June 06, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC There are two types of travelers in the world: those who mindfully pack, taking into account things like weather and planned activities, and those who haphazardly toss a pile of clothes into their suitcase, content to sort it out once they arrive at their final destination. I fall squarely in to the latter category. That’s why learning my laundromat lost my bag three hours before I’m supposed to board my flight for the Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands off the coast of Portugal, is about as distressing and unsurprising as discovering that the “last round” of burpees really wasn’t the last after all. I’m hopeful that the single pair of jeans, handful of T-shirts, and little black bathing suit left in my closet will be enough for a long Labor Day Weekend of island hopping around what’s quickly becoming a new healthy hot spot for active travelers looking for an affordable escape off the beaten path. (In other words, Tulum before the DJs and the seaweed started taking over its beaches.) Sitting at my gate, I go over my itinerary one more time: The plan is to take a five-hour red eye (there are now direct flights to the Azores from both New York City and Boston between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day) to Ponta Delgada, the capital of Sao Miguel, which is the largest link in the chain of Mid-Atlantic islands. From there, it’s a short flight to Terceira
Category: 2019 Health
Stop and smell the sulfur in Portugal’s Azores Islands
June 06, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC There are two types of travelers in the world: those who mindfully pack, taking into account things like weather and planned activities, and those who haphazardly toss a pile of clothes into their suitcase, content to sort it out once they arrive at their final destination. I fall squarely in to the latter category. That’s why learning my laundromat lost my bag three hours before I’m supposed to board my flight for the Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands off the coast of Portugal, is about as distressing and unsurprising as discovering that the “last round” of burpees really wasn’t the last after all. I’m hopeful that the single pair of jeans, handful of T-shirts, and little black bathing suit left in my closet will be enough for a long Labor Day Weekend of island hopping around what’s quickly becoming a new healthy hot spot for active travelers looking for an affordable escape off the beaten path. (In other words, Tulum before the DJs and the seaweed started taking over its beaches.) Sitting at my gate, I go over my itinerary one more time: The plan is to take a five-hour red eye (there are now direct flights to the Azores from both New York City and Boston between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day) to Ponta Delgada, the capital of Sao Miguel, which is the largest link in the chain of Mid-Atlantic islands. From there, it’s a short flight to Terceira
‘Fertility’ impacts more than just your ability to have kids—so why don’t we view it that way?
June 06, 2019 at 12:15PM by CWC The female reproductive system has been regarded for thousands of years as a source of never-ending mystery (the ancient Greeks reportedly believed that the uterus could just up and move around whenever it wanted) while simultaneously being something to just deal with (*anyone who’s ever had a period in their life nods along vigorously*). Even today, female-specific reproductive conditions remain understudied and misunderstood. Take pregnancy: A recent Washington Post deep dive explored the fact that pregnant women have consistently been left out of clinical trials. This means that we don’t know how certain medications impact pregnant women or their babies; we don’t know much about the placenta and how it forms; it means, in fact, that we don’t know much at all. The knowledge gap extends to one’s ability to get pregnant, too. A small 2016 survey of women found that only one in three participants knew that female fertility declines after age 35; another 2017 survey found that most respondents over-estimated the pregnancy chances of women over 40. And a Portuguese survey of over 2000 people found that only 18 percent of participants had brought up fertility problems with their doctor (even though 95 percent wanted to have kids someday). The issue is not just that female fertility remains a frustratingly confounding riddle—it’s that your reproductive system can tell you so much more about your health than whether or not you can get pregnant. And our ignorance of how it works is
Gender-free sex toys are the future of personal pleasure
June 06, 2019 at 12:11PM by CWC You can buy a sex toy in almost every shape, size, and color, but they still don’t yet run the gamut. The pursuit of personal pleasure still largely excludes non-binary bodies. Fortunately, a handful of brands with a focus on gender-free sex toys recognize the need for improvement. Soon, anyone with the desire for some self-love will have a toy at the ready in the drawers of their nightstands. “Making a sex toy gender-free makes it more accessible to everybody,” says Amy Boyajian, CEO and co-founder of Wild Flower. The adult store for sexual well-being will release its first gender-free vibrator, Enby ($74), at the end of this month. “We want to bring queer experiences to the forefront because gendering sex toys—or subscribing only to certain ways of using a toy—often leaves out queer bodies and experiences.” “When we label a sex product ‘for women’ or ‘for men,’ it doesn’t take into account all of the people who don’t identify with those labels.” —Logan Levkoff, PhD The marketing of personal pleasure products can also be damaging to those who don’t identify within the gender binary, according to Logan Levkoff, PhD, a relationship and sexuality educator. Much of the market stills splashes the toys in colors traditionally associated with being male or female (i.e., cotton candy pink and baby blue). And the slogans are no better. “When we label a sex product ‘for women’ or ‘for men,’ it doesn’t take into account all of
Gender-free sex toys are the future of personal pleasure
June 06, 2019 at 12:11PM by CWC You can buy a sex toy in almost every shape, size, and color, but they still don’t yet run the gamut. The pursuit of personal pleasure still largely excludes non-binary bodies. Fortunately, a handful of brands with a focus on gender-free sex toys recognize the need for improvement. Soon, anyone with the desire for some self-love will have a toy at the ready in the drawers of their nightstands. “Making a sex toy gender-free makes it more accessible to everybody,” says Amy Boyajian, CEO and co-founder of Wild Flower. The adult store for sexual well-being will release its first gender-free vibrator, Enby ($74), at the end of this month. “We want to bring queer experiences to the forefront because gendering sex toys—or subscribing only to certain ways of using a toy—often leaves out queer bodies and experiences.” “When we label a sex product ‘for women’ or ‘for men,’ it doesn’t take into account all of the people who don’t identify with those labels.” —Logan Levkoff, PhD The marketing of personal pleasure products can also be damaging to those who don’t identify within the gender binary, according to Logan Levkoff, PhD, a relationship and sexuality educator. Much of the market stills splashes the toys in colors traditionally associated with being male or female (i.e., cotton candy pink and baby blue). And the slogans are no better. “When we label a sex product ‘for women’ or ‘for men,’ it doesn’t take into account all of
Your ultimate guide to getting a facial (and navigating those pesky extractions)
June 06, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC I remember my first facial like it was yesterday. I was 14, my skin was flaring up from breakouts on a regular basis, and nothing seemed to be working. As a last ditch effort, my mom booked me an appointment with an esthetician, and the experience was, let’s just say, nothing like the relaxing luxury I had expected. She spent a 45 painful minutes extracting blackheads out of my nose, forehead, and upper lip. I left in tears, albeit with skin that looked clearer than it had in years. As the resident beauty editor in my group of friends, I get a text at least once a month that starts with “I want to get a facial” and ends with “But I don’t know what to get.” Over the last few years, facial bars like HeyDay, Silver Mirror, and Skin Laundry have popped up to make the skin-soothing experiences more affordable, and thus more accessible to people who may not want to shell out $300 for pus to be extracted from skin. With so many options out there, I’ll be the first to admit that trying to decipher the list of spa offerings can be nothing short of overwhelming. To make things easier, we quizzed the experts on exactly what people need to know before choosing—and going in for—their first ever facial. Know that there are different facials out there There are two different types of facials. First, there’s the relaxing kind that
The best thing to fuel up on post-workout isn’t what you think it is
June 06, 2019 at 11:35AM by CWC For as long as I can remember, I’ve been guzzling protein-spiked smoothies or eating some form of protein like a robot post-workout. Because that’s what I—along with everyone else—have been conditioned to think is the healthiest thing to refuel with. But then, I found out that chowing down on antioxidants is actually a smarter idea in terms of recovery. The key thing about antioxidants is that they’re the antidote to free radicals—and free radicals are flying around in your body like crazy after a grueling sweat sesh. “When you exercise, it triggers more free radical activity—and free radicals cause oxidative stress and inflammation,” says Carla Oates, founder of The Beauty Chef and expert on inner beauty health. “Antioxidants help mop up these troublesome molecules, so it’s important to consume antioxidants post exercise.” Antioxidants are always healthy, of course, because of their benefits to your digestion, immunity, and, well, overall health (considering a lot are found in fruits and veggies). But they’re smart to load onto your plate post-workout because of the free radical-fighting aspect, which give it a one-up on protein. “Many people take antioxidants before and after exercise in the hope that it’ll combat oxidative stress and reduce muscle soreness,” says Lisa Richards, certified nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet. Though she says that antioxidants don’t work that fast in regards to the muscle recovery aspect, one study has shown that they do reduce the oxidative stress from your workout. “Taking antioxidants can reduce
The best thing to fuel up on post-workout isn’t what you think it is
June 06, 2019 at 11:35AM by CWC For as long as I can remember, I’ve been guzzling protein-spiked smoothies or eating some form of protein like a robot post-workout. Because that’s what I—along with everyone else—have been conditioned to think is the healthiest thing to refuel with. But then, I found out that chowing down on antioxidants is actually a smarter idea in terms of recovery. The key thing about antioxidants is that they’re the antidote to free radicals—and free radicals are flying around in your body like crazy after a grueling sweat sesh. “When you exercise, it triggers more free radical activity—and free radicals cause oxidative stress and inflammation,” says Carla Oates, founder of The Beauty Chef and expert on inner beauty health. “Antioxidants help mop up these troublesome molecules, so it’s important to consume antioxidants post exercise.” Antioxidants are always healthy, of course, because of their benefits to your digestion, immunity, and, well, overall health (considering a lot are found in fruits and veggies). But they’re smart to load onto your plate post-workout because of the free radical-fighting aspect, which give it a one-up on protein. “Many people take antioxidants before and after exercise in the hope that it’ll combat oxidative stress and reduce muscle soreness,” says Lisa Richards, certified nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet. Though she says that antioxidants don’t work that fast in regards to the muscle recovery aspect, one study has shown that they do reduce the oxidative stress from your workout. “Taking antioxidants can reduce
Esther Perel’s secret to making—and keeping—lifelong friends
June 06, 2019 at 10:03AM by CWC Esther Perel turned 60-years-old last year. A luminary of sex and relationships, Perel celebrated the milestone by hosting a straight-up fabulous party. She didn’t fill the room with just anybody, though, she explains to actor Alia Shawkat in the latest episode of Death, Sex & Money. A thoughtful, well-curated guest list included a few major players from every decade of life. “It was an amazing experience of integration to have all the worlds of my decades come together in one place and meet,” says Perel. “I have many long-standing friends its not just one or two, I have friends from every place where I’ve lived and every decade.” Perel’s inner-circle is a commingling of individuals, each of whom serves as “signposts” or “markers” for the major moments of life. By bringing together everyone under one roof, Perel enjoys both the present company and the flood of memories from the life she lived in her teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. “It’s just really interesting to have that perspective,” she says. “I think we move so much these days [that] we sometimes move so fast and we don’t necessarily have the long history, the continuity, the longform narrative of people who remember you decades before.” “I have many long-standing friends. It’s not just one or two, I have friends from every place where I’ve lived and every decade.” —Esther Perel In addition to her commitment to lifelong friends, Perel looks to younger generations
Esther Perel’s secret to making—and keeping—lifelong friends
June 06, 2019 at 10:03AM by CWC Esther Perel turned 60-years-old last year. A luminary of sex and relationships, Perel celebrated the milestone by hosting a straight-up fabulous party. She didn’t fill the room with just anybody, though, she explains to actor Alia Shawkat in the latest episode of Death, Sex & Money. A thoughtful, well-curated guest list included a few major players from every decade of life. “It was an amazing experience of integration to have all the worlds of my decades come together in one place and meet,” says Perel. “I have many long-standing friends its not just one or two, I have friends from every place where I’ve lived and every decade.” Perel’s inner-circle is a commingling of individuals, each of whom serves as “signposts” or “markers” for the major moments of life. By bringing together everyone under one roof, Perel enjoys both the present company and the flood of memories from the life she lived in her teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. “It’s just really interesting to have that perspective,” she says. “I think we move so much these days [that] we sometimes move so fast and we don’t necessarily have the long history, the continuity, the longform narrative of people who remember you decades before.” “I have many long-standing friends. It’s not just one or two, I have friends from every place where I’ve lived and every decade.” —Esther Perel In addition to her commitment to lifelong friends, Perel looks to younger generations