December 13, 2019 at 05:15PM by CWC As much as we would all love to feel 100 percent all the time, some days that’s far from reality, especially as you get older. There are body parts that start to ache, chronic pains that don’t let up, sniffles that keep you up at night, and headaches galore. All of which make it difficult to be a fully functioning human sometimes. If you’re searching for a holistic way to manage these ailments, acupressure is one tool you can use. “Acupressure is a non-invasive method of stimulating the body’s innate healing ability via purinergic signaling and modulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems,” says acupuncturist Jacqui Kinzig. “In simpler terms, stimulation of certain areas of the body can help stop many different types of symptoms, from pain to anxiety to allergies.” The best part? Unlike acupuncture, no needles are required to reap the benefits. Even more good news: Kinzig says there are more than 400 acupressure points on the hands alone, which means you can inconspicuously apply pressure to these points for instant relief and no one would notice. Note that it does matter which hand you use when doing acupressure. “For systemic or non-pain related complaints, either hand can be used,” Dr. Kinzig says. “For acute pain, it is best to use the hand on the opposite side of the body from the painful area.” So, if let’s say you have lower back pain on your left side, acupressure should be
Category: Yoga
If you’ve heard of goat yoga, it’s time to level up and try horseback yoga
December 12, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N8ZhwDdFZ8] Yoga’s cool and all, but imagine doing it on top of a horse. If you’re thinking, ‘Huh?’ rest assured that horseback yoga is indeed a thing (as it goat yoga and puppy yoga, ICYMI). Think of it as a mix between the two wellness modalities of yoga and equine therapy (aka hanging with horses), joined together to create a truly otherworldly mind-body experience. And Ella Dove, our director of creative development, is trying it out in Well+Good’s latest episode of What the Wellness, a series in which we investigate all of the most out-there wellness treatments. During a visit with Shakti Ranch in Malibu, California, Dove gets bendy right on top of Sophie, a (very cute) horse. “Horses have this really beautiful way of energetically showing the inner psyche of someone,” says Natalie Riggs, equine therapist at the ranch. So, sure—horses are grounding creatures, but Dove has to actually practice yoga on the horse’s back… which requires a lot of balance (ahem: this one goes out to anyone who’s ever toppled in tree pose). That means that Dove has to use every single muscle in her body to help gain balance so that she doesn’t go ker-plunk on the ground mid-yoga pose. Once Dove moves through some simple breathing exercises and spinal twists, she gets into some impressive downward dogs and camel poses, all with Sophie as her dutiful #yogabuddy. Just how does she fare out with the hour-long practice? Is
How to balance your chakras in accordance with your zodiac sign
December 12, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC It’s zero percent unusual to turn to spiritual-healing methods to replenish your energy when you’re feeling down. Maybe whenever you need some guidance, you pull up your horoscope, or you might think to unblock your chakras and strike a stronger energy flow. What you may not have considered, though, is the power you can strike by calling upon chakra elements (pairing your zodiac sign’s element with its corresponding chakra) to achieve balance. As it turns out, it’s very possible to marry star signs with chakras, and Jess Holzworth, a yoga and meditation practitioner at Miravel Arizona, finds this holistic approach to be a sound method in living well. “Ayurveda believes the body is made up of the five Earth elements, so just as the Earth feeds off the elements, so do we,” she says. To break down her thought a bit further, of the seven chakras, five have nature-related elements (with the two exceptions being the third-eye chakra and the crown chakra). “Root chakra is Earth, home to your safety, security and stability,” says Holzworth. “Sacral chakra is water, home to your creativity, passion, emotions, sexuality, sensuality, and pleasure. Solar plexus chakra is fire, home to your power and vitality. And heart chakra is air, home to compassion, gratitude, love, joy, and serenity.” While the throat chakra is space, which is a nature-related element, the focus on the first four is of special note because those mimic the four astrological elements, or triplicities:
The answers to Google’s 5 most-searched makeup questions of 2019
December 11, 2019 at 06:35PM by CWC A person’s search history can reveal a lot about them. Like, do they prefer hot yoga or classic vinyasa? Are they a 20-step chef or a 3-ingredients-or-less kind of person? In 2019, Googlers sought out “how-to” beauty tutorials from the world wide web, and I feel personally validated to report that we’re all very, very confused about how to apply makeup. The top beauty questions from Google’s year in search report (shared with Well+Good via email) reveals mystification surrounding the topics of primer, toner mascara, and more. Below, beauty experts break down the basics so that, come January 1, 2020, you’ll have a brain full of beauty knowledge. You asked, we answered—here’s how to apply makeup 1. The deal with toner According to Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, you really only need toner if the water pressure in your shower is super hard. Otherwise, skip it! “Toners are liquid skin-care products that have a slightly acidic pH to balance the skin’s natural pH level,” Dr. Zeichner previously told Well+Good. “The outer skin layer, referred to as the acid mantle, has a pH of about 5.5. Harsh scrubs, true soaps, and even hard water can disrupt the outer skin layer, alter the pH, and cause inflammation.” To apply your toner, pour a small amount on a cotton round and apply it gently on freshly-washed skin. 2. Um, so do I need a primer? A primer is the base coat for your #lewk. While it’s
How to decompress your spine using a foam roller, according to a Pilates pro
December 11, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC I always associate my foam roller with pain (sure, that pain often brings wonderful and much-needed muscle tension relief, but still). The recovery tool doesn’t have to be your frenemy, though—it can also be used in therapeutic, gentle ways. One star example of this? Using your foam roller for spinal decompression. At New York’s Dynamic Body Pilates studio, founder and Pilates pro Rebecca Lubart had me lie down on top of a foam roller, with it lined up right underneath my spine from my skull to my tailbone. It may not sound like much, but all of my back tightness felt like it immediately dissolved away. “One of the best things you can do is lie down on a foam roller,” says Lubart. “In the simplest terms, it’s the combination of switching your orientation to gravity while still having to maintain a basic level of balance.” In this position, your under-used spinal stabilizers—like the multifidus and transverse abdominals—get activated, she explains, which help to strengthen your back overall (something that helps you maintain a good posture). “By the end of the day, we can feel stress and pressure from our day [in our backs],” says Lubart. “Even a brief, five-minute session of lying down on a foam roller can leave you feeling relieved and refreshed.” Keep scrolling for the exercises she recommends doing on the foam roller (grab a full-length one) for added mobility and spinal relief. The foam roller exercises to decompress your spine
This push-up variation is a real triple threat of strength, flexibility, and mobility
December 09, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC There are a few standard ways to up the intensity of a push-up. You can channel your inner superhero with the Spiderman version, get some air with a clap, or toss in a jump between reps. (Yeah, I’m talking about burpees.) But blast-off push-ups are a real triple threat, combining strength, flexibility, and mobility. Blast-off push-ups require a little coordination. Instead of just doing the standard up-and-down motion, you’re shooting your lower body back into a crouch hover plank-like position then quickly bringing your body back into a push-up, all in one fluid motion. As you transfer your weight back and forth, you’re working your entire body, especially your arms and abs. You’re also getting some cardio as you build up your strength, as well as increasing your flexibility and mobility. It’s not an easy exercise, but it’s certainly effective. Here’s your step-by-step guide to mastering it. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJmK2UWbwkw] How to do blast-off push-ups: Begin in a push-up position. Shoot your pelvis back, moving your lower body toward your feet. You should have a bend at your knees, and they should be hovering a few inches off the floor. Quickly push your body back into a push-up position, keeping your core tight and engaged the entire time. Lower into a push-up, getting as close to the floor as you can, and return to your starting plank position. Repeat the motions in a fluid motion. There shouldn’t be any pauses between steps. To make
Curious about sound baths? Here’s what happened when I took a sonic soak
December 09, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Before one recent Saturday, I’d never before participated in a sound bath, but having read about the ancient practice before, I’d been intrigued for quite some time. And, based on a colleague’s rave reviews, of her experiences, I decided I could certainly stand to try out the meditative ritual meant to facilitate a deep state of relaxation for stress relief and healing. Sound baths aim to put you on a different plane, away from the mile-a-minute stressors of everyday life. But as the patron saint of Those Who Suck at Meditation, I was worried about whether I’d be able to do it. And, perhaps more importantly, whether I’d be the same when I emerged. So, I sought to find out by signing up for a group session with Sara Auster, sound therapist, meditation practitioner, and author of Sound Bath: Meditate, Heal and Connect Through Listening. She wanted us to put our phones on airplane mode, be comfortable, and listen. So far, so good—I felt ready for the main event. But first, what exactly is a sound bath—and what happens, therapeutically, during it? No two people will necessarily experience the same thing—just like with any other meditative practice. Generally speaking, though, using a combination of singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs and other overtone-emitting instruments, your alpha and theta brain waves are stimulated. And this is what can lead to those good-for-you benefits. “These waves are associated with deep, meditative, and peaceful states that are highly
Sleep experts want you to use a bedtime alarm—here’s why
December 07, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Many swear that committing to their healthy and highly personalized morning routine is what sets themselves up for a successful day. Whether that includes a satisfying stretch, a yoga flow, enjoying a hydrating and fiber-rich breakfast, or anything else, ritualizing the way you wake up can bridge the gap between restorative sleep time and productive wake time. And, according to experts, the same concept applies to the inverse situation of preparing the body to go to sleep. The recommended amount of sleep for the average adult is seven to eight hours, yet many of us are not clocking our zzz’s for quite so long. In effect, this can preclude us from reaping restorative benefits of rest for both cognitive and physical function. “When we minimize that restoration process, we’re not going to awaken as refreshed or have processed what we needed to do in sleep that we can’t do when we’re awake,” says Nancy H. Rothstein, the sleep consultant behind The Sleep Ambassador. Her solution? A bedtime alarm. Just as we prepare for our intense workouts by stretching, we need to prepare body and brain for sleep in order to reap the rejuvenating benefits—and, ideally, the routine starts an hour before you plan on going to bed. “We often treat sleep as an on-off switch and try to crash,” says licensed clinical psychologist and sleep expert Shelby Harris, PsyD, author of The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia. “But when we turn off screens
A physical therapist explains 2 easy ways to fix ‘pelvic tilt’
December 07, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC “Neutralize your pelvis” is a common refrain among yoga instructors in poses like chair, Warrior II, and bridge. Over time, both posterior (forward) and anterior (backward) pelvic tilt can cause pain from your spine to your ankles. So we asked Lara Heimann, a physical therapist and founder of LYT yoga, to explain how to use your pelvis to protect your vinyasa-loving body. Your pelvis sits between your abdomen and your thighs and acts as a container for the intestines, bladder, and internal sex organs. “It’s a ball that’s sitting on a triangle,” explains Heimann. As we move throughout our days, the pelvis will naturally tilt in one direction or the other—even when we’re in yoga class. “If yoga teachers don’t queue the person in any degree, then they would have a misshape in all the different poses. In every pose that person will have some degree of tilt,” she explains. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to check in on your pelvis during your daily movement patterns (and on your mat, of course). “For one, if you’re coming into practice with that tilt, you’re going to have to bend your knees quite dramatically,” says the physical therapist. This will help you resist the urge to pull your pelvis forward in downward dog, forward folds, and more. “The second is using your hands,” adds Heimann. “Putting your hands on the front of your body and pulling up like you’re zipping up a zipper,
Meditation might not be a good fit for everyone—here’s why
December 06, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC Eva*, a 31-year-old living in Paris, has dealt with severe anxiety for as long as she can remember. As an adult, she frequently experiences vivid flashbacks that take her right back to the trauma she experienced as a young girl, during which she can’t breathe, think, or work. Eva heard about meditation and its benefits for physical and mental health, and decided to give it a shot to see if it would help with her anxiety. She downloaded a meditation app and started using it every other day. But instead of overpowering her stress or silencing her trauma, Eva experienced the opposite effect. “When I attempt to make my anxiety go away using meditation, my mind fixates more strongly on the thoughts and issues at hand and [I get] overwhelmed,” says Eva, making meditation feel impossible. “The guilt afterward—that I could not clear my mind or focus for those 20 minutes—makes me feel like I wasted time and was a failure, and, therefore, the anxiety gets worse.” Meditation can be potentially triggering The majority of people can benefit from some kind of meditation practice, as it can help with a wide range of physical and mental issues, says Anne Dutton, LCSW, the director of mindfulness education at the Yale Stress Center. There’s so much evidence indicating that meditation can lift your mood, improve your focus, and help with stress management. Yet stories like Eva’s are not unheard of. Many people anecdotally report feeling