December 24, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC If you want to prep your body to really kick ass in your workout—whether you’re going for a run or hitting a spin class or working with weights—trainers think you should channel a scorpion before you start moving. The “scorpion stretch” is one of the best warm-ups you can do, giving further proof to my theory that animal-based activity can help fire up your body and cool it down, too. “The scorpion stretch is a safe exercise for increasing hip and lower back mobility while also engaging the lower back,” says Derek Maxfield, a Boston-based trainer and owner of Fitness Together. Sure, it makes you look like one of those incredibly scary arachnids (you lift one leg up and roll it over to resemble a scorpion’s tail), but you’ll also love it for the satisfying hip flexor stretch it gives. “The scorpion stretch should be done before a workout to warm up and open tight hip flexors and the lower back, and can be done between sets for active recovery,” says Maxfield. “It’s a great starting point for people to stretch with limited mobility. Hip flexors and the lower back are often neglected in exercises and stretches, but are essential for strengthening the core.” Whether you do it before a workout to get things warmed up or after you’re a little sore, the scorpion stretch will provide a ripple release for hamstrings, the low back, and hips. To do the scorpion, you’re lying
Category: Your Healthiest Relationship
The key differences between traditional and modern monogamy
December 24, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Once upon a time, commitment had a real “‘till death do us part” vibe to it. Really, ask Queen Victoria about that—when Prince Albert died, she went full hermit and holed up in all-black-everything for the rest of her life. But we’re not living in Victorian times, and modern relationships include different dimensions of what commitment means. One 2016 study reports that 1 in 5 people have been in an open relationship (dubbed in this case as consensual non-monogamy) at some point or another, and rigid relationship boundaries are loosening with terms like ‘monogamish‘ entering the public conscience. While instances of traditional monogamy certainly aren’t rare, it does appear that there’s room for a rebrand of answer to “what does monogamous mean?” “I call this new definition of monogamy ‘open monogamy,’” says Tammy Nelson, PhD sex therapist and author of The New Monogamy. “More couples than ever before are embracing open relationships, consensual non-monogamy, polyamory, and monogamish relationships. All of these have, at their core, a connection that can also include branches of sub-relationships, like branches of a tree. These can be new and unique ways of connecting with a multitude of other partners and new experiences.” And, they might be onto something: Research from the University of Guelph finds that couples consensually leaving the door to their relationship open are just as happy healthy and happy as their coupled-up pals. (Different research suggests late-in-life open couples are even happier.) There is a
These 6 hotels want to rid you of your sleep issues
December 24, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC For a few years now, I’ve traveled with a DIY sleep kit. This consists of a silky pouch stuffed to the drawstring with rest-inducing aids: sleep mask, earplugs, lavender essential oil, CBD oil, selenite crystal, Guatemalan worry dolls, and Tylenol PM. Because I struggle terribly with falling asleep, I’d be more upset if I forgot this pouch at home than, say, my toothbrush or clean socks. The variety and abundance of items included in my kit sums up my general sleep-therapy philosophy: Gimme all the treatments. That’s why I was excited to stumble across sleep therapy on the spa menu at Enchantment Resort during a relaxing weekend in Sedona, Arizona. And while the treatment, which consisted of simply chatting for an hour with a specialist about my sleep habits, didn’t yield another goody for my literal bag of tricks, it did inspire an epiphany. While I described myself as “just a bad sleeper by nature,” my specialist explained that “insomniac” isn’t innate to who I am and that my issues had an origin somewhere in my past. If we could pinpoint that starting point, the specialist said, we could cure it. Low and behold, my sleep struggles, which I assumed had always been there—like my spleen or right kidney—actually truly began with the loss of someone close to me about five years ago. Once we figured out the timeline, my specialist then walked me through an anxiety-busting mindfulness technique, which I have been using
Joining the ‘dead parents club’ was the best thing I did to navigate the grief of losing my dad
December 24, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I received hundreds of messages the week my dad died: There were floral arrangements, sympathy cards, teary voicemails, and 1,000-word emails detailing memories I’d never heard about a man who would never get the chance to make any more of them. But the one that’s stayed with me the strongest, even after three years, was the one welcoming me to the dead parents club: “You’re part of the club now. It’s the club that no one wants to be in, but at least we’ve got each other.” If you’ve never heard of it, consider yourself lucky. Chances are, your unfamiliarity with it means you’re probably not a member (and also haven’t seen a certain episode of Grey’s Anatomy). But, as its many members can attest, the group is very much a thing, and, just as the initiating text message I received about it read: We’ve got each other. In the years since joining the dead parents club—which, heartbreakingly, already included a number of my closest friends—I’ve come to rely on it to help me navigate my grief. The members are the people who call me on every anniversary of my dad’s passing because they know that the day doesn’t get easier as time passes; they’re the ones holding my hand during father-daughter dances at weddings; the ones to whom I send a “thinking of you today” text on Mother’s and Father’s Days. “We’re the sum of our experiences, and if we haven’t had
Why champagne is a dietitian’s holiday drink of choice
December 24, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=444yg_umVsw] Navigate holiday boozing with this dietitian’s guide to wine and champagne. Watch the video here. I have one party trick, and it’s that I can saber a bottle of champagne. I learned how to do it a couple of years ago on a Facebook Live segment for the lifestyle site I was working for at the time, and ever since have liked to mention it on any possible occasion. Well, it looks like this year I’m about to saber a lot of bottles this year, because according to registered dietitian and You Versus Food host Tracey Lockwood Beckerman, RD, the health benefits of champagne make it the best choice to sip on this holiday season. Obviously champagne is a type of wine, and thus offers similar heart health benefits. But Beckerman says that champagne’s carbonation promotes slow imbibing, meaning you will consume less alcohol and absorb alcohol into your bloodstream at a slower rate. “This is better for your health, since too much alcohol in your bloodstream at once can be dangerous,” Beckerman says. (For health reasons and also for sending texts you shouldn’t reasons.) However, it’s important to note that alcohol, regardless of what kind you choose, should be consumed in moderation. “Drinking more than the suggested amount of one glass of wine a day can lead to liver damage, kidney damage, and a slew of other issues,” Beckerman says. Watch the video above to learn more about the health
The truth about Indigenous wellness, from a Native American perspective
December 24, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC A few weeks ago, I had a very interesting conversation with a popular wellness influencer who has a six-figure following. She asked a question, and I replied. Here’s a piece of the email I wrote to her: I saw your story on Instagram asking for Indigenous people to email you with information about our spiritual practices. I’m sure you’re already getting a number of not-so-happy messages from Native people who are offended by your question. I ask that you have patience with this—our community tends to get very defensive (rightfully so) about our spirituality, which up until the 1970s was illegal in the United States. Not many people know that. Many of us grew up facing racism and discrimination for practicing our culture and simply being Indigenous. It hurts to see our traditions, that our ancestors died and fought for, now become a trend that others are demanding to be a part of. These practices are sacred and special to us because they helped our people thrive for thousands of years and subsequently survive several brutal generations of genocide and colonialism. These practices keep us strong as we continue to deal with historical trauma. When Native people express to you that they are hurt by the exploitation of their spiritual practices, please believe them. Our communities have seen so much pain. We have been mocked, brutalized, infantilized, dehumanized, and ignored. The last thing we need is to be harassed for knowledge when it
I’m a dermatologist, and this is what I want you to know about spot-treating hormonal acne
December 24, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC Acne’s certainly not easy to deal with, but trying to fight hormonal acne makes dealing with whiteheads feel like child’s play. That’s because your hormones are involved (obviously), which means that the skin-care products you use are only one part of the acne-fighting equation. Even though other factors should be taken into account, like what you’re eating, a lot of acne sufferers wonder if you can spot treat hormonal acne just as you can with other breakouts… so we asked a dermatologist for the lowdown. The good news: “You can spot treat hormonal breakouts with an over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide gel to help dry them out,” says Morgan Rabach, MD, board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of LM Medical. “Sometimes using an over-the-counter wash with salicylic acid can also be super helpful.” Besides those two acne-quashing superstars, she also recommends turning to retinols (of course), and alpha and beta hydroxy acids to stimulate cell turnover and keep your pores free of gunk as the hormonal zits clear up. Even if you use one or a mix of these ingredients, know that the breakouts won’t go away as easily as other forms of acne because hormonal acne is deeper below the skin’s surface. “Whiteheads are a much more superficial type of acne flare-up, and are more likely to be treated by topical treatments alone,” says Dr. Rabach. “Whiteheads and blackheads are most responsive to retinols.” And her overall top suggestion for fully fighting hormonal zits is an
Want to work out but just… can’t even? These 10 videos get your blood pumping in less than 10 minutes
December 24, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC The “no days off” mentality of Instagram can make you feel like you need to clock 60-minute workouts on a daily basis, but that just isn’t the case. As the people living in the Blue Zones (the world’s longevity hotspots) have proven, the best exercise fits into your schedule effortlessly. Which is why some of the best YouTube workout videos are 10 minutes or less. Whether you prefer to squeeze your express sweat in before, after, or during work, we’ve got a YouTube video lined up to help you feel sweaty, refreshed, and ready to take on whatever’s up next. 10 of the best YouTube workout videos that require less than 10 minutes [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFu_jqhOT3w] Beginner dance cardio, 8 minutes and 49 seconds Dancing is seriously good for your mental health. By the end of this short video, you’ll have a dance in your back pocket for all those nights in the club. Or when you’re just, you know, bopping around in your bedroom with a hairbrush. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9F5Bi47Zbg] Muay thai shadow boxing, 6 minutes and 3 seconds If you’re feeling a little punchy, muay thai’s a great way to funnel your energy. This beginner workout requires no bag. Just make sure you have plenty of space for flailing your limbs. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4YQeowk9JE] heart-opening yoga flow, 9 minutes and 16 seconds When you ready to work out the kinks in your body that come courtesy of your desk chair, a heart-centric yoga sequence
The 10 best longevity tips we learned this year for living a longer, healthier life
December 24, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC If you’re ready to make some changes in 2020, we’ve rounded up the best longevity tips we’ve learned in the past year. Whether it’s adding more chili peppers to your diet, taking enough steps every day, or spending quality time with the people you love, these are the easiest ways to give yourself a fighting chance at a long healthy life. The 10 best longevity tips to carry you into 2020 and beyond 1. Eat *all* the chili peppers You might want to bring some spice to your life. A study found eating chili peppers was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, for the people who ate chili peppers regularly, the all-cause mortality risk was 23 percent lower than those who didn’t. Upping your intake can be as easy as sprinkling red pepper flakes or chili powder into your food. 2. Do your best to stay positive Past research has shown being an optimist contributes to “11 to 15 percent longer life span, on average, and to greater odds of achieving ‘exceptional longevity.” (Aka, in this case, living to 85 years old or longer.) While it’s hard to stay positive all the time, making it your mission to cut down on pessimistic thinking can do you good. 3. Take at least 4,400 steps a day Taking 10,000 steps a day is kind of the gold standard in terms of health, but that’s not always going to happen. So rest
Water is 1,000 times denser than air—here’s how to use it to intensify your workouts
December 23, 2019 at 11:05PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL9te9J60zY] Ready to learn all about aqua cycling? Watch the video. What if you could combine the low-impact benefits of swimming with the cardio you get from hopping on a spin bike? Well, with aqua cycling, you totally can. The most recent episode of Well+Good’s YouTube show What the Wellness features director of creative development Ella Dove trying a submerged spin session for better lymphatic health. According to Esther Gauthier, founder of AQUA Studios in NYC, water is about 1,000 times denser than air. The density of liquid means aqua cycling acts as a full-body massage for your lymphatic system (which is in charge of collecting your body’s excess liquid and filtering out cellular waste, bacteria, and pathogens). Throughout the workout, Dove petals in place, stretches, and even does a round of high knees in the pool. She leaves feeling “like Gumby.” Hey, I guess if you spend enough time pedaling through the extra weight of the water, moving on land is a cinch. Watch the whole video to learn even more about the underwater workout. So… will swimming in the ocean while you’re on your period actually attract sharks? Here’s your answer. Plus, the gross reason why your eyes get itchy in swimming pools. Continue Reading… Author Kells McPhillips | Well and Good Selected by CWC