November 25, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC One of my biggest dreams in life is to have a full-on gym in my home. Since I live in New York City, that will never happen (unless I somehow become a countess someday and get myself a mansion). But, at the very least, it’s now that time of the year when Black Friday fitness equipment deals have me dreaming of the possibilities of a sweat box all to myself. As the prices of covetable workout essentials get slashed, I’ve been doing some Nancy Drew detective work to find the best of the best deals that the fitness world has to offer this shopping season. If you’re like me and want to use this wallet-friendly opportunity to bulk up your home gym setup, I’ve got you. Whether you’re looking for small additions to your sweat corner like weights or stuff that’s more high-tech (hello, Theragun sale), keep scrolling for the best Black Friday fitness equipment deals you can score this season. Photo: Theragun Theragun Black G3 Premium Handheld Percussive Therapy Device, $299 A Black Friday fitness equipment deal I’m particularly pumped for? The Theragun, which is getting a $100 price reduction at Walmart (in stores and online). This percussive, muscle-massaging device is the quickest, easiest way to relieve soreness in your body, and you can do it while sitting on the couch. Photo: Studio Sweat onDemand Studio Sweat OnDemand Bike Bundle Set, $1599 Workout streaming site Studio Sweat OnDemand is offering $400 off of
Category: Beauty
Your guide to navigating the great wide world of fertility startups
November 23, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC In August of this year, The Economist proclaimed in a headline, “The fertility business is booming,” and indeed, the statistics cited in the accompanying article support this proclamation. Today, the industry brings in $25 billion in sales, for example, and this number is projected to nearly double to $41 billion by 2026. Meanwhile, investors poured $624 million dollars into fertility businesses in 2018, up from under $200 million less than a decade ago. Baby-making, from IVF to egg freezing to fertility testing and way, way beyond is indeed big business. David Sable, MD, a former fertility doctor who now runs the Special Situations Life Sciences Fund, which invests in fertility-centric businesses, says that currently, assisted reproduction is the most underutilized area of health care in the U.S. economy. But that’s set to change, thanks in part to an explosion of startups as well as employers and states aiming to expand insurance coverage of these pricey services. (For reference, one round of IVF costs at least $12,000, and often is higher thanks to separate medication costs). He predicts that thanks to these changes, an additional 1.129 million Americans per year will be able to access fertility treatments. Plus, adds Norbert Gleicher, MD, medical director and chief scientist at the Center for Human Reproduction, demographic shifts are going to increase demand as well. “Patient populations are aging and women are having fewer and fewer children and so as a consequence, there are more and more
True or false: It’s a good idea to drink green tea right before bed
November 21, 2019 at 09:00PM by CWC With the holidays just around the corner, it’s a safe bet that the coming weeks will be filled with festive drinks, jam-packed social schedules, and late nights celebrating with loved ones. Great for the soul, perhaps not so great for our sleep schedules. Which is why so many of us, particularly this time of year, reach for sleep-promoting foods and drinks to help promote maximum snooze time, from magnesium tablets to cacao-based snacks. But when it comes to sleepytime sips, what’s the best thing to drink to ensure a restful sleep? One thing you can certainly cross off your list: green tea before bed. To be clear, green tea isn’t bad for you. Far from it—there’s a lot of research that shows that green tea offers up lots of benefits for heart and brain health. Most of these perks come down to a type of antioxidant compound present in the green tea. “The polyphenols such as flavonols, especially the catechin epicalocatechin gallate (EGCG), in green tea contribute to the variety of potential health benefits found in research studies,” says Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. “These include neuroprotective benefits as well as contribution to prevention of blood sugar irregularities and cardiovascular disease,” she explains. Curious about other green tea benefits? Get the lowdown from a top dietitian: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADUuZrFQX7M] It also offers up a smaller amount of caffeine than other drinks with only 29 milligrams per cup. Compare that to black coffee’s 90
4 ways to set boundaries with pushy family members over the holidays
November 21, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC How often is “yes” your first instinct when someone asks you out for post-work cocktails even though a recovery night in (with at least three episodes of your Netflix show of choice) was your preferred itinerary? Yes: Figuring out how to set boundaries is hard. Take that scenario and multiply it by ten when you apply it to spending time with family over the holidays (see: answering the same questions over and over about your personal life, financial decisions, and career choices). Suddenly, you’re dealing with a scenario where boundaries feel not just important, but necessary for your sanity. The good news is that this is that setting limits is actually a positive thing. “A boundary is a bid for closeness,” says Lia Avellino, director of head and heart THE WELL, who spoke recently on this very topic at our Wellness Collective event with Athleta. “It’s not a distancing effect—it’s a meeting place.” So, contrary to popular belief, nailing how to set boundaries isn’t about keeping people out—but letting them in by finding a way for more meaningful connection. To start setting these limits, Avellino suggests practicing saying “yes” slowly and “no” quickly. But giving a firm negative can be tough, especially because women have been conditioned to be agreeable, says Avellino. To try it, she had event attendees partner up and ask an intimate question (one that people wouldn’t ask a complete stranger) and presented four solutions: 1. First, just a straight no—without
How to identify (and handle) your emotional triggers before they cause real harm
November 21, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Phone calls during the work day. Cuddling in bed with anyone past 11 a.m. The Sundays’ mid-90s cover of “Wild Horses.” These are seemingly unrelated events, yet they’re all emotional triggers for me. The “why” behind each is something my therapist and I are working to unpack, but what I can say with confidence is that I’m glad I can now identify them for what they are. Because in the past, when I wasn’t able to pinpoint what led me to me feel panicked or off in some way, my mental well-being and important relationships often suffered as a result. It makes sense why, too. Emotional triggers can lead to irrational, impulsive responses. And while that certainly stinks for the people who are experiencing the mental tumult, it can also be problematic for friends, partners, or other loved ones—especially if they don’t know the big picture of what your triggers are. So how can you respect your own sensitivities without lashing out, even if unintentionally, to people who really care? Below, learn how to identify, communicate, and work on handling your emotional triggers—for the benefit of yourself and your loved ones. How to spot emotional triggers Even when everyone is objectively safe, emotional triggers can facilitate a sensation of feeling emotionally threatened when triggered. “While they may not be truly dangerous, emotional threats feel every bit as threatening to our survival as physical threats,” says psychologist Helene Brenner, PhD, author of I Know I’m
Here’s how to keep your skin hydrated all winter—even when heavy moisturizers make you break out
November 21, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC Meet Wellness Collective, our immersive curriculum with Athleta that hooks you up with actionable advice from the smartest experts and brand founders in wellness right now. Get the goods at our monthly event series in New York City plus our online one-month wellness plans. Here, holistic aesthetician Shani Hillian answers your most-pressing questions about winter skin care. It’s the ultimate winter skin-care conundrum: You know you’re supposed to slather on all the hydrating products to keep the cold air from drying out your skin, but anything more than a barely there moisturizer sends your complexion to breakout city. So what are you supposed to do? You asked for tips on finding that elusive winter glow, and holistic aesthetician Shani Hillian answered, sharing intel on how her “keep it simple” skin-care philosophy can help even the most troubled complexions. “When a client approaches me with a skin ailment they are struggling with, whether it be acne, eczema, or dermatitis, my main goal is to do less,” Hillian says. “Our skin is so delicate, and when an unexpected skin condition occurs, the worst thing you can do is start treating it with three different products all at once.” Scroll down for more of her top tips for winter skin care so you can glow all season long. 1. Opt for a water-based moisturizer Sorry—if you were hoping to ditch moisturizers completely to avoid breaking out, Hillian nixed that idea right away. “The biggest misconception is that folks think they don’t need
Give your digestive system a boost before the holidays with this soothing vegan broth
November 20, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-U4V3PTnas] Sip on this tea, er, broth to keep your digestive system running smoothly all party season long. There are a lot of holiday foods that, while delicious, aren’t exactly a friend to the digestive system. (Looking at you, baked mac-and-cheese.) But if you’re looking for something super soothing to help you reset before or after the holidays, you might want to reach for one of the oldest gut-boosting remedies: broth. “Broth started as a way for people to be able to use all parts of an animal,” holistic health coach, herbalist, and Supernatural founder Rachelle Robinett says in the latest episode of Plant-Based. A way to be sustainable before it was a buzzword (slash environmental necessity), broth was used as a way to consume the less-desirable cuts of meat after the main cuts were already used. But Robinett explains that broth has long had medicinal uses, too. “Broth extracts animo acids, collagen, vitamins, minerals—all the good stuff—out of the meat and vegetables; anything that’s in that pot,” she says. “What you get is a nutrient-dense, soothing, very simple-to-digest beverage.” Talk about a major wellness win. As for how to put those benefits into action, Robinett shares her personal go-to recipe for a vegan bone broth, made with miso to utilize its plant-based umami flavor and probiotic benefits. (It’s added later in the cooking process, so the heat doesn’t kill any of its good bacteria.) She also includes some key ingredients for immunity,
9 serums that make your skin so bright you can ditch the foundation
November 20, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC In the last few years, the lines between skin care and makeup have become increasingly blurred. There’s foundation that acts as skin care, skin care that acts as foundation, and heck, even eyeshadow that acts as SPF. Now that we have less time than ever before to put on our beauty products, we’ve started to demand that they do more so that we don’t have to use as many of ’em to get the job done. The latest hybrid skin step worth getting on board with? Serums that look like makeup and help cut at least a single step out of your routine. In addition to doing some skin-friendly things for your face in the long-term, these serum makeup primer hybrids (which, really, can act as all three at once) leave behind a finish that will make you excited to use them as one of the final steps in your routine. Some are tinted, making them A-plus subs for foundation, while others are dead ringers for the primer that you almost always forget to use unless it’s a special occasion. You can wear each of these products on its own, layer them under your existing steps, or mix them with foundation for an easier application and more radiant glow. The result? Your skin, illuminated. Shop our favorite serum makeup primer hybrid products, below. Photo: Glossier Glossier Futuredew, $24 Part oil, part serum, this product is meant to give skin a radiant glow (that comes
Nearly half of the past presidents have fixed zodiac signs—here’s how current hopefuls stack up
November 20, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC In astrology, quadruplicates or modalities (cardinal, fixed, or mutable) signify the way a sign directs its energetic behavior, and if you’re say, trying to run a country, that intel skews important. Consider this, then: The overwhelming majority of United States presidents are fixed signs in astrology (Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, and Taurus), with the ratio almost half at 18 out of 45. “It makes sense that we would gravitate toward fixed-sign leaders,” says astrologer Rachel Lang. “Fixed signs stay committed to the tasks at hand, no matter how hard those tasks might be. They are steadfast and loyal. Fixed signs have a remarkable ability to put in the hard work necessary to create real, lasting change. They don’t give up. These are qualities inherent in leaders.” And not even the flash-in-the-pan presidents, either—we’re talking big names like Abraham Lincoln (Aquarius), Franklin D. Roosevelt (Aquarius), Theodore Roosevelt (Scorpio), Ronald Reagan (Aquarius), Bill Clinton (Leo), and Barack Obama (Leo). And look, we’re not here to say whether fixed sign presidents automatically make for the best presidents, but a pattern is a pattern. So with the 2020 election fast (so fast) approaching, what does that mean for our presidential hopefuls? “Fixed sign candidates in this election cycle include Joe Biden, a Scorpio, and Cory Booker, a Taurus,” Lang says. “Bernie Sanders has a Scorpio rising and therefore has fixed-sign energy in his chart, too. Though Donald Trump is a mutable Gemini, he has a fixed-sign Leo rising.” It’s
This on-the-go foam roller water bottle keeps your recovery drink cold and your muscles loose
November 19, 2019 at 10:47PM by CWC Every time a fitness enthusiast blinks, a new recovery tool enters the market. Or at least that’s the way it seems. Form muscle-stimulating instruments to percussive therapy devices and beyond, the trend just won’t quit. Now, it’s easier than ever to take your recovery routine on the road with Mobot: a water bottle-foam roller hybrid. The Mobot water bottle comes in three sizes: 18 ounces ($40), 27 ounces ($50), and 40 ounces ($60)—and several times as many colors. The bottle solves the problem of having to transport both a water and a trigger point foam roller so you never, ever have to ignore your aching muscles. And perhaps more importantly, having it in your vicinity reminds you to take a stretch break every once and a while. View this post on Instagram Interrupting your scroll to remind you to slow down, breathe, hydrate, and roll today. #rollmodel @dejariley showing us how it’s done. A post shared by MOBOT NATION (@mobotnation) on Jun 25, 2019 at 9:39am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js The Amazon reviews of the hydration-slash-recovery tool tell the story of endorphin-happy customers. “Does exactly what it’s supposed to. Kept my recovery drink cool and my muscles loose,” writes one purchaser. “I ordered this as a birthday gift for my sister, who is heavy into CrossFit. She LOVES it and gets compliments from other gym-goers all the time. If you’re worried that 40oz is too big, it’s definitely not,” says another. Your workout