October 30, 2018 at 06:15AM Nothing ruins a great run quicker than having to stop mid-stride to hit the bathroom. If you’re lucky enough (shall we say) to get the urge during an actual race, your gut and your time can suffer. The good news? Find a little comfort that you’re certainly not the only one who’s having this internal ahem struggle on the course. The fact is that whether it’s running or a HIIT workout, most physical activity prompts the body to have the same response, says Rich Velazquez, COO and coach at Mile High Run Club, a treadmill studio in New York City. “Movement of the body impacts the gut, and will ‘loosen’ things up,” he says. “The colon also becomes stimulated as it tries to both absorb the nutrients you’ll need while exercising and expel waste efficiently.” So what’s a gal to do if she’s hoping to avoid the Porta Potty mid-run (that is, if there’s one around)? Here, Velazquez offers up his better-gut tips for a great workout, no dropping of the Spandex required. Photo: Stocksy/Studio Firma How to train your gut as you’re training for a run 1. Eat right ahead of time Especially if you’re gearing up for a race, you want to make sure you’re putting your fueling strategy to the test far in advance of the big day so you don’t get any surprises along the way. Generally speaking, this means avoiding high-fiber foods in the hours leading up to a workout, as they
Category: 2019 Health
These 4 Starbucks drinks *seem* healthy, but are they really?
October 30, 2018 at 04:30AM Frappuccinos topped with thick mountains of whipped cream, caramel macchiatos drizzled with amber syrup, chocolatey mochas—these are the gateway drinks to a lifelong Starbucks addiction. The collision of a caffeine buzz and a sugar rush is how many sleep-deprived high-school and college students get through the day. But as you grow up, so do your tastebuds. That’s just as well, since instead of being blissfully unaware of the never-ending evils of sugar, you find out it’s essentially the worst thing you can put into your body. Thankfully, Starbucks has a giant menu and customization is its thing. So your drink order evolves into matcha, almond milk, and low-sugar bevvies—all of which allow you to keep on living your healthiest life, right? As someone who is just as much a latte-aholic as a health food reporter, I decided to dig a little deeper into the healthy-sounding options I routinely pat myself on the back for ordering. Armed with the ingredient lists laid out on Starbucks’ site, I called up naturopathic doctor Nicole McCarter, ND, to find out exactly what’s in four of the coffee chain’s most popular teas and low-cal coffee drinks. While you might be surprised by what she learned, there’s a bright side: Starbucks is the mecca of customizable drinks. That means you can absolutely get something healthy to sip on. It may just take a little more investigating than simply ordering something “skinny.” Find out what’s in Starbucks’ lower-sugar drinks—and if they are actually
The 1-minute shower hack to stop next-day workout soreness in its tracks
October 30, 2018 at 04:00AM As you’re glowing from a surge of endorphins—and a whole lotta sweat—after an intense workout, you’re probably feeling pretty good…until the reality hits about how sore you’re going to be. While spending some quality time with a foam roller will undoubtedly do you some good, there’s another way to stop next-day soreness in its tracks. Unfortunately, it’s just as uncomfortable. A fool-proof way to give your muscles some much-needed relief is to hop in the shower. Not a relaxing warm shower, though; one where you alternate between hot and cold temps. Sort of like when someone ruins your steamy hot shower by flushing the toilet—but by choice. “These types of contrast showers, where you alternate the water as hot as you can handle for 20 to 30 seconds, and then turn it as cold as you can handle for 20 to 30 seconds, will fight tension and improve blood flow,” Dustin Raymer, MS, CES, CHWC, told Men’s Health. “Ideally, the water will get progressively hotter and colder the more you do this.” “These types of contrast showers, where you alternate the water as hot as you can handle for 20 to 30 seconds, and then turn it as cold as you can handle for 20 to 30 seconds, will fight tension and improve blood flow.” —Dustin Raymer, MS, CES, CHWC While even a minute will be helpful, doing 10 rounds, going more extreme with the temps as you get used to them, will help post-workout
Your go-to glossary for astrology terms—from A to Z(odiac)
October 30, 2018 at 03:50AM Just when you thought you’d finally figured out what your zodiac sign actually means—like, if you’re a Gemini, you should role-play in the bedroom and stick a tiger eye crystal in your bra—along comes your daily horoscope to perplex you anew. Mars is retrograde in your third house? There’s a supermoon solar eclipse squaring Mercury? Cue panicky flashbacks to 8th grade French class, when you were out sick with mono and missed the entire verb-conjugating lesson. (Je voud-wha?) Indeed, astrology has a lexicon all its own. While it’s tempting to just skim over the more intimidating words, being able to speak the stars’ language offers some perks: It opens you up to a whole new level of insight about what’s really going on up in space. It allows you to look beyond an astrologer’s interpretation to understand on a deeper level how cosmic events are impacting your life. Plus, it’ll help you spark some juicy conversations at cocktail parties. (No joke—bring up the concept of a Saturn return next time you’re out for drinks, and just wait for the cringe-inducing stories that follow.) Consider the glossary below your go-to primer for decoding celestial goings-on. Keep reading for an A-to-Z(odiac) guide for all terms astrology. Photo: Stocksy/Hayden Williams Aspect When two or more planets line up in the sky at certain angles, they’re “aspecting” each other. The planets’ energies are said to mingle, and some believe this affects our experience down here on earth. (The real-life manifestation of “stars
100-percent cashmere sweaters under $100 worth cozying up to
October 30, 2018 at 03:34AM When it comes to sweaters, it doesn’t get cozier than cashmere. It also doesn’t get more expensive. At the highest end, a 100-percent cashmere sweater can cost a couple thousand dollars. Yep, you read that correctly. Designs like those certainly put the “cash” in cashmere. But it’s totally possible to wrap yourself in its finely woven fibers (made from goat hair, FYI) for a fraction of the cost. How is this possible you ask? It comes down to a few factors, such as how thick and fine the yarn is, plus where your sweater is produced (most luxe sweaters are made in Italy and Scotland), which Business of Fashion goes into detail about in case you’re curious. But the biggest takeaway is this: If you’re willing to forgo a love of labels and settle for a super soft sweater instead of one that’s super-super soft, you can hygge and still have money left over for turmeric lattes and house payments. Here are a handful of 100-percent cashmere sweaters worth cozying up to this season. Photo: Madewell Madewell Cashmere Mockneck Sweater, $98 Available in sizes XXS to XXL Photo: L.L. Bean L.L. Bean Classic Cashmere Crewneck, $99 Available in sizes XS to XL Photo: Everlane Everlane The Cashmere V-neck, $100 Available in sizes XXS to XL Photo: J.Crew J.Crew Three-quarter sleeve everyday cashmere crewneck sweater, $98 Available in sizes XXS to XXL Photo: Uniqlo Uniqlo Women’s Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater, $80 Available in sizes XXS to XXL
3 cutting-edge innovations working to keep your brain healthy
October 30, 2018 at 03:00AM If life pans out perfectly, we’ll all end up spirited 100 year-old yogis like Tao Porchon-Lynch, with whip-sharp minds and strong bodies. But while people are living longer than ever before, for many, their later years aren’t exactly the sunny scenes depicted in retirement funds commercials. In the US, at least 5 million people have dementia (a blanket term for a decline in cognitive performance that includes Alzheimer’s disease). Because cognitive decline touches so many people, preventing and treating it has become a main focus in the scientific community. Doctors have long preached that “prevention is the best medicine,” and distinguished integrative health expert and How Healing Works author Wayne Jonas, MD, says he strongly believes the best way to prevent cognitive decline is through diet, exercise, and lifestyle habits such as getting enough sleep, managing stress, and limiting exposure to environmental toxins. But in addition to the usual prescription of healthy lifestyle habits, top scientists and researchers are dedicating their careers to developing cutting-edge ways to protect your brain. Scroll down to see the latest science-backed ways to prevent cognitive decline. Photo: Getty Images/Guido Mieth At-home testing kits are giving insight into how to prevent “leaky brain” First things, first. Why, for so many people, does the brain give up before the body? To help explain, scientists are putting a new spin on a familiar term: Leaky gut is when the gastrointestinal tract becomes permeable—meaning bacteria and other toxins can enter the blood stream; “leaky brain”
4 Small Steps To Make You Feel Better About Your Finances Right Now
October 29, 2018 at 06:30PM Even if you’re a budgeting master six days a week, we all have those moments when we realize the state of our finances could use a little help. But according to Anna Goldstein, New York City life coach specializing in business, fixing your money problems doesn’t start with moving dollars around—it’s actually all about mindset. “I work with clients’ mindset because the way you think profoundly influences the way you feel,” Goldstein explains. “Learning to think differently can enable you to feel and act differently.” To help you find the right mindset, we tapped Goldstein to share her happiness tips for people in all financial situations—whether checking your bank balance is a weekly source of stress, or if you’re just wishing you could level up your financial savvy. Scroll down for 4 happiness tips to help you feel better about your financial situation—no matter what your bank account balance is. Photo: Getty/Alys Tomlinson Step 1: Accept where you’re at financially According to Goldstein, the number one action item for financial happiness is honesty—AKA identifying your personal financial reality. “Be honest with yourself,” she says. “You can’t change what you aren’t aware of. Get clean with where you are and where your money is going. Look at your finances head on.” That honesty includes being kind to yourself about your financial situation, instead of comparing yourself to someone who seems better off. “The truth is we never really know what’s going on with someone else, even when it looks like
Finally: Here are the definitions to the weird running terms you’ve never understood
October 29, 2018 at 06:30PM Before becoming a total meal-prep whiz, you had to learn the talk before doing the walk—err, finding out what braising or searing actually meant doing it over a hot stove. It’s the same deal when you’re starting a running habit—or striving to crush your first race. Hang around runners for long enough or follow them on Instagram, and you’ll hear a number of insider terms slung around. Once you familiarize yourself with the common phrases of racers, you’re in the club. Plus, learning the lingo can actually motivate you to go for your PB—that’s personal best, FYI. To get you started, we turned to running coach and ASICS performance footwear merchandiser Robert Fay to put together a beginner’s guide on the need-to-know lingo of endurance pros. And hey, he’s totally been in your shoes. “When I got involved in a training program for first-time marathoners, I had no understanding of what the word ‘bonked’ meant,” Fay says. Asking around, he found out that feeling bonked perfectly describes the state of “hitting the wall—when your body runs out of glycogen and your energy crashes,” which Fay experienced during his first 20-mile run. “Big learning experience there!” Keep reading to learn the essential running vocabulary that’ll help you achieve your goals and make informed training decisions. Once you’re acquainted with the terminology you hear around the track and at local running meet-ups, you’ll be more equipped to go the distance. What’s more, learning “the talk” can also help you
How to Work Travel into Your Budget, Whether Your Goal is a Weekend Getaway or an International Escape
October 29, 2018 at 06:30PM Whether your ideal vacation includes camping in a local state park or traveling across the world, it’s pretty undeniable that travel is the gold standard for unwinding and taking time for ourselves (people don’t hoard vacation days for nothing!)—which makes it a powerful self-care practice. But finding the time (and money) to dedicate to travel can feel like an impossible task when you’re juggling a full life. To help you figure out how to make travel-life balance work with a budget in mind, Sarah Marks, a psychiatry resident in New York City and the blogger behind Travel Beyond Size, shares her secrets on why she’s such a travel advocate and how she makes her adventures more budget friendly. “Travel is an essential and powerful wellness practice.” “Travel is an essential and powerful wellness practice as it allows you to immerse yourself in new experiences that may be challenging and unfamiliar,” Marks explains. “This in turn builds resiliency and flexibility which are strengths you can apply in your everyday life to keep you well.” So how does she make it work logistically? A master of squeezing in vacation days whenever possible, Marks breaks down time off into two one-week trips and one two-week trip per year (so she isn’t missed at work for too long), and then uses long weekends for local excursions. But if traveling abroad for vacation multiple times a year sounds overwhelming or local travel is more interesting, she totally gets you. “I think people should
Feeling Anxious About Your Finances? Here’s What to Do About It
October 29, 2018 at 06:30PM Casually poll friends at your weeknight book club or peruse any online personal finance forum, and you’ll find out that financial anxiety affects people of every age and income. But you knew that already, because you’ve been there too—from unease about your savings to wondering if you should have really bought that matcha latte this morning. So why is everyone you know (including you) anxious about their money situation? Carrie Friedman, a lifestyle coach who focuses on finances and works with individuals, families, and small-business owners to align their spending-and-saving habits with their values, has a theory. “Financial anxiety is common because Americans aren’t taught the ABCs of personal finance,” she posits. But that doesn’t mean there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Whether you’re worried about retirement, affording your next vacation, or being able to (ever?) send in your last student-loan repayment, we want to help you break down how to start the path toward financial wellness. Because yes: Your financial reality is part of your overall wellness, too. Scroll down to find out how to tackle financial anxiety and feel empowered in any stage of your financial journey. Photo: Getty/Westend61 Step 1: Pinpoint the cause of your financial worry If you haven’t learned how to make good financial decisions, you have no roadmap to avoid mistakes. Without a roadmap or arsenal of financial tips and tricks, it’s easier than ever to fall into debt. Once you’re in debt, that stomach-sinking feeling can affect every