September 27, 2019 at 10:30PM by CWC There’s a cliché that you can’t love someone if you don’t love yourself, and sure, there’s some merit to it, but as with all clichés, there are also serious limitations involved. That said, science is doing its darnedest to prove me wrong. According to recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, self-esteem is the key to having great relationships—social, romantic, professional, and otherwise. Furthermore, boosting self-esteem is an effect of these positive relationships. This synergistic conclusion was reached after analyzing 53 studies from 13 globe-spanning nations with more than 46,000 participating who ranged in age from 4 to 77. Suffice it to say the sample size was pretty robust. Each study identified a link between great relationships and high self-esteem, time and time again. The results do make sense; for instance, one study notes people with high self-esteem are more caring and attentive listeners—and who wouldn’t want a friend who can lend an ear with Van Gogh-like readiness? Everyone feels satisfied and loved and fulfilled in this scenario, which caters to, yep, boosting self-esteem. The conflict to contend with is the reality that many people have low self-esteem, because the cyclical nature of this positive-relationship-high-self-esteem finding, the loop is closed to that whole population. While I can’t change the results of this heartwarming if not psychologically exclusive finding, I can advise a few tips for boosting self-esteem from subterranean levels, thus opening you to the bliss of positive relationships. Because though self-esteem is
Category: You and your body
Heal your chakras in the most colorful way using rainbow crystal light therapy
September 27, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOkoLEX46Y] Curious about what to expect from a full-sensory crystal light energy treatment? Watch the video to find out. It’s hardly new that crystals are a wellness-world staple for healing. But in the latest episode of What the Wellness, Well+Good’s YouTube series that investigates whether practices weird or worth it (or both), video producer Ella Dove ratchets things up a notch by getting a seriously intense crystal light energy treatment. Meet MODRN Sanctuary’s Sensory 7 Light Sound Energy Therapy treatment, a luxe experience that utilizes every hue of the rainbow…and then some. To give you a…sense…of what to expect, the crystal-focused treatment combines seven healing modalities into one: vibration therapy, sound therapy with binaural beats, frequency therapy, magnetic therapy, an infrared Biomat, chromotherapy, and crystals with reiki. No worries if those aforementioned words don’t offer you too much meaning; Alexis Alvarez, the intuitive energy worker and spiritual advisor who administers the crystal light healing treatment, can clear the air. Take for instance, chromotherapy, which she says is an ancient science. “It’s just the idea of colors as a general energy being a therapeutic benefit to us,” Alvarez says. “We use the rainbow of lights, or the visible light spectrum, so that’s the energy that we can see, which relates to the chakras. Each chakra is a different color, so we’re basically lining up that appropriate color with the appropriate chakra center.” That means that if Dove is feeling exhausted (and seriously, who
6 bra styles that every woman should own by the time she hits 30, according to a lingerie pro
September 27, 2019 at 09:48PM by CWC I have long aspired to be the kind of woman who has a bra wardrobe. It just feels so… adult. In this fantasy, I also don’t have clean clothes piled on top of every available surface in my apartment aside from my actual closet, and can keep plants alive for longer than a few days. It’s a nice daydream, but I wouldn’t even know where to start. But, baby steps. To find out how to pursue my dreams of becoming a grown-ass woman with a bra-drobe, I consulted luxe lingerie brand Fleur du Mal‘s founder, Jennifer Zuccarini, who recommends having at least five bras to cover the basics… and at least one just for fun. “A strong lingerie drawer should have closer to 10 or 15. If you wear a bra every day, they will last much longer if you rotate wear,” she says. In other words, wearing the same nude t-shirt bra all day, every day, is highly *not* encouraged. Whoops. I have two real bras and an assortment of bralettes that I somehow manage to always misplace even though my apartment is like 500 square feet, so I’ve clearly got a ways to go. But to get started, Zuccarini suggests adding the following bras to your collection. Photo: Fleur du Mal 1. An everyday bra: Fleur du Mal Satin Scooped Balconette Bra, $108 …. But not like, a boring one. Zuccarini says to get one that’s “smooth and feels great against
The most hydrating thing to drink after a workout isn’t water
September 27, 2019 at 06:30PM by CWC You know those times when you’re, like, really thirsty and water suddenly tastes like the nectar of the gods? If you want to rehydrate after a particularly sweaty workout—and fast—your first instinct might be to turn on the tap and guzzle glass after glass of H2O. But a new study published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that milk (gasp) might be the better option. Researchers at St. Andrews University in Scotland investigated the rehydration effects of 13 different beverages on 72 male test subjects by measuring their urine output and fluid balance. When you’re just putzing around and living your daily life, the research indicted that sparkling or still water will suit your hydration needs just fine. In the aftermath of a particularly tough HIIT session or training run, however, skim milk reigns supreme. And there’s a really fun, science-y reason what that’s the case. Study author Ronald Maughan, PhD, a professor at St. Andrews’ School of Medicine, tells CNN that milk’s post-workout merits are due to the fact it contains sugar lactose, protein, and fat, which slow down the natural process of your body emptying fluid from the stomach. These three components perfectly combine to help you stay hydrated over a longer period of time. The sodium in milk also helps your body hold the water and keeps it from producing as much urine. Ranking right after skim milk was oral rehydration tablets, full-fat milk, orange juice, cola, diet
Your Apple Watch now gives the most important skin advice you’ll ever need
September 27, 2019 at 05:50PM by CWC When you first get your hands on an Apple Watch, it’s perfectly natural to feel bogged down by all the features. I mean, the heart-tracking metrics alone make my head spin. (Resting heart rate, who?) When it comes to protecting your skin though, there’s a number hiding in the face of the Apple Watch Series 5 that dermatologists really, really want you to pay attention to: the UV index. “The UV index is a measure of the strength of [ultraviolet] rays reaching the surface of the earth at a particular time and location,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist, previously told Well+Good. “The higher the UV index, the more powerful the UV rays are and the more likely our skin is to get sunburned.” To find this metric in the wearable, search for a new watch face under the Face Gallery tab of the Watch app and look for the little sun icon with a number floating somewhere around it (or, you can simply check the weather app). Once you know the number, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) breakdown. It rates UV rays as follows: low (1-2), moderate (3-5), high (6-7), very high (8-10), and extreme (11 or more). Depending on the how high that number on your Apple Watch skyrockets, you’ll need to protect your largest organ in various different way (please see the cute chart below for details). Obviously, you should be wearing sunscreen every day (rain or
Experts want you prioritize having friends younger than you—here’s why
September 27, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC I hit adulthood long before the concept of body positivity was a widely held and authentic mainstream thing perpetuated by brands, models, and other voices of influence. I felt, largely as a byproduct of the world in which I was raised, I should despise my imperfections, including those related to my healthy and normal human body. So when a friend nine years my junior began showcasing her body all over Instagram in photos captioned with affirmations, I was baffled. Wait, I thought. She doesn’t hate herself? I looked for cracks in the facade but quickly realized she wasn’t faking it; she actually feels good in the skin she’s in. And when I clued her in on my internal struggle, she was shocked. Her stance is that no amount of negative self-talk will change the fact that your body is yours—so what’s the point in hating it? She’s totally on the money and has since inspired an epiphany in me to learn to love my body. This experience led me to change my stance regarding wide discrepancies in friend ages. I once worried about how connecting with someone who makes my pop-culture references feel like history class would reflect on me, but not anymore. The stigma, though, isn’t uncommon. Clinical counselor Karla Ivankovich, PhD, says it’s rooted in the experience of childhood. When we’re younger, she says, maturity levels tend to differ vastly between children of various ages, even when those ages aren’t so
The ‘feelings wheel’ reveals the complexity of your emotions
September 27, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Emotions are complex, and yet we generally use oversimplified—and often, inaccurate—language to describe them. When I say, “I’m depressed,” for example, I typically mean I’m stressed, anxious, tired, and feeling stuck in the circumstances that’ve led to those emotional states—none of which actually describes sadness. Essentially, then, I’m not communicating effectively, which makes it difficult for anyone—my therapist, boyfriend, best friend, etc.—to help me feel better. Plus, if I don’t understand my own emotional state, I can’t effectively improve things for myself, either. “We often feel ‘strange’ or ‘wired’ or ‘down’ but don’t necessarily have the proper words to express what we feel,” says performance coach Dris Mi. To solve for this, Gloria Willcox created what’s known as “the feelings wheel,” a chart designed to help people quickly and easily identify the specifics of their emotional state. “The feelings wheel allows people to accurately name their experience, which often leads to using tools that are more effective at managing those emotions,” explains Sabrina Smith, LCSW. View this post on Instagram I love a good feelings wheel to help clients better identify exactly what they are feeling and experiencing. Emotions can be incredibly nuanced and finding the right word to express a feeling can be challenging. Using a feelings wheel can help us to understand our experiences and emotional states, express ourselves more effectively, and offer or provide ourselves with the most accurate tool to manage those feelings. What are you feeling? . .
Master the “big five” yoga poses to set the foundation for your entire practice
September 27, 2019 at 03:43PM by CWC Looking around a yoga class can often feel like you’re at a circus, watching people contort themselves into literal pretzels or lift themselves into the air with nothing more than a few fingertips. If you’re a beginner, it can feel intimidating and frustrating, but remember: Every handstand-holding yogi had to start somewhere. So, if you’re hanging out in child’s pose wondering why you can’t flex your body into these positions, it’s time to master “the big five” yoga fundamentals. “Developing a yoga practice is just like building a house: You need to start with the foundation before you can begin adding furniture and decor,” says Los Angeles-based yoga master Claire Grieve, who’s been practicing for over a decade. To build that foundation, she says that you need to perfect warrior I, downward-facing dog, forward bend, boat, and savasana, which can help to deepen your practice for more ahem adventurous poses in the future. “Mastering these five poses will help you set a strong foundation for an advanced yoga practice,” says Grieve. “By strengthening your muscles and mind, you can be on your way to an elevated practice.” Here, Grieve breaks down the poses that will set the stage for the entire rest of your practice. Nail the “big-five” yoga poses, according to Grieve 1. Warrior 1: “Warrior I is a strengthening pose for the entire body,” she says. “Practicing this pose will strengthen every major muscle group. It will also help you understand
How to get rid of acne when you have sensitive skin and everything is irritating
September 27, 2019 at 03:10PM by CWC As if dealing with acne on its own wasn’t frustrating enough, handling acne and sensitive skin at the same time is a double-whammy that will have you asking: “Why me, universe?” Since most zit treatments work by aggressively attacking the dirt and excess sebum deep within your pores, they can often leave skin—especially sensitive skin—irritated. That means that your pimples may technically be improving, but you’re suddenly left with a whole other set of problems you’ve got to deal with. “Those with sensitive skin may have a particularly hard time treating acne because many pimple products can be irritating for sensitive skin types,” confirms David Lortscher, MD, dermatologist and founder of Curology. “They contain ingredients that can be drying, irritating, or comedogenic, especially for sensitive skin.” So what the heck are you supposed to do? Instead of opting for the usual active ingredients in prescription retinoids—like tretinoin and tazarotene, which can irritate certain complexions, dermatologist, Hilary Baldwin, MD suggests reaching for a different form of retinoid (that you can get over the counter) called adapalene, such as La Roche Posay Adapalene Gel ($22) or good old-fashioned Differin ($9). This ingredient tends to be a bit kinder to sensitive skin, according to her. (Need to brush up on your retinoids? Check out our latest episode of Dear Derm.) [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj-Uii3ZJD8] “All other things equal, [tazarotene and tretinoin] irritate the skin more than adapalene does,” she tells me. That’s usually A-OK for the skin types
A dietitian explains how you can eat healthy and delicious meals for just $7 a day
September 27, 2019 at 03:01PM by CWC Healthy eating has a reputation for being like the Big Apple—and by that I mean overpriced. Here in New York City, everything is expensive it seems. I once waited in line for two hours to buy a $15 bagel, and I’ve paid $19 for Serendipity 3‘s Forbidden Broadway Sundae more times than I care to admit. But if you ask Ilana Muhlstein, MS, RDN, and Los Angeles-based dietitian, she’ll tell you that purchasing a full day of nutritious food only requires a mere $7. “It’s a misconception that healthy eating has to be expensive,” Muhlstein explains. “It’s possible to eat cups of veggies, fresh fruit, and lean proteins for just pennies a meal.” You read that right! Loose change between the couch cushions is enough to buy a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner to fuel your daily activities. All you have to do is reach fro the right ingredients. “It could take some prep and planning, but even the $7 day includes a store bought wrap,” says the dietitian. View this post on Instagram HEALTHY EATING ON A BUDGET It’s a misconception that healthy eating has to be expensive. It’s possible to eat cups of veggies, fresh fruit and lean proteins for just pennies a meal. It could take some prep and planning, but even the $7 day includes a store bought wrap! Double tap if you want me to do more of these and tag a friend who is