August 26, 2019 at 07:29PM by CWC One of the most harmful mental health stereotypes out there: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is only something that happens in little boys. While it’s true that ADHD affects three times more male than female children, it’s still an issue many women and girls face. Nearly 7 percent of female children are diagnosed with ADHD, per the National Institutes of Health—and 3 percent of adult women aged 18-44 years are diagnosed with it (which translates to roughly 3.4 million women). ADHD is a brain disorder that can affect a person’s attention span, mood, productivity, and memory, no matter their age or gender. But recent research suggests that women and girls can experience ADHD a bit differently than boys and men—which can affect a person’s ability to get a diagnosis. In a 2017 study out of Norway, the authors wrote that, compared to boys, girls and adults with ADHD tend to exhibit more symptoms of inattention (one of the hallmarks of ADHD) and mood and anxiety disorders and fewer hyperactive and disruptive behaviors (the other, more stereotypical symptoms of ADHD). And inattention, according to the authors of a 2014 review of studies on women and girls with ADHD, is often not as noticeable as hyperactivity. “Because symptom severity contributes to the likelihood of referral for treatment, girls may be less likely to be diagnosed and receive treatment,” they wrote. ad_intervals[‘418192_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418192_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Another thing that may
Category: You and your body
The booty-strengthening yoga flow that perks your peach in 6 swift moves
August 26, 2019 at 07:15PM by CWC Welcome to Trainer of the Month Club, our brand-new fitness series, where we tap the coolest, most in-the-know fitness leaders to create a month-long fitness challenge. On Mondays, we have our “sweat drops” where you’ll get access to the week’s workout that you can follow along at home. This week, Val Verdier is taking you through a beginner yoga flow. There are approximately infinity reasons why people do yoga. For some, it’s about increasing flexibility. For others, it’s all about taking some time on the mat to zone out and forget the rest of the world. In this week’s edition of the Well+Good Trainer of the Month Club, Val Verdier of New York City’s Modo Yoga shows us exactly how to use yoga to get stronger. Her six-move series, which is meant to be done slowly and thoughtfully (it’s not one of those fast-paced power flows you might normally expect BTW), works every muscle in your lower body in a matter of minutes. By the time you’re done with the donkey kicks and squats, your glutes and thighs will be on fire. ad_intervals[‘418224_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418224_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Follow along with the workout below, and don’t forget to check back next week for September’s Trainer of the Month with an all new trainer. View this post on Instagram Ready for the final week of our August Trainer of the Month Club?! For Week 4, our amazing
The fastest way to gracefully get out of stuff you don’t want to do
August 26, 2019 at 06:42PM by CWC My sister and I shared a bedroom throughout childhood. For the two of us, setting boundaries meant splitting our assigned chamber right down the middle—and screaming “Get out of my room!” when either of us dared step over the invisible line. Was it a flawed system? Absolutely. But the idea of carving out clear boundaries—no matter your age—is 100 percent necessary for both mental and physical health. That’s why Nicole LePera, PhD, a holistic psychologist in Philadelphia, has a three-step plan for turning down an invitation that just doesn’t deserve the space on your calendar. “This practice is extremely difficult. It’s something I still struggle with, but with time it really feels better and better,” she writes in a recent Instagram post. “Our natural impulse is to explain ourselves. We’ve been conditioned to do this.” Being the “yes” person ultimately doesn’t serve you, your mental health, or the people that you’re reluctantly grabbing avocado toast with. Sometimes, it pays to say “no, thanks.” ad_intervals[‘418219_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418219_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); “The truth is you CAN say no for absolutely no reason at all,” writes the psychologist. “We are not required to give any explanation. And, I’ve come to find out when setting boundaries the explanation is what gets the most pushback. That’s why the best thing to do when setting boundaries is to begin with a gracious statement and end with the no. A no cannot be
This skin-care routine is a derm-approved dupe for a $1,600 brightening system
August 26, 2019 at 06:28PM by CWC It has been brought to my attention that there is a skin-care system on the market that retails for $1,600.Now, don’t get me wrong: I love a bougie beauty product and have my fair share of them. In fairness, I only use my tiny travel jar of Creme de la Mer when I need a pick me up on exceptionally bad days, but the point is that I don’t judge anyone who wants to spend upwards of $200 on a beauty product, because I’m right there with you. When I saw that 111 Skin Lunar28 clocks in at $1,600, at first I had to figure out what made it so good, and then I had to figure out how I could dupe it. Because the only thing I can spend half my paycheck on is my rent. Here’s the deal: During the first week, you use an enzyme resurfacing peel to exfoliate and resurface skin, the second week, you’re meant to target dark spots and minimize pores, the third week involves an “intensive brightening serum” that has melanoregulators and retinoids in it that help smooth texture and reduce pigmentation, and in the final week, you soothe inflammation and redness to chill out your complexion and help it fend off things to come. ad_intervals[‘417995_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417995_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); While there’s definitely a reason why these products come along with such a hefty price tag, the beauty
Exactly what kind of detail-oriented Virgo you are, according to your moon sign
August 26, 2019 at 04:56PM by CWC The end of August brings about several realities: summer is ending, school’s back in session, and Virgo season (August 23 to September 22) has officially arrived. In this astrological case, the zodiac wheel mirrors real life since Virgos are known for being hyper-organized, conscientious, and polished—just like the kid who showed up on the first day of class with a color-coded binder and a fresh new outfit. According to astrologer Natalia Benson, though, the Virgo moon sign—the sign the moon was in when they were born—is important to know, since it influences emotional life and inner self. This explains why your Virgo friends aren’t all the same; some may have Beyoncé vibes while others are more like Blake Lively. (Both famous Virgos, FWIW.) “Broadly speaking, Virgos are often very detail-oriented, patient people with a grounded nature about them,” says Benson. “But each moon sign is going to give a unique energy to the emotional expression of that particular Virgo.” ad_intervals[‘417719_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417719_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); To learn about your Virgo moon sign (and that of your Virgo pals), simply input your birth date, time, and location into a free birth chart generator. Then, scroll down for Benson’s insight into how the 12 moon signs provide a different flavor to a Virgo’s inherent traits. Virgo with an Aries moon “A Virgo with an Aries moon is going to have a little more fire to them—a little more
A 3-step guide to dealing with envy, the 1 thing in my way of being the best friend I can be
August 26, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC A few years ago, an aspiring actress friend of mine wrote a screenplay as a means to an end, with the ideal end being an acting career. That script did land her what some would call kindling for a career—but as a TV writer, not an actor. The old saying of one person’s trash being another person’s treasure couldn’t have been more apt in this case; writing for TV has long been my pie-in-the-sky goal, and because of this, I felt a lot of negativity when she seemed to easily fall into my dream as her consolation prize. Through gritted teeth, I lied to her about how happy I was for her and privately sought to diminish her success any way I could as a means to self soothe. I told myself (and sometimes others) things I am not proud of, like, “She was only able to accomplish what I have not because her parents paid her expenses while she worked on that script full-time,” etcetera. (Gross, I know.) ad_intervals[‘413108_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413108_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); In the years since my bout of egregious envy, I’ve more or less completely reconfigured my life to better resemble what I’d always internally visualized for it. So I figured I’d evolved beyond my substantive envy…until my closest friend more recently got something I desperately want—and the unsavory dark envious energy returned with a vengeance. My friend is having a baby,
Take a cue from the cosmos and reboot your entire life for this week’s new moon
August 26, 2019 at 02:19AM by CWC With the frivolity of Leo season now at your back, brass-tacks Virgo dominates the week ahead (big time)—especially as the Northern Hemisphere autumnal equinox gets closer and closer. Meaning: As the moon wanes back to new (as it will Monday through early Friday morning), now’s the time to release clutter, as well as situations or circumstances that have run their course, including toxic relationships. To put it in Marie Kondo’s terminology: If it doesn’t “spark joy,” consider letting it go. With the season of harvest coming full throttle, actively create space for the crops you are cultivating as well as the abundance you desire to conjure in the future. Forgive old grievances. Move on. This new moon holds tremendous weight. Get your intentions ready because you don’t want to miss the opportunity to conjure your cosmic fresh start. I lovingly refer to Virgo as the protector of purity because of all the signs in the zodiac, Virgo remains the most astute at catching the flaw and taking a stand for things in their most refined, true-to-form essence. Ruled by Mercury, this sign stays devoted to being of service. While the sun travels through this part of the zodiac, now’s the time to focus your attention toward what you most wish to devote your life. ad_intervals[‘418154_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418154_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The new moon, happening on Friday at 6:37 a.m. Eastern at 6 degrees of Virgo, invites
The 5 golden rules for healthy eating, according to a doctor and an RD
August 25, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Unless we’re talking puppies, avocados, or Taylor Swift songs, I am of the belief that less is more—especially when it comes to healthy eating. No, I don’t mean less food—I mean less complication. It can be incredibly easy to get caught up in all the different eating plans—I say this as someone who has been on paleo, keto, vegan, plant-based, raw food, macrobiotic, and probably 12 other types of diets in her lifetime. It’s confusing! It can be hard to cut through all the chatter to know how to eat, something that was touched on during our most recent Well+Good TALK event. “It doesn’t have to be that complicated,” Katlin Smith, CEO of Simple Mills, said. “So while there’s a lot of noise out there, there’s actually a lot of things that we do know work very well. It’s not actually that mysterious.” Or at least, it shouldn’t be. Here, the top five tips we learned about simple healthy eating from Smith, Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, and Ruvini Wijetilaka, MD. (Because, Elle Woods voice: What, like it’s hard?) ad_intervals[‘418108_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418108_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); 1. Simple ingredients (ideally from whole foods) are better “Think about eating simple ingredients that you can pronounce, that you and your body know,” Smith said. Dr. Wijetilaka agreed. “Try to eat whole foods with the least amount of ingredients,” she said. “Ideally something that’s not packaged—and I get it, we’re all busy!
The Bedtime app is your secret weapon for stress-free mornings (trust me, it changed my life)
August 25, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC For me, “stressful” and “mornings” are like avocado and toast—but like, if the avocado were brown. I don’t think I’ve ever woken up and not felt anxiety. Or at least that’s how it was until I discovered the Bedtime function on my iPhone. Open the Clock app and, wedged between the alarm and stopwatch, you’ll find a cute little bed icon. Tap it, and you’ll be prompted to answer a series of questions: What time would you like to wake up? Which days of the week should the alarm go off? How many hours of sleep do you need each night? Follow them through to the end, and your phone will set a recurring alarm for the same time each morning (minus the weekends, should you so choose) and will also send you a gentle reminder each night when it’s time to start your 10-step nighttime beauty ritual—I mean, time to start heading toward bed. The magic of the Bedtime app is that you can set it and forget it. You know that panicky feeling when you wake up at 3 a.m. and can’t remember whether you set your alarm? Yep, that’s gone. (More importantly, those mornings when you sleep through the night only to discover that, well f**k, you did in fact forget to set your alarm, are also gone.) When the alarm wakes you up at the pre-set time, it does so by slowly increasing the volume of your alarm instead
Look for this ingredient in your shampoo to make sure your hair is *actually* clean
August 25, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC After sudsing up with shampoo and conditioner, you’re probably leaving the shower feeling fresh and ready to take on the world. But I have some bad news for you: Despite the sudsing, your hair and scalp might not be as clean as you think they are. That’s right: Even though they’re supposed to get rid of any product, oil, and dead skin buildup on your scalp, many shampoos often contain skin-clogging ingredients like silicones and sulfates that only add to the problem (not to mention the dirt and oil your hair naturally accumulates), leaving behind a residue that limits blood circulation to the hair follicle and prevents your hair from being strong and healthy. There is a simple way you can ditch the dirty hair for good, though: Make sure the shampoo you’re bringing home contains salicylic acid. ad_intervals[‘417871_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417871_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Looking for more smart beauty intel? Check out our new video series, Dear Derm: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0sqKBXyjls] Yes, the famed acne-fighting skin-care ingredient is great for your hair, too. “Salicylic acid is a highly effective shampoo ingredient that keeps your hair healthy and prevents dandruff,” says Sacha Mitic, hair stylist and co-founder of Sachajuan. “It both unglues and washes away excess sebum from your skin, and has been found to help acne developing on your scalp and even your face,” she says—always a good thing, since scalp acne (aka folliculitis) is no. joke.