney Ferreira, MS, RD. Scroll down to
Walk a lot? These are 10 of the best sneakers for your feet
January 14, 2019 at 03:51PM by CWC Whether you’re commuting, sightseeing, or exercising, long hours spent walking can do a number on your body. From tired soles to achy backs, you may be surprised by the damage that such a low-impact activity can cause—which is exactly why you need good shoes. And while walking shoes may feature many of the same design specs and tech as sneakers made for marathons, the latter tend to be a lot more lightweight than what walking requires. “Almost everyone who walks excessively needs cushioned and corrective shoes that work with their foot type,” explains Dr. Melissa Lockwood, a podiatrist out of Bloomington, Illinois. “Whether you have a high arch or flat feet, corrective shoes will help to avoid muscle, tendon, and ligament issues from overuse.” Some of her favorite brands include Asics and Brooks, though, when in doubt, visit a running store to find out exactly what your feet need. Look for a walking shoe that provides plenty of shock absorption, arch support, and cushioning, but at the end of the day, comfort is key. Ready to walk this way? Scroll down for 10 comfortable sneakers that are made for walking. Photo: MBT MBT Sport 3, $185 Besides adhering to the chunky sneaker trend, the innovative, curved midsole of the MBT Sport is made with a “pivot axis” to promote active, natural rolling movements with every step. Photo: Adidas Adidas Cloudfoam Pure Shoes, $70 The brand’s signature Cloudfoam cushioning does wonders for all-day comfort. Photo: Hoka
The beginner’s guide to the ketogenic diet
January 14, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC If you are a sentient being living in the year 2019, you’ve heard about the keto diet. More than that, there’s a 98 percent chance* that you know someone—your best friend, mother, former high school classmate who is involved in a pyramid scheme—who has embraced this low-carb/high-fat diet. (*Based on my very unscientific, but probably accurate, real-life observations.) Only unlike that MLM company Becky from freshman year bio keeps spamming you about on Facebook, the keto diet could actually be a positive thing for you. A growing body of research has shown that our bodies need fat to thrive, which explains why the ketogenic diet—which emphasizes fats and strictly reduces carb intake—is having a serious moment. (And nearly every celeb, from Halle Berry to Vinny from Jersey Shore, is on board.) While a diet filled with avocados, EVOO, and butter may sound like a true gift, there are a few super-important rules—and icky side-effects—that you need to know about. (Hello, “keto flu”!) Scroll down for the ketogenic diet for beginners, explained. Photo: Stocksy/Stephen Morris Learn the ratios Let’s start with the basics: your macros. “The most important thing to know before embarking on the ketogenic diet is that you need to keep your carb intake under 30 grams total per day,” says Keto Comfort Foods author Maria Emmerich. This is because the absence of carbohydrates forces your body into—and keeps it in—ketosis, the metabolic state key to the ketogenic diet. When your body is
Should I be planking on my forearms or my hands? We asked Scarlett Johansson’s trainers
January 14, 2019 at 01:15PM by CWC Pretty much every plank I’ve ever done has been on my forearms. Whether it’s during a fitness class or while watching one of my beloved online workout videos, I hold those suckers until I shake. At a recent Pilates class, however, the instructor asked me to spend a minute on my hands. I thought, “This is tough. Have I been cheating?” I couldn’t help but wonder, what’s the best method and how do I find proper plank form? Each plank hurts in its own way. But having only ever used my forearms for support, switching it up had me all sorts of awkward and wobbly as a different set of muscles felt the burn. It turns out that by only sticking to one variation, I’ve been missing out on some serious arm-toning benefits. According to Eric Johnson and Ryan Johnson—brothers, personal trainers to Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Gosling, and founders of HOMAGE—both methods are effective, but they help accomplish totally different things for your body. “The most effective plank variation is the one that’s right for your current fitness level and specific intention,” Eric says. “Performing planks on the hands is more challenging for the shoulders and triceps while performing the exercise on the forearms is more demanding for the core.” Since hand and forearm planks target different muscle groups, there’s good reason to integrate both of them in your routine. Here’s how to make sure you’re performing each variation properly. Hand plank What it works:
How to deal when you’re cursed with different pimple types all at once
January 14, 2019 at 10:53AM by CWC Dealing with pimples are hard and all, but have you ever had different types of acne on your face all at once? When this happens, it’s kinda like being at a horrible buffet. And it makes the whole issue of making zits go away exponentially harder, since, you know, you fight different types of acne in different ways. So what is one supposed to do when they’re cursed with, say, a whitehead and a hormonal cyst? Do your typical spot treatments work double duty or does this dilemma require a more strategic game plan? I sought out a dermatologist for what to do—and it’s really all about being ingredient savvy. The most beneficial tactic is to make sure you’re using salicylic acid. “If you have both comedones—whiteheads or blackheads—and red pimples or pustules (the pimples that turn into white pus-filled bumps after a couple of days), I would use a face wash that contains salicylic acid, which can help exfoliate and unclog pores,” says Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist. “After that, I’d recommend a non-comedogenic moisturizer and an all over tretinoin cream in the evenings.” If you don’t have a prescription tretinoin (a form of vitamin A), retinol—or even its natural alternative, bakuchiol—will do the skin cell turnover trick and make your zits go away faster. But then your spot treatments should be more specific. According to Dr. Chi, an anti-inflammatory option like hydrocortisone can help deep, painful cysts resolve themselves more quickly. “Cystic