January 10, 2019 at 08:42AM by CWC If you’ve already sensed this year is going to bring on some pretty powerful changes, you’re right. While there are plenty of fun woo-woo ways to find out what the future holds (like picking your personal tarot card), one of the most exciting methods is numerology, which uses numbers to give you a deeper understanding of yourself. Your personal numerology can be derived from your birthdate or numbers that correspond to the letters in your name, but more general numerological can also help elucidate some blessings for the months to come. In the latest episode of That’s So Retrograde, hosts Elizabeth Kott and Stephanie Simbari speak with numerologist Remington Donovan to discover exactly what’s in store for 2019. While 2018 was a time of “limitless possibilities and a very fluid, graceful ease of things coming to us,” as an “11” year, it also was a year when all those things coming to you could feel overwhelming, Donovan says, citing many high-profile suicides. This year, its time to take everything you received from the past and build on it, specifically as it relates to your career. Of 2019, a “3” year, Donovan says to expect “a year of accessing unlimited capabilities and unlimited genius.” “I want everyone to make this year a year of building, a year of achievement, and a boss year,” Donovan says. “This is the year of personal empowerment, and if we use that empowerment to also help and guide and empower others, that’s the boss
Category: 2019 Health
3 sneaky things that deplete collagen (but are easily fixable!)
January 10, 2019 at 08:31AM by CWC There’s a reason why more eateries are serving up bone broth and why Dirty Lemon has caught Coca-Cola’s eye (and pocketbook): We just can’t get enough collagen. It’s in beauty products, protein powders, and even in matcha. Between helping relieve sore joints, improve digestive health, and keeping skin looking plump and young, the wellness minded are hooked. While most people know the best sources to get collagen, what’s less talked about are the habits we do every day that are unknowingly depleting the stuff we’re working so hard to build up. While the biggest reason for the breakdown of collagen is aging—alas, not to be helped—there are easy lifestyle tweaks that can work in our favor. “Collagen depletion is an unavoidable part of the aging process. Rather than focus on ‘anti-aging’ which is flawed concept, as we all age, I like to think of it as preserving the integrity of the skin,” says beauty nutritionist and Well+Good contributor Frances Phillips. Mia Finkelston, MD, a board-certified family physician who treats patients via telehealth app LiveHealth Online, agrees. “Even if you do everything ‘right,’ everyone starts to lose collagen around age 25, and definitely in their 30s, so it’s also important to accept and be comfortable with that,” she says. “The key is knowing that, while also doing what you can for where you are in life.” As it happens, there are some super easy behavioral changes that can help slow down collagen depletion in skin and beyond. So keep on scrolling as
Nobody’s head-over-heels for every yoga pose. Here are 10 asana alternatives
January 10, 2019 at 07:33AM by CWC Yoga is a force to be reckoned with. The 10,000-year-old practice has built a reputation as an accessible exercise that welcomes practitioners of any age. Beyond loosening tight muscles, some claim yoga has the power to clear the mind and mend broken hearts. But for every pose you love to hear an instructor call mid-vinyasa, there’s at least one you’d rather nama-stay the hell away from. I asked the staff at Well+Good which poses should be banished for eternity, and people weren’t shy about sharing their strong opinions. “Child’s pose because I hate getting my face that close to the mat #germaphobe,” one exclaimed (while two others signaled agreement with the “face with tears of joy” emoji). “You will never catch me in crow pose. My triceps aren’t shelves and I’m fine with that,” another declared. And of happy baby, one staffer said: “I’m a grown woman, damn it. I don’t want to roll around on my back with my legs in the air,” to which another staffer replied, “This is also where everyone farts.” While each pose has a purpose, we asked a yoga teacher how to modify some we’d rather skip altogether, making them feel more like savasana and less like, well, themselves. Try these alternatives to your least favorite yoga poses 1. If you hate child’s pose (Balasana), try Apasana Lie down on your back and pull your knees into your chest. Wrap your arms around your shins and give yourself a
“My therapist forced me to have a meltdown—but it was actually a good thing”
January 10, 2019 at 06:31AM by CWC If I had to describe my 2018 in one word it would be: traumatizing. It started in July, when I suddenly became one of two sole caretakers for a family member diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. I spent most of my summer in and out of the hospital with that family member helping them through treatments. In early September, there was another blow when a friend I had considered to be a mentor, surrogate father, and guiding light of wisdom suddenly passed away. Amidst all this, I also tried to be there for close friends who needed surgery or who were struggling with pressing mental health issues. It was…a lot. In order to function in the midst of all this turmoil, I avoided doing anything that pertained solely to myself. I canceled all my doctor’s appointments and I didn’t see my therapist. For months, I barreled through life with a level of dexterity I didn’t know I was capable of, hiding from my feelings by distracting myself with work and day-to-day tasks. I pretty much did the opposite of taking it slow or finding room to breathe. It’s not that I’m a robot (I’ve actually described myself as being George Costanza-esque). But since the hellfire period had begun, I was operating in an emotionally detached (but barely keeping it together) state. I was always on the verge of crying, I would wake up overcome with anxiety and panic, and I felt a constant irrational rage
Why are my feet always so freaking cold?
January 09, 2019 at 02:15PM by CWC Now that the weather has officially taken a turn for the frigid, most of us are in for a few long months of freezing cold everything…including our feet. (Except for those of you reading this in Hawaii, in which case I’m extremely jealous.) The chill that seeps deep into your lowest extremities can be somewhat unavoidable, no matter how many pairs of fuzzy socks you wrap around your icicle toes. For some people, though, this experience is more than just a seasonal phenomenon. If you find your feet are cold on a regular basis, you might be wondering why (especially when others around you are somehow able to walk around barefoot like it’s NBD). According to Lynn Dudley, a certified physician assistant (meaning she is licensed and trained to diagnose illnesses and prescribe meds under the supervision of a doctor) at Turning Point Integrative Health Centers, you aren’t alone in experiencing chilly feet. “Cold feet, and hands for that matter, are a fairly common complaint in our office,” says Dudley. So…why are my feet always cold? First of all: “Most causes of cold feet are not serious,” reassures Dudley. Here are a few possible culprits behind your *literal* cold feet: 1. Poor circulation. Dudley says that good blood circulation is key to regulating your body temperature. “When your blood isn’t properly circulating throughout your body, your extremities will feel cold,” she says. Having crappy circulation can be caused by a number of different things, including
Hate washing your hair? It’s time to join team “no-poo”
January 09, 2019 at 01:28PM by CWC If you’re a frequent visitor of beauty blogs or the drugstore aisle, you’re likely familiar with the idea of the “no-poo method.” In the last few years, the phrase has begun to dominate the beauty conversation as we’ve become more and more aware of what we should—and shouldn’t—be putting on our scalps. But aside from having some vague idea that “no-poo” is short for “no-shampoo,” many of us (myself included), may not be well-versed in what this new phenomenon means. If I’m being totally honest, I’ve Googled the term “What is the no-poo method?” more times in the last few years than I, a beauty editor, would care to admit. To find out once and for all what it actually means to trade your shampoo for no-poo, I consulted celebrity hairstylist Kendall Dorsey and DevaCurl Educator and DevaChan Certified Curl Specialist Jessica Fitzpatrick, who were more than happy to clear up misconceptions and help define it for me. Read on for everything you’ve ever wondered about no-poo, and how you can say goodbye to shampoo for yourself. What exactly is the “no-poo method”? As mentioned, no-poo is a play on the phrase “no shampoo” (which, duh, I guess) but what it actually means is slightly more nuanced than that. “No-poo, in the modern world, stands for a ‘no-lather cleansing system,’ says Dorsey. “If you have really curly hair, if you have wavy hair, or if you have hair that requires a ton of moisture, no-poo won’t have
What you need to know before trying a 30 day fitness challenge
January 09, 2019 at 01:06PM by CWC New Years resolutions season is upon us, and every workout studio I’ve set foot in within the last two weeks—from no-frills gyms to fancy spin boutiques—has had two things in common: a sign boasting a “new year, new you!” mantra (meh), and a call to action challenging its members to 30 days’ worth of workouts. Based on a number of past conversations with fitness pros, I’ve always been under the impression that rest days and recovery workouts are an integral part of any training regimen—even celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels insists that her clients take at least one day off per week. Which had me wondering: Is it actually a good idea to force your body to the gym for 30 days straight? “It depends on what you are doing,” says Alonzo Wilson, founder and director of training at NYC’s Tone House. “Are you trying to run every day or run 26 miles a day? Lift weights every day or do the elliptical every day? The exercises you’re planning to do for 30 days changes the the risk.” “The exercises you’re planning to do for 30 days changes the the risk.” —Alonzo Wilson If your personal goal is simply to workout every day for a month, be sure to organize your week in a way that mixes up your modalities so that your body isn’t experiencing the same strain day in and day out. “If you change your routine so that certain muscle groups get
No pony, no problem: Hit the gym with these cute workout hairstyles for short hair
January 09, 2019 at 12:59PM by CWC Having short hair makes life easier in any number of ways. It cuts down on the time it takes to get ready in the morning and saves money on hair products. Split ends are hardly a problem. But since you can’t pull back shorter hairstyles into a ponytail, keeping it out of your face during sweaty HIIT session requires a little creativity. Thousands of hairstyle tutorials exist on YouTube for long-haired ladies who like to go to the gym, but it’s slim pickins for anyone with short hair. Luckily, there’s only one you really need. Chloé Brown has a video with 10 styles you can rock at the gym without looking like a goof. In the tutorial, Brown shares ideas that take a few seconds (securing a half-up topknot) as well as more complicated styles (creating a front braid and securing everything in place with bobby pins). [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJm5eD6B864?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281] If your hair is still too short for some of these styles, follow Kate Hudson’s lead and work in a product like this matte pomade from Ouai paired with a little hairspray. You also can’t go wrong with a thick cloth headband. Now, get that hair off your face and get to work! This one-minute trick can take post-workout hair from sweaty to ready. Or, here’s a hint that hair loss might be attached to stress. Continue Reading… Author Tehrene Firman | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Yes or No: Wearing your shoes in the house is disgusting
January 09, 2019 at 12:23PM by CWC At this point, most people have heard all about the dirty downsides to wearing shoes inside the house. It’s one of those things I know isn’t good for me, but sometimes I do it anyway—kind of like ordering a basket of fries, even though I’m well aware that they just took a dip in a vat of oil. But unlike America’s general consensus on the amazingness of fries, an indoor shoe policy is rather divisive subject. For some, it’s easy to overlook the ick factor of wearing shoes around the house. For others, those sneakers better be off before crossing the threshold. I totally get both, but Infection preventionist at UCHealth Lauren Bryan, RN, MPH, says, “[shoes] act as a vector, picking up dirt, dust, mold spores, chemicals, bacteria, and viruses wherever we go.” That sounds like a lot of things I don’t want all over my pretty new carpet. Sometimes it’s plainly inconvenient to remove my shoes, though, and I pretend those invisible little microbes don’t exist. So, should you or shouldn’t you wear shoes inside your home? The Well+Good team sounds off: The shoes-on argument “Growing up, my parents had a very laissez-faire approach to shoes inside. To me, this felt like it sent the message, ‘Welcome! Come—and stay—as you are!’ And so, I’ve carried my you-do-you approach to shoes-wearing into adulthood. You want to kick your shoes off at the door and get cozy on the couch? Mi casa es su casa.
Staying sober for Dry January has been a lot harder than I expected
January 09, 2019 at 11:58AM by CWC On the first Saturday night of my month of sober living, I found myself curled up on the couch, Googling ferociously, “Is Dry January making me depressed?” I had spent Friday night on that same couch, eating an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s, scrolling through Instagram, intermittently crying about a 2-year-old breakup (yes, I am a cliché), and feeling bad about the fact that there was an entire alcohol-fueled world out there that I was missing out on. When I decided to partake in Dry January, after a holiday season that felt like one party after another, I didn’t think much of it. I’d always considered my relationship with alcohol to be a fairly healthy one—a glass of wine with dinner a few times a week, Friday or Saturday night out with a martini or two—and figured that going a month without it would be NBD. I was excited about the prospect of starting my year off on the right foot and further motivated by a study that essentially said I’d be richer/more energetic/more well-rested after a month of no drinking. The first few days were as expected—a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I went to bed by 9:00 p.m., got an uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep, and I awoke ready to crush my workouts at dawn. My brain functioned at max creative capacity—I wrote more than I had in months. But then the weekend arrived. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I said no to every invite to