March 07, 2019 at 06:54AM by CWC Understatement of the year: Dating is tough. Are you a Capricorn and they’re an Aries? Do you actually like their friends? Does their sense of humor mesh with your own? It’s already challenging enough to merge two lives… and adding completely opposite eating habits into the mix might be a recipe for disaster. Or is it? “Dating these days is so much harder because things like going out for too many drinks or going to fast-casual, not-so-healthy places, especially at the beginning of a relationship, are the norm,” says Carolyn Brown, MS, RD, at Foodtrainers. “And people are trying out many different diets these days, from paleo to vegan—there’s an awareness that they didn’t have before. It’s part of the new dating landscape.” “People attach a lot of emotion and a lot of their identity to food,” adds Abby Langer, RD. “So if someone does decide to label themselves as paleo or vegan or whatever it may be, it really becomes a part of that person’s identity.” And thus an important part of your relationship together, too. While it might seem like your relationship is doomed to fail because you guys just can’t agree on where to go for dinner, the experts insist that there’s totally a way to date and be happy together, even if you don’t follow the same diet. Experts want you to remember a few things when you’re experiencing the dietary version of Romeo and Juliet. 1. Make some compromises
Category: Keto
These healthy chunky monkey banana bread brownies aren’t messing around
March 06, 2019 at 11:58AM by CWC Yes, you can eat pizza for breakfast and healthy pancakes every day of the week. But you won’t believe that dreams really do come true until you take a bite of these nutritious chunky monkey brownies. They’re so rich and delicious that you might not believe they’re actually good for you. Jordan Younger‘s chunky monkey banana bread brownie creation is completely vegan and sos-free (no salt, oil, or sugar). “I honestly dreamt it up during my fast, and the moment I got in my parent’s kitchen today, I brought it to life,” writes the plant-based recipe blogger behind The Balanced Blonde. “The verdict? Damn good.” And how can they not be? They’re a merge of some of the best comfort foods, after all. The next time you’re craving something sweet, try them out for yourself. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jordan Younger (@thebalancedblonde) on Mar 2, 2019 at 4:36pm PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js Chunky Monkey Banana Bread Brownies Ingredients: 3 overripe spotty bananas 2 cups buckwheat flour (or gluten-free flour of choice) 1/2 cup almond milk 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flax mixed with 6 tsp water) 1 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked is better) 1 banana to top, sliced in half lengthwise (optional) 2 Tbsp cacao powder 1/2 cup sugar-free dark chocolate chips 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar Preparation: 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Meet the woman who was a “wellness influencer” way before it was cool
March 04, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC Before grocery stores carried plant-based everything, before probiotics were popular, before there was a Lululemon in every mall, Diana Stobo educated people on gut health and inflammatory foods. In the 15 years since Stobo released her first book, Get Naked Fast, she’s written 14 (!) others, launched a probiotic nutrition bar, and started hosting wellness retreats in Costa Rica. Impressive, right? Now, she’s adding “Well+Good Guest Editor” to her long resume. This month, Stobo will be sharing her wisdom on the site and taking over our Instagram. Get to know more about our new guest editor (including the diet that changed her life!) from our interview with her below: Well+Good: I’d love to learn more about your wellness journey. What started it all? Diana Stobo: It started 15 years ago because I was really sick. I had a bleeding ulcer and the doctor gave me morphine and other pills to treat it. I remember looking at my nightstand and there were four different pill bottles. I was only in my 30s and thought that was crazy! I started doing research into how I could heal my body with food. The first thing I did was look into gut health, and that led me to the Body Ecology Diet, which focused on the importance of probiotics. Then, I started looking into The China Study [a 2004 book detailing decades of comprehensive nutrition research] and the effects of eating meat and dairy. But really what I
This is *by far* the most intense mountain climber exercise you’ll ever do
March 02, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Mountain climbers always seem to be on top 10 lists of exercises because, well, they get the job done. That fast-paced motion is already hard on the most basic level, making you sweat bullets as you bring your knees to your chest while simultaneously holding your body steady in a plank. But just wait until you see the amped-up version. Kirsty Godso, a Nike master trainer, recently shared a pyramid workout that’s so intense even watching it will make you go bug-eyed. Instead of doing a normal mountain climber, you’re literally mid-air half the time as you do a non-stop mix of climbs and jumps. “Try this heart raiser if you want to throw some sauce into your next workout,” she writes. And sauce is right: This move is spicy. Here’s how to do the pyramid exercise, according to Godso. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KIRSTY GODSO (@kirstygodso) on Feb 19, 2019 at 11:55am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js The moves: 1x switch climber 1x tuck jump 2x switch climber each leg 2x tuck jumps How it’s done: Pyramid up as high as you can in 60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds, then climb back down from the top, trying to beat your score. How intense does an exercise have to be for the “high” to kick in? Or, work your entire body with this two-minute plank series. Continue Reading… Author Tehrene Firman | Well and Good Selected by iversue
Interested in health coaching? Here’s what it takes, according to someone who’s done it
March 01, 2019 at 10:54AM by CWC As a wellness journalist, one of the best parts of my job is getting to share my favorite healthy discoveries with people. Whether it’s a new eating plan, just-released food product, or buzzy workout, I love helping people live their best, healthiest lives ever. Are you the same way? Then you might make a pretty stellar health coach. I had never heard of health coaches before I worked at Well+Good and it became my job to interview wellness experts for a living. I had a vague idea of them meeting with clients, but wasn’t quite sure how they were different than dietitians or nutritionists—or even if they were legit. If, like I was, you’re vaguely aware of holistic health coaches, but aren’t quite sure what they do and what it takes to become one, keep reading. Now that I’m one myself—surprise!—I can tell you all about it. What does a holistic health coach do, exactly? After it seemed like everyone I was meeting in the wellness world was a holistic health coach, I decided to find out for myself first-hand what they’re about. I went to an open house hosted by the Integrative Institute of Nutrition (IIN), the world’s largest health coaching program. They broke it down to me this way: You know how there are trainers who help keep your fitness on point? Health coaches are trainers for other areas of your life, primarily diet and eating habits. And holistic health coaches
Here’s how to eat at Olive Garden on keto, Whole30, or the Mediterranean diet
March 01, 2019 at 08:15AM by CWC Even if you live in a city with endless restaurant options, chances are you still end up at Olive Garden from time to time. (Those breadsticks are everything.) But with “endless,” “bottomless,” and “never ending” options galore on the menu, sticking to a health-minded eating plan isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Fortunately, there are a decent amount of healthy options to choose from if you know what to look for, says executive chef and registered dietitian Jessica Swift, RD. Her general advice: Share your order or take half home for later, since Olive Garden’s serving sizes are pretty massive. “I would also suggest taking advantage of the vegetable side dishes, like asparagus with minced onions, instead of just focusing on the pasta,” Swift says. But if you’re craving pasta, opt for one that has a tomato-based sauce rather than a creamy sauce to save on calories and saturated fat. And unless you have a gluten allergy, you don’t need to sub their GF pasta for the sake of better health. “Nutritionally, the gluten-free pasta is right in line with the regular pasta,” she says. “It’s actually lower in protein because it’s made with potato starch and not wheat.” However, if you’re on an eating plan like Mediterranean diet, ketogenic, or Whole30, things can get a little more challenging when navigating the menu. Here, Swift gives tips on how to enjoy Olive Garden—in all its glory—while still sticking with your health goals. Mediterranean diet Menu picks: Herb-Grilled Salmon; Chicken Giardino What an
These giant Japanese oranges are the seedless citrus treat you and your immune system need right now
February 27, 2019 at 07:59AM by CWC Punxsutawney Phil is a liar: This is the winter that never ends. One week, it’s Polar Vortexing. Then the next, a beautiful sunny day turns into a straight-up ice storm. Since cozy coats can only do so much good in protecting you from the ridiculously cold weather, there’s another way you can ensure you and your immune system stay strong the rest of the season: eating giant, vitamin C-packed Sumo oranges. If you haven’t heard of Sumo oranges, Eva Chen has kind of become an unofficial spokesperson. The fashion editor and influencer recently shared her obsession of the fruit on her Instagram Stories, calling them her “new favorite.” People also started messaging her about the oranges (which she also documented on her Stories), sharing how much they loved them, too. Which gave me a major feeling of FOMOOC (Fear Of Missing Out On Citrus). According to Sumo Citrus—the prime grower of the oranges—Sumo oranges are a cross between mandarin oranges and California oranges (specially, the navel orange, per the New York Times), making them juicy, sweet, easy to peel, and seedless. They’re also a bit more expansive than your typical orange…like, $2.49 a pound at Trader Joe’s expensive…but most people seem to agree it’s totally worth it. (For comparison, the average cost of a navel orange in 2019 was $1.39 per pound.) The other thing about Sumo oranges: They’ve def got their own look. Per the New York Times, the Japanese-developed orange gets its name
“I’m going to try to stay alive if only to spite my insurance company”
February 26, 2019 at 09:00AM by CWC Here’s something I recently said over the phone to a customer service representative from my insurance company: “I hope your children don’t get diabetes, but if they do, then you’ll know what this is like.” And: “I know your employers would prefer it if I died.” And: “You work for an evil corporation and what you do is immoral.” And: “I’m going to stay on this insurance forever so when I have to get my foot amputated because you denied my claims you’ll have to pay for that, too.” And: “Forgive me. I know it’s not your fault. It’s just that I’m so afraid, all the time.” I’ve been a type 1 diabetic for 16 years. Up to 10 times every day, I test my blood sugar by pricking my finger and feeding some of my blood into a small plastic strip. Without insurance, each blood test strip costs $1.40. After I test my blood sugar, I often have to inject myself with insulin. One vial of Humalog, the insulin I use, costs $270 (up from $50 the year I was diagnosed). One vial lasts me about 10 days, roughly the same amount of time I would be able to live without it. At a minimum, that’s $1,230 each month—an amount I cannot afford. Insurance companies deny claims like it’s their job (because it is). I’ve had more than six different insurance plans (of a wide range of quality) and every one has
“I’m a registered dietitian and I would never, ever recommend the keto diet”
February 22, 2019 at 02:15AM by CWC Even though the Mediterranean diet is once again basking in the sunny spotlight, plenty of people are Team Keto. The low-carb/high-fat ketogenic diet was the buzziest eating plan of 2018, with advocates raving about how they experienced weight loss, fewer sugar cravings, and even reduced anxiety. Even brands have caught on, crowding the market with “keto-friendly” products that make sticking to the eating plan easier. Not among the legions of keto fans: registered dietitian Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, owner of BZ Nutrition. “The keto diet was created by doctors to help treat children with seizure disorders, like epilepsy, from whom medication was no longer working and it was monitored under medical supervision,” she says. “This diet was not intended for generally healthy people to use—and it wasn’t intended for weight loss. The fact that the children were under medical supervision is a pretty good indictor that this diet was not created for the general public to adapt. I was actually really surprised that this form of medical nutrition therapy has become the latest in fad dieting.” Yet here we all are. While many do say the keto diet has been beneficial for them, Zietlin is wary of anyone sticking to it long-term. Unlike the Mediterranean diet, for example, the ketogenic diet is so new (at least in terms of how people are using it as adults) that scientists haven’t been able to study what the effects are of keeping up with it for a longer period of time.
Need to feel good about life? Kimberly Snyder’s new book is a must-read
February 19, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC Celebrity nutritionist and Solluna founder Kimberly Snyder is a New York Times best-selling author—multiple times over. When she began writing her next book, she planned on a cute, healthy-living cookbook for kids. Then, she says, her reality was turned upside down. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer before passing only six weeks later. “She died within three days of my son turning one,” Snyder says. “I felt like I was knocked over by a wave.” During her “very raw and real” grieving process, she began working on a different book—something more personal than any of her previous work—that would become Recipes For Your Perfectly Imperfect Life, a cookbook-memoir hybrid that serves up more than 100 plant-based recipes along with life lessons about finding peace, joy, and happiness. And, she says, it’s not a book that promotes enlightenment through perfection. Quite the opposite, actually. “Wellness has become trendy, but now people are stressed about it,” she says. “It’s not about how many spin classes you do a week, how many grams of carbs or how little sugar you eat, or your Keto diet. Wellness is so much more. It involves your mental, your emotional, your spiritual well-being.” That ethos is embodied by “feeling good,” a phrase Snyder comes back to again and again in the book and with her Solluna brand. “Feeling good doesn’t mean we’re just happy and elated all the time,” she says. “It means that we’re connected to our intuition, our