November 06, 2018 at 07:52AM Active exercisers know all too well the struggles of dealing with an injury—and taking even a week off your beloved HIIT workout can seem like the end of the world when you rely on it to de-stress. I’ve personally had my fair share of runner’s knee and light sprains, but last fall, I fell and tore my anterior cruciate ligament or ACL, as it’s more commonly known. It’s the key stabilizing ligament in your knee, which allows you to do all the tasks requiring pivoting motions, including soccer, HIIT, Pilates, basketball and so. much. more. Needless to say: You really need it, and it doesn’t help that ACL injury rates clock in at 100,000 to 200,000 people affected in the United States alone. If there’s a complete tear causing your ACL injury, there’s no way it can repair itself: Surgery is the only option. It’s a long and painful process because you literally have to train your graft to behave in the same way the ACL used to. That means that doing too much too soon can damage the graft, while doing too little can delay recovery. The average recovery time is nine months, but could be more or less depending on several factors, including surgery success and how active a person was pre-surgery. It’s not all gloom and doom however, once you know what to expect, it can be easier to cope with what and ACL surgery means. Here are seven things I learned throughout my recovery
Category: Relaxation
Oh cool, jaw tension could be behind that mysterious breakout
November 05, 2018 at 09:58AM Until a few months ago, I had clear skin. Then one day, I woke up and my cheeks had exploded with blackheads. Despite a diligent skin-care regimen, it looked like I was perpetually forgetting to take off my makeup before I went to bed and sleeping on a pillowcase that hadn’t been washed in eight months. I pulled out my usual arsenal of products containing glycolic and lactic acids, but nevertheless these clogged pores persisted. They’d go away for a few days, then emerge again like the regenerated heads of the Hydra. I relayed my woeful tale of cheek acne to celebrity aesthetician and Take Care Spa founder Sadie Adams. She reached down, felt my face, and told me something that I honestly wasn’t expecting: I had tons of tension in my jaw from clenching it all the time. And that, she said, was probably what was causing my cheeks and jawline to break out. Curious to know more, I consulted other pros to figure out just how common this could actually be. More on that now. Photo: Getty Images/Hill Creek Pictures Jaw tension and the lymphatic system To understand the link between jaw tension and acne, it’s important to first understand a bit about the lymphatic system. “The lymphatic system is an important part of our immune system responsible for the differentiation of fluids, waste, nutrients, and other materials between the cells, tissues, and blood,” says David Amron, MD, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon and founder
Should you be freaking out if you wake up with numb fingers?
November 04, 2018 at 06:00AM If you’ve ever woken up with numb, tingly fingers, you already know it’s kind of (okay, very) scary. Even if it’s not necessarily painful, it is alarming when your hands feel paralyzed and you can’t seem to wake them up. The good news is that there’s probably no need to panic. This is actually pretty common and most likely has a simple explanation, says Raleigh-based orthopedic surgeon Joseph Schreiber, MD. See, when you fall asleep in a funky position with your elbows and wrists bent, the passageways containing the nerves in your arm get tighter. This can cause the nerves to get pinched, Dr. Schreiber explains. The resulting pins and needles sensation is basically your body’s way of telling you that something’s not right. The solution is fairly simple: Just reposition your arm, give it a little shake to get the blood flowing again, and you should be good to go. That being said, if you’re waking up with prickly fingers on the regular or it’s disrupting your sleep and comes along with other symptoms, Dr. Schreiber recommends paying your doctor a visit. It can be a sign of something more significant, such as diabetic nerve pain, issues with your spine, pregnancy, or—the most common culprits—carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome. The difference between the two syndromes is distinguished by exactly which fingers are feeling tingly. With carpal tunnel syndrome, it’s usually the thumb, index, and middle fingers that lose sensation. And with cubital tunnel syndrome,
How to keep your teeth healthy if you grind them in your sleep
November 03, 2018 at 12:27PM If you’re really into oral hygiene (as we all should be), you may have switched to a holistic dentist, ditched the fluoride for homemade toothpaste, or concocted a turmeric and coconut oil “mask” to keep your pearly whites looking good. But teeth grinding, otherwise known as bruxism, is one bad habit that you could still be partaking in without even knowing it. It’s actually a very common issue at any age, says Beverly Hills-based cosmetic dentist Bill Dorfman, DMD. Although the grinding mainly goes down at night while you’re sleeping, it can also happen during the day. So if you fall into the former category, how do you know if you’re grinding your teeth at night? Asking your significant other or a loved one (one that is totally cool with creepily watching you sleep) is a good place to start, Dr. Dorfman says. However, the only way to know for sure is to ask your dentist. “A trained dentist will be able to look at your teeth and know instantly just by the wear patterns on your teeth,” he says. Before you pencil in an appointment with your dentist—which you should be doing regularly anyway because, hygiene—noting your symptoms, if any, can also give you a good indication of whether you’re engaging in bruxism while you snooze. Things like headaches, migraines, and stiffness in the jaw can all be telltale signs, says Dr. Dorfman. Tooth damage is also a major red flag, says Timothy Chase, DMD, a
Chamomile tea seems snoozy, but it could actually be a sick-day secret weapon
November 02, 2018 at 07:34AM If matcha‘s considered the cool teen of the tea family tree, then chamomile is most definitely the grandma who goes to bed at 8 p.m. But don’t get it twisted—although this seemingly mild herbal brew isn’t the most exotic in the bunch, it’s got quite a few unexpected health benefits up its cardigan sleeve. Okay, so chamomile is quite literally a tea that puts you to sleep, says herbalist and Urban Remedy founder Neka Pasquale, LAc, MS. “In Western herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and Ayurveda, chamomile is mainly known for its wonderful relaxation effects,” she says. But the daisy-like plant’s wellness cred doesn’t stop there. “In TCM, chamomile is mainly used to move the qi and treat stagnation, or stuck energy. It’s used in support of the lungs (colds and flu), heart (nervous disorders), and stomach (digestion). In Ayurveda, chamomile is used for gas, bloating, painful menses, insomnia, and to calm the nervous system.” Modern-day scientists, too, are finding some of these assets to ring true—making chamomile tea a good multipurpose pantry staple for those times when you’re feeling not-so-hot. What are some chamomile tea benefits? 1. It might help you sleep: This is probably the number-one thing you think of when it comes to chamomile tea benefits. “It’s [anecdotally] known for supporting a healthy night’s sleep, reducing anxiety, and overall calming,” says Pasquale. There isn’t much data that backs up this commonly held belief, although one recent study did find that the beverage helped reduce insomnia in a sample
The people have voted: The next destination on your travel bucket list should be…
November 02, 2018 at 06:47AM When you think of Japan, images of hustling, bustling major cities—like Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka—may come to mind. And while there are plenty of reasons to head to where the rest of the tourists are (hello, epic food and the highest-quality matcha!), there’s a much smaller area nearby, where the pace of things is much slower, idyllic, and essentially just all-around perfect. When TripAdvisor released its annual Travelers’ Choice awards earlier this year, Ishigaki, Japan—an island 1,200 miles from Tokyo—was named the top destination on the rise. Now months later, its popularity is still growing, and it’s pretty easy to see why: This gem is nothing short of dreamy. The water is the bluest of blue, there are white sandy beaches everywhere, and you’ll see so many tropical fish swimming around the coral reefs that you’ll feel like you’re in Finding Nemo. Oh, and the average temp in the winter is in the temperate 70s, so there’s also that. Yeah, it’s a true wanderluster’s wonderland year-round. Photo: Getty Images/Ippei Naoi If you plan a getaway to visit this slice of paradise, you can drop the go-go-go mind-set to focus on relaxation, whether you’re soaking up the sun on the beach (while wearing sunscreen, of course!), making some fishy friends while snorkeling, enjoying some umi budo—AKA sea grapes—which is a type of seaweed that’s eaten as a snack, or hiking through the lush rainforests to see some wildlife. Then if you want to venture over to the main city area—the
Your November energy forecast: Get ready to feel a powerful new life force
November 01, 2018 at 02:43AM If you’ve felt like a snake shedding its skin for most of 2018, you’ve got a major boost coming this month, says “RockStar Shaman” Alyson Charles. There’s a new era starting—here’s what you need to know, plus the spirit animal that can help you usher it in. As we turn the corner to enter the tail end of 2018, can you sense what a trippy, time-warp year this has been? When accessing in to the guidance for this month’s forecast, I was directed to go back to the forecast for January 2018 to reflect, and that process brought huge swells of emotions to my eyes. January’s forecast revealed that this would be the year of the snake, of shedding our old skin and old patterns to birth a new way of life. And wow, can you take a moment now to really honor yourself for all the evolution (and some total 180s) you’ve courageously experienced this year? January asked if we were ready to “shed to rise, release to uplift, and liberate to higher energy,” and that work is all paying off now as we enter November. It promises to be a month of much-needed balance after so much change and upheaval—as well as a month of softening, especially in areas where we used to constrict or worry. Can you sense what a trippy, time-warp year this has been? Along with the balancing and softening, November is bringing with it a sense of beginning to land again—we’ve
This smart headband takes the ‘am I doing it right?’ dilemma out of your meditation practice
October 30, 2018 at 09:57AM Whether you’re brand-new to the cushion or consider yourself a meditation pro, one thought has likely dominated at some point along your quest for a more peaceful mind: Am I even doing this right? Because unlike with your workouts, for which there are trainers and instructors available to evaluate your form on the spot, meditation technique can feel like a tricky skill to master. Well now, with Muse 2 ($249)—the second edition of the buzzy meditation headband—your at-home mindfulness practice is getting that same instant-feedback treatment you enjoy in boutique fitness classes. The first version of Muse ($199), which launched in 2014, features a singular “Mind” exercise, which uses EEG (a measurement of the ionic currents within the neurons of the brain) technology to reflect a user’s state of mind with emulative weather sounds. For instance, when your thoughts veer from your breath toward what to whip up for dinner, Muse’s rainforest soundscape sends winds whipping through the trees. And, in turn, when you manage to focus on the breath, the weather becomes calm. If you’re extra Zen, a bird might even tweet in a nearby tree (ahhh). Today, Muse 2 introduces three additional offerings in conjunction with the “Mind” feature: “Heart,” “Breath,” and “Body.” “We learned a lot with our first product,” says Nadia Kumentas, the company’s director of brand marketing. “There are a lot of other facets that play into a holistic meditation practice. And several of those are obviously posture (finding stillness and physical relaxation), being able to follow and
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
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