October 30, 2019 at 07:39PM by CWC Sustainability is more than a buzzword. It’s a win all around when the sustainable food on your plate benefits your body as well as the environment. Fostering our personal relationship with Earth—and the global community of food sourcing—connects us to a greater responsibility as inhabitants of this planet. A new large-scale analysis published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences examines the environmental impact and healthfulness of 15 different foods. Researchers considered which foods have been scientifically linked to decreasing the risk of disease in combination with the resources required to produce them. Not all foods are created equal when it comes to nutrition, water consumption, pollution, deforestation, and soil erosion. Unsurprisingly, processed foods and red meat negatively impact the environment 40 times more than vegetables and raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, Many of the foods you already eat are good sustainable food choices. This is the sustainable food that’s best for you and the planet 1. Vegetables You’ve known since you wouldn’t eat them as a child that vegetables are good for you. And now you know they’re the best food you can eat as far as the environment is concerned. Researchers found that vegetables have the most minimal impact on the Earth. There are 12 vegetable you need to buy organic—and 15 you don’t: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncHSaA0-Chg] 2. fruit After vegetables, fruit ranked high both in terms of health and sustainability. Like vegetables, fruits don’t require an
Category: City
What a day of healthy eating looks like in France, according to an international fitness influencer
October 30, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC For wellness-minded eaters in the U.S., a healthy grocery store haul may include cauliflower rice, oat milk, greens, and avocado (duh). But in other countries, the definition of healthy eating looks a bit different. Are the cult products we love here trending in other countries, too? How do people elsewhere shop, and do they care about meal prepping at all? Curious as to what grocery shopping looked like in a country best known for wine, baguettes, and brie (France, of course), Well+Good asked French singer-songwriter and fitness influencer Jess King—the founder of TLN 58, a personalized HIIT and meditation company—to show us what an average grocery shopping trip looks like for her, and what meals she makes at home. Allons-y! Ever wonder what healthy grocery shopping looks like in France? Scroll down to peak inside Jess King’s basket. Photo: Jess King; Graphic: Well+Good Creative Her food ethos King says when it comes to her personal food philosophy, she doesn’t adhere to a specific eating plan, but she does aim to make her meals both creative and colorful. “Eating locally grown fruits and vegetables feels nourishing, so I gravitate this way,” she says. “I don’t live by rules when it comes to food. I’m an intuitive eater and a highly active person; I listen to what my body needs. Sometimes it’s healthy, but not always.” She says that like most people, her schedule is jam-packed, so she plans her meals out in advance. (Yep,
If you’re only going to buy one facial serum, make it one of these multitaskers
October 29, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC My serum collection is about as vast as my hot sauce collection: I have a lot of both. While I tend to use only one of my hot sauces (Valentina ILYSM), my serums overwhelm me to the point that in a skin-care-induced craze I just slather on the many active ingredients I want to feed my face with—vitamin C, retinol, and hyaluronic acid—but I’d love if I could streamline things down and just use one super-incredible multitasking serum that does it all. You feel me? It’s actually not the most out-there thing to have on a wish list, though. Plenty of multifunctional serums line the beauty shelves—you just have to know what to look for. “Most dermatologists subscribe to this multi-tasking policy,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology in New York City. “If we had to use one ingredient per product, our regimens would be long and multi-stepped—we opt for shorter skin-care regimens with multiple active ingredients per product.” Celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas, who has an eponymous skin-care line Joanna Vargas Salons and Skin Care, says she specifically formulates her serums to pack a lot of benefits into a single bottle. “I wanted good nutrition for the skin and products that multitask when I use them,” she says. “A serum made with ingredients tends to assimilate into the skin better, and has a lot of vitamins and minerals to keep the skin balanced all day.” Her tip? Look for green
There are 4 types of intimacy, and only 1 includes touching
October 29, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Something about the mere word “intimacy” evokes an image of not necessarily being in the middle of sex, but at least being in a situation that’s setting the mood for it. Perhaps the parties involved aren’t fully dressed, or perhaps they’re just inching closer toward each other. At any rate, no matter what you’re imagining specifically, it’s likely aligned to the concept of being intimate with someone, which is a notion many of us regard as first and foremost a physical act. That’s where we’re not quite right. Truly connecting with someone calls upon a combination of the four types of intimacy, and most of those don’t involve any type of touching whatsoever. According to an Instagram that therapist Alyssa Mancao, LCSW, recently posted, fostering a sense of closeness in any relationship (romantic or otherwise) requires a combination of all four types of intimacy: emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical. But since you obviously won’t have natural off-the-charts natural chemistry with every person in your sphere, understanding what each of the types of intimacy has in common is crucial for maximizing the power of each. According to Helene Brenner, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of I Know I’m In There Somewhere, A+ intimacy boils down to connection and attention. “Intimacy is a one-on-one connection that involves a synchrony between two people,” she says. “If you want to feel intimate, the first thing you and your partner need to do is stop all the other things
Whether you love leggings or hate them, you need these wear-everywhere lounge pants, like, yesterday
October 28, 2019 at 10:30PM by CWC My mom has always been my wide-legged pant fashion icon. She owns no less than five pairs that billow out into vibrantly-hued patterns, and she rocks the look on a regular basis. But even though I’ve admired her look since I could say the word “style,” I’ve never quite nailed the Bohemian-casual OOTD myself—I was always a “wear leggings everywhere” kind of girl. All that changed, however, when Lively’s The Lounge Pant ($45, sold in sizes XS-L) found its way into my closet, and gave my dozens of pairs of black leggings a real run for their money. Lively designates the swooshy pants “leisurée,” and the name is apt. They exude the kind of effortlessly chic vibes you see on the twisted streets of Paris, and come in pink, navy blue, and white for whatever mood may strike you. For casual work days, they pair simply with a favorite tee or turtleneck. And yes—they look 100 percent profesh in the office. But I’ve quickly found ways to wear them everywhere (and I mean everywhere) I go. Because Lively’s pants are made of 100 percent cotton, they add a level of comfort to every single situation. In September, I flew home for a wedding and had the most snuggly airplane ride of my life in the blush pair. Just last week, I wore the navy ones to yoga class and got no less than five compliments from my leggings-clad counterparts. And, of course, I
8 resistance band exercises for legs that strengthen and stretch in no time
October 28, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC Resistance bands certainly aren’t as intimidating as heavy weights at the gym, yet they bring on similar results. Honestly, they don’t get enough credit. Resistance band exercises for legs even let you strengthen while you stretch out tight or sore muscles. “A resistance band, in my opinion, is the best addition for a whole body burn. When you’re pushing against it during an exercise, your muscles have to engage or ‘fire up’ to fight the tension,” says Samantha Jade, creator of BODY by SJ at Project by Equinox and senior instructor at SoulCycle. “While you can use resistance bands for a whole body workout, they’re especially great at shaping the legs and booty.” Another perk of using resistance band exercises for legs is that they’re affordable and easy to use anywhere. Whether you’re working out in your apartment or packing them in your carry-on for hotel room sweat sessions, you never have to skip a workout again. Try these 8 resistance band exercises for legs [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhNkkOieB-8] 1. Lateral band walk Place a looped resistance band above your knees and sit in a partial squat position. With your arms forward, chest lifted, and knees bent, lead with your heel and take 8 steps to your left. Make sure your feet stay parallel the entire time. Repeat in the opposite direction, making sure to keep your your abs drawn in. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-9qVIOcGCE] 2. Jump squats with bands Place a looped band above your knees
It’s going to be a financially lucrative year for you, Gemini—so get ready to be filthy rich
October 26, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC It’s almost 2020, baby, and I’d like to think that means happy horoscopes for all. The ’20s of the last century, after all, was gleeful time: everyone had finger wave hairstyles, there was lots of booze, and doing the Charleston danced away any ennui. Most importantly, everyone was filthy, filthy rich. We’re in less financially prosperous times, but according to famed astrologer Susan Miller, founder of Astrology Zone, a star sign is going to go into the 2020s truly roaring. …Oh, no, it’s not Leo. It’s Gemini. Miller recently shared her 2020 predictions at an event for the Zodiac Collection with Venus et Fleur. And while Taurus babies thrived financially in 2019, the outlook for cosmic neighbor Gemini is looking green as hell. “Money, money, money, you’re buying drinks for everybody, but not yet,” Miller says. “After December 2, all the work you’ve put in finally begins to pay off in bucketfuls.” The interesting thing is, it’s not so much that a big promotion is in the stars (although you never know, Q4 is not the time to roll the dice and slack off. Instead, Miller emphasized that outside money will be finding its way into your wallet. Whether that’s performance money, a commission, a tax refund, an inheritance, winning a prize, earning royalties, or getting licensing fees, the idea is that luck or a side hustle will probably be providing your income. That makes sense—Gemini babies are known for their intellect (typical air sign) and social skills, so
Your triceps are the largest muscle in your arm—here’s how to stretch ’em
October 26, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC I learned a surprising piece of trivia during a workout the other day: Your triceps are the largest muscle in your arm. The many people who I relayed the message to were shocked—most people think that biceps are the headliners, but nope. Considering that my triceps are still sore, two days later, I wondered what kinds of stretches could give my arms some love. I tried the one triceps stretch that I know of—the one where you reach one elbow up over your head with your hand down to your shoulder blades, using your other hand to pull it deeper—but it’s not doing this muscle soreness any justice. “I always tell my patients it’s important to move and loosen up prior to exercise, in particular with muscles such as the triceps,” says celebrity physical therapist, Karen Joubert, PT of Joubert PT in Beverly Hills. If you’re anything like me and get super sore if you space your arm workouts too far apart, you’ll appreciate these gooey, tricep-opening stretches, courtesy of the pros. Four tricep stretches to try now [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQJwGhYbb5o] 1. Foam roll it out: I’ve never foam rolled my arm muscles, which is a mistake. Corinne Croce, DPT and co-founder of Body Evolved, says foam rolling your triceps is really good for stretching them out. “Begin by lying on the ground on your back with the foam roller lying parallel to the body,” she says. “Begin stretching the tricep by extending the
People from all around the country told us why they run, and we’ve never been more inspired
October 25, 2019 at 06:42PM by CWC Back when I was in middle school, my very first attempt at exercise was a run around the block. It was all of a sudden that I got the itch to move more than my daily steps—and running was the only form of exercise I had immediate access to. All you need is a pair of sneakers and, well, the ground below your feet. Running became my after school hobby—even a 15-minute jog around my neighborhood would clear my racing teenage mind, and I got hooked on that post-race endorphin high. Seventeen years later, running is still my fave way to sweat, mainly because of how it makes me feel mentally, and how it feels to have my legs fly underneath me, and how happy I am afterwards. But people run for a zillion different reasons. Fellow Well+Good editor Kells McPhillips—who’s running her very first New York City marathon next month—runs because it’s “quintessentially human” and allows her to test her limits, while beauty and fitness director Ali Finney’s reasoning has changed over the years. “When I was younger, I would imagine literally running to a better, healthier version of myself,” she says. “Over time, my relationship with running healed a lot of the things that got me into the sport in the first place by simply allowing space and time to work through them. It’s a simple formula: one foot in front of the other, and repeat.” In the spirit of our
The most comfortable (and *really* cute) podiatrist-approved boots for fall
October 24, 2019 at 05:40PM by CWC I know what you’re thinking—the words “podiatrist-approved” and “cute” are oxymorons, but hear me out. First of all, you know what’s not cute? Limping around a decade from now due to the bad shoe choices of your relative youth. Meanwhile, what is cute is investing in a good pair of fall boots you can actually, you know, wear—not just for a couple of hours or a couple of months, but for many seasons to come. (Sustainability for the win!) So while I’m not necessarily going to ask a podiatrist to go shopping with me, I am going to turn to such experts for advice on how to keep my feet safe and my footwear functional. Of utmost importance is heel height, says Yolanda Ragland, DPM, a New York City-based podiatrist, foot surgeon, and founder of FixYourFeet.com. “Wearing a completely flat boot is not good for the foot because it can cause plantar fasciitis and provides no support for the arch,” says Dr. Ragland. “Wearing a boot with a heel that is too high is not good because you can wind up getting pain in the ball of the foot—you’re increasing your chances of ankle sprains and plain-old stress in the foot in general.” Choosing a moderate-to-low boot heel is the best option, then, and Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, a podiatrist with NYC-based City Podiatry recommends sticking with block heels with a max height of 3 inches. “The higher the heel ,the more your weight