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Category: Travel
What it’s really like to spend 24 hours at an Ayurvedic wellness retreat
January 25, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC After a particularly busy month, I deemed myself in need of some deep pampering. I’d been burning the candle at both ends, doing extra work during the day, and attending events in the evenings. I was getting a lot done and having a lot of fun, but I was overextending myself, much to the chagrin of my newly blotchy skin and fatigued body. A two-pronged approach—healing my mind and body—seemed to be the best restorative measure I could take. So, I booked a stay at New York’s Ayurvedic retreat center, YO1, in the Catskills. Having previously visited Ayurvedic spas in both California and India and also completed a panchakarma cleanse (an Ayurvedic detox for the five senses), I thought I generally knew what to expect during my stay at YO1. Based on those experiences and a recent consultation with Ayurveda practitioner Ananta Ripa Ajmera, director of Ayurveda at wellness center The Well, I anticipated I’d be on a caffeine and alcohol-free nutrition plan full of kitchari and other warming vegetarian foods. I also expected to be situated in a cozy environment where healers perform traditional practices, like shirodhara (the practice of drizzling oil over the scalp to stimulate melatonin production) and herbal massages tailored to each dosha (or Ayurvedic energy type). As it turned out, my expectations didn’t match up with what actually happened. Here’s what happened at the Ayurvedic YO1 Catskills wellness center When I first arrived at YO1, the gate attendant
The ‘Year of the Rat’ launches a new 60-year cycle—here’s what to expect
January 24, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC Lunar New Year arrives January 25. With it, out goes the Year of the Pig and in comes the Year of the Rat, the first year in a brand new 60-year cycle. “This is going to be a big point of transition,” says doctor of Chinese medicine Noah Rubinstein, DACM, LAc, of The YinOva Center. “There’s a lot of change presumably on the horizon.” If “Year of the Rat” looks unappealing, it’s only because you’re viewing it from a very Western perspective. “The story [of the Chinese zodiac] goes that the emperor called all the animals to the palace, and the order that they arrived in would be the order of the zodiac,” he says. “[In the story], the rat rode on the back of the ox, and just as they were getting close, jumped off and bolted ahead.” According to Rubenstein, this anecdote illustrates the admirable characteristics of a rat. “Right from the beginning, we get the sense of the rat as being clever and resourceful and taking advantage of opportunities others might not see,” he says. “That’s sort of what we understand rats to be like—they’re quick, they’re alert, they’re full of energy, and they adapt to changing environments and circumstances.” In addition to being assigned an animal, each year in the Chinese calendar is also assigned an element. “This year’s is metal, which is important because it is the element of clarification,” Rubenstein says. In a metal year, ambiguity gives way to a
A CrossFit coach says ‘MCI’ is the acronym to remember for nonstop progress at the gym
January 24, 2020 at 09:00PM by CWC Unless you have a natural-born talent for heavy weight-lifting or 5-minute miles, you’ll have to begin, well, at the beginning. The CrossFit approach known as ‘MCI’ (mechanics-consistency-intensity) teaches you measured progress that values longevity over immediate gains. And Maillard Howell, owner of CrossFit Prospect Heights and founder of the The Beta Way, says that you should be applying it no matter how you move your body. Below, Howell breaks down each tier so you can commit MCI to memory and watch your body grow stronger and quicker without sacrificing your physical health. Because, hey, don’t we all want to be sweating for a long, long time? Breaking down mechanics-consistency-intensity, piece by piece 1. Mechanics “Your foundation should be mechanics, that’s the first layer of the pyramid,” says Howell. “And that’s learning the basics of the movement.” If ten weighted pull-ups is your eventual goal, then the mechanical part of the processes would involve nailing your pull-up form. You might have to start with a jumping pull-up or enlist the help of a resistance band to give you a boost. Only when you could do a pull-up in your sleep—or, okay—without having to compromise your former should you move on to tier two. 2. Consistency Alright, so you’ve got your pull-up—here’s where things get tricky. “You’ve got to be able to make the first rep look like the last rep or the last rep look like the first rep—even under fatigue,” says Howell. That means if you’re
How to start dating again after a breakup, divorce, or dry spell
January 23, 2020 at 03:00PM by CWC Whether you’ve been off the market for a few weeks, months, years, or decades, getting back out there is no easy feat, especially if you’re not confident about how to start dating again. Common sense might urge you to be vulnerable, open yourself up for possible rejection, and be okay with the notion of kissing a few frogs in the process of finding a compatible partner. Sound intimidating? No problem if so, because it can be intimidating. The mere thought of going out on a date after a rough breakup, divorce, or extra-long dry spell might induce feelings of anxiety. Because, for one, where do you even start? Sign up for a dating app? Hire a matchmaker? Slide into people’s DMs? Theoretically, any of those strategies could work, but to help you feel extra-confident in your intention to learn how to start dating again, a few experts share their advice below. Keep reading to snag their top tips for getting back out there, once and for all. Your 10-step guide for how to start dating again 1. Close the previous chapter Perhaps it should go without saying, but before you return to the dating pool, you need to be over your previous relationship so you can officially close that chapter in your life. Without taking this prerequisite step to finding new connections, you run the risk of either getting stuck in the past or bringing that emotional baggage with you on your dates. “Turn
A cardiologist says that you should start paying attention to *this* metric on your Apple Watch
January 22, 2020 at 11:26PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLWnmow8atw] “A wakeup call.” That’s what What the Wellness host Ella Dove dubbed her heart rate monitor in our latest episode. We called it in our 2020 trends: This year, more than ever before, your health will be in the palm of your hands (and on your wrist). Thanks to new innovations in wearable technology, we can now track everything from our sleep to our menstrual cycles. But though our wearables have leveled up from run-of-the-mill step counters (I mean, you can now use your FitBit to pay for your coffee), the OG metric that they set out to track from the beginning—your heart rate—is still the most important one of all. To show us why, Dove tested an Apple Watch ($399) over the course of a month—and during three very different fitness classes—to see what it would tell her about her fitness levels. But why is this intel worth keeping track of, in your workouts and beyond? “In general, your heart rate gives you an overall picture of your health and wellbeing, and tells you how good your cardiovascular fitness is,” says cardiologist Jennifer Haythe, MD. And one metric worth watching, in addition to your maximum and average hart rate, is your heart rate variability. Heart rate variability (or “HRV”) measures the specific changes, in milliseconds, in the time between two successive heart beats. “People whose heart rates are faster are gong to have a lower HRV, because their hearts will
Auriculotherapy gives you the benefits of acupuncture, but while you’re on the go
January 21, 2020 at 04:00PM by CWC Riddle me this: What keeps a scaredy-cat away from acupuncture and getting a second piercing in their earlobe? Yes, that’s easy: needles. And, yes: I’m that scaredy-cat. While I completely understand, rationally, that acupuncture doesn’t actually hurt and the nice people at piercing stations generally give you a stuffed animal to hug while you get done up with ear jewelry, I still won’t commit to either practice. However, I can commit to auriculotherapy, a practice that covers both the aesthetic benefit of piercing and the wellness benefit of acupuncture and melds them into one with the help of ear seeds. And as an added bonus, no needles are involved. Before I get ahead of myself, some basics: Auriculotherapy is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ritual that, as you can imagine, dates back thousands of years, when it first popped up in The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. And, the holistic treatment is getting a resurgence of interest today. So how does it work? Auriculotherapy is very similar in effect to that of acupuncture by way of activating your energy meridians. Your chi (or qi) is an energy current that flows through your body via different pathways or meridians, and TCM recognizes 20 of them. If a certain part of the body is giving you trouble, the idea is that the corresponding meridian is blocked. One way to rebalance yourself is by accessing acupuncture or acupressure points—and the ear features many of those. “In
Checks+Balanced: How a freelance publicist living in Puerto Rico budgets for wellness
January 21, 2020 at 01:00PM by CWC Do you know how much money your friends make? What about how much their rent is or how much is in their bank accounts right now? I’m guessing no. Even in a world where questions about menstrual cups and the ins and outs of sex are completely (and blessedly) normal to ask, somehow the ever-ubiquitous use of money remains a touchy subject for many. People want to live their healthiest life ever, but—#realtalk—it can add up. Have you ever wondered how your colleague who makes less than you do (or so you think) can afford to buy a $5 matcha and a $12 chopped salad every day? Or how your friend is able to hit up $34 fitness classes three times a week? It’s enough to make anyone want to ask, “Ummm, excuse me. How can you afford that?!?” That’s where Well+Good’s monthly series Checks+Balanced comes in. By lifting the thick, tightly drawn curtain to expose how much women of varying income brackets spend on wellness, we’re spreading transparency and hopefully providing some inspo that’s possible to copy. Because no matter how much you make, it’s possible to cultivate healthy habits that work within your budget. This month, Marcy Fitzpatrick, a 32-year-old freelance public relations director working remotely in Puerto Rico, reveals exactly how much she spends on nonnegotiables (like, hello, rent) and the healthy habits that are important to her. Here’s how her budgeting and spending looks after she swapped her Los Angeles lifestyle for the Puerto Rico cost of living.
Macy’s basically just launched a wellness department (with our help!)—here are our 9 favorite items
January 20, 2020 at 06:00PM by CWC Imagine discovering a one-stop-shop haven of wellness treasures that has everything you know you need—water bottles, candles, and foam rollers—along with life-enhancing goods you never even knew you desired. Well, imagine no more, because that haven is very, very real, and ready for you to peruse online and at select Macy’s stores nationwide. Well+Good has partnered with STORY at Macy’s, an experiential retail concept that focuses on a new theme every few months, to bring Feel Good to the department store’s New York City’s Herald Square location and 36 other STORY at Macy’s locations that span the country. Open until April, you’ll find curated merchandise and expert-led events designed to make you a student of your own health. Basically, it’s a limited-time Macy’s wellness department. At Feel Good STORY at Macy’s, you’ll be able shop items that promote balance, energy, and nourishment, all in line with Well+Good’s 2020 Wellness Trends. Think, chickpea snacks, take-anywhere workout tools, and smart skin care. And, along with your purchases, you’ll have the opportunity to attend events that feature pros who can speak to everything from astrology to mocktails and what healthy eating will look like in the years to come. The collaboration has created a place that makes you want to come in, kick off your shoes, and stay—cough, meditate—a while (which is thanks in large part to a partnership with the Calm meditation app providing complimentary mindfulness sessions). So get ready to get acquainted with the
What the first new moon of the decade means for your big-picture goals
January 19, 2020 at 10:00PM by CWC Over the last few weeks, we’ve experienced some of the most intense aspects that this generation will see. With the Saturn and Pluto conjunction in Capricorn happening opposite a lunar eclipse in Cancer, deep-seated issues likely surfaced, inviting you to devote some attention to handling past issues. The universe asks you to commit to what feels most urgent and pressing while commanding intimacy with yourself as you claim your sovereignty and integrity. This focus on transformation will continue throughout 2020. Now, as the sun moves out of Capricorn and into Aquarius on Monday, January 20, the mood shifts into the broader thinking that air signs provide. While still fierce, the sun in Aquarius heralds a time when progressive ideas instigate evolution, and connection with like-minded people elevates possibility. Along with the shift from Capricorn into Aquarius, the sun joining Mercury in Aquarius expands the periphery of perceived potential. Also happening on Monday is the moon moving through its balsamic phase, which invites you to release what you no longer need. As the moon wanes back to new, that invitation remains clear: Take time to digest how you’ve changed and continue to change. Develop a sense of coherence around who you are becoming, and actively seek to shed your commitment to the old. To support you with this, engage your tools of transformation: journaling, therapy, yoga, meditation, and contemplation of any kind can all help you. But come mid-week, you’ll be challenged by tension