February 20, 2020 at 02:00PM by CWC There might be a few things you already blame your mom for: your secret love of rom-coms, perhaps, or your undying drive for success thanks to years of helicopter parenting. But another “got it from my momma” (or dad, perhaps) trait that you might not have known about? Your digestive and gut health. That’s right. There are some types of digestive and stomach problems that are hereditary, meaning that you have them because either your parents have them or because they have genes that got passed along to you that gave you those issues. But it’s not so simple as having a “weak stomach” because Mom has one too. In case high school bio wasn’t a clear indication, genetics are complicated—particularly when it comes to your digestion. So we asked gastroenterologists to help us break it all down. Are stomach problems and other GI issues hereditary? Your genes—groups of DNA that you inherited from either parent—play a role in the conditions and functions of your body, including the digestive system. “Some inherited traits may skip a generation or may leave a person more predisposed to developing a condition if their family members have historically been diagnosed before them,” says Niket Sonpal, MD, a NYC gastroenterologist and adjunct professor at Touro College. “In some cases, knowing your family health history can help inform what to do to take care of your health in a preventative way,” he says—such as having a history of diabetes in
Category: Your Healthiest Relationship
If you have 3 key personality traits, you’ll have an easier time forgiving a partner who cheated
February 20, 2020 at 01:00PM by CWC When you find out your partner has cheated on you and also still wants to make your relationship work, the resulting mood is best explained as “emotional tornado.” Coming to terms with what happened is a whole lot to wrap your mind around—like wondering why they cheated in the first place and whether it might happen again—before you even reach the point of deciding whether you can forgive a cheater at all. And if you do choose to forgive your partner for their indiscretions, will you ever truly get over it? Well, if you’ve already gone full Carrie Underwood and dug your key into the side of their pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive, carved your name into their leather seats, taken a Louisville slugger to both headlights and slashed a hole in all four tires, then probably not. Some people are simply hardwired to believe “Once a cheater, always a cheater,” and they sever ties immediately after learning their partner stepped out. Other people may find that they can forgive a cheater and, while they may not forget, they do move past it as best as they can. “Some of one’s ability to move on from an infidelity has to do with personality traits, and some has to do with the state of the relationship and the type or amount of infidelity.” —relationship therapist Aimee Hartstein, LCSW “Some of one’s ability to move on from an infidelity has to do with personality traits,
‘Somatic exercises’ stretch the stress right out of your poor, aching body
February 20, 2020 at 03:00AM by CWC If you’ve ever unrolled your mat for the celestial experience known as Yin yoga, you know that there’s basically one rule: do nothing quickly. Snail’s pace stretching is highly recommended in more restorative asana, and the same rings true with somatic exercises, Yin-adjacent stretches designed to calm your nervous system by asking you to wade into the sensations in your own body. According to the late Thomas Louis Hanna, PhD, the movement theorist who coined the term, somatic exercises require you to focus on how a certain movement makes you feel by moving your body as gently and compassionately as possible. “Moving slowly, you give your brain the chance to notice all that is happening in your body as you move,” wrote Dr. Hanna in his book Somatics: Reawakening The Mind’s Control Of Movement, Flexibility, And Health (excerpted by the Somatic Systems Institute). “Slow-motion films are essential in sports training because they allow athletes to study the details of a movement or play. The same goes for focusing attention on the internal sensations of your own movements: The slower you go, the more you perceive,” he continues. Only, instead of studying a fumble (or, you know, whatever actually happens in football), you’re zeroing in on the stretch in your hamstring, back, or another body part. Eventually, Dr. Hanna promises that your “somatic brain” will take over and you’ll find yourself a more limber and calm human being. “You must be patient, looking not for a
8 essential tools to help you survive Mercury retrograde
February 20, 2020 at 02:00AM by CWC There’s been a lot of effort in the last few years to give Mercury retrograde a positive rebrand. You know, it’s a transit that allows you to slow down, reconnect to people with whom you’ve lost touch, energetically cleanse… blah, blah, blah. I’d believe that if we lived in some utopian fairy tale, but here in reality we have to go to work on time, deal with malfunctioning keyboards, make cohesive date plans with some weirdo who only wants to talk on WhatsApp (what?), and survive this rat bastard transit. Retrograde sucks always, and that’s why some Mercury retrograde protection feels like a must. That’s why if you’re looking to get out of this Mercury retrograde or the two that follow in 2020, you might want to invest a little bit in some cosmically inclined self-care. Here are a few gems—sometimes literal gems—from Etsy that can help make retrograde be a whole lot less depressing. Oh, and make sure you get a tracking number. 1. Mercury Retrograde Bracelet, $26 Sure, you could just carry a pouch of crystals on you, but if that’s going to cause a lot of pocket clattering, you might just want to accessorize. This particular bracelet infuses the power of amazonite, blue flash labradorite, hematite and black tourmaline. Black tourmaline is one of my go-to protection stones, ready to absorb any bad energy. Labradorite can keep things from getting lost in translation. Labradorite will help you slow down and hematite will ground you when
Gluten digestion supplements aren’t a magic pill for people with intolerances, according to experts
February 20, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC We all know someone—or probably a lot of someones—who don’t eat gluten. In all likelihood, that someone may even be you. As of 2017, 3.1 million Americans reported actively avoiding this protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. (We’re willing to bet that by 2020, that number has likely risen even higher.) Laying aside the usual snarky discussion about who does and does not actually need to go gluten-free, there are plenty of legit reasons why people steer clear of this common protein. Maybe you’ve got an ironclad diagnosis of celiac disease, the autoimmune condition that makes eating gluten impossible (and health-threatening). Or maybe you’ve eliminated gluten for relief from bloating, abdominal pain, and gas—a constellation of symptoms known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Whatever your reason for joining the GF club, a little part of you probably sometimes wishes you could have back the pastas, breads, and cereals that used to comprise a major part of your diet. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just take a pill and make your gluten-y dreams come true? Turns out, a number of supplements now claim to offer this fix. So-called gluten digestion pills are being marketed as the ticket to smooth sailing—intestinally speaking. But can you really bring on the spaghetti and croissants with just a little pill? Here’s what you need to know. How do gluten digestion pills and supplements work? As of 2020, several brands have come out with their own versions
Derms say this kind of foundation is the best for sensitive or acne-prone skin
February 20, 2020 at 12:30AM by CWC Liquid, cream, loose powder, pressed powder, cream-to-powder—there are so many different types of foundation. With each coming in different finishes and levels of coverage, it can be hard to figure out which one works best for you. Mineral foundation is often overlooked, but according to Meghan Feely, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in New Jersey and New York City, it’s perfect for people with sensitive skin who are looking for something simple. “Patients with sensitive skin or acne-prone skin may prefer mineral foundation,” says Feely, who is also a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai’s Department of Dermatology. “These products often contain less potential contact allergens such as fragrances and preservatives likes parabens. Mineral foundations are also generally non-comedogenic, meaning they do not clog your pores.” She says mineral foundations are gentle enough to use post-procedure for some cosmetic treatments performed in dermatology offices. So how exactly can you spot a mineral foundation? Merrady Wickes, makeup artist and beauty director at The Detox Market, says that technically all foundations contain some amount of minerals for pigment. “Flip over any foundation box and you’ll likely see titanium dioxide, zinc, and iron oxides listed among the ingredients,” says Wickes. “Mineral makeup is more of a marketing term, but there are brands who use only mineral pigments in loose formulations, which I think is what most people think of.” She says to be mindful of products that include “mineral” as a form of greenwashing. “Check to see
How to convince everyone you have naturally thick, full lashes in 6 easy steps
February 20, 2020 at 12:15AM by CWC From mascara and extensions to magnetic falsie strips and lifts, we’re always trying to figure out how to get thick lashes with wow factor. And here at Well+Good, our beauty editors have tried just about everything to find the fastest ways to get long, fluffy lashes. It’s taken a quite a bit of trial-and-error, but we’re pretty sure we’ve nailed down a few foolproof methods. Keep reading to uncover our favorite tips to full, striking lashes just in time for National Lash Day and beyond. How to get thick lashes, according to the pros 1. Treat yourself to a lash lift Want that fresh-faced #IWokeUpLikeThis look? You might want to invest in a lash lift—aka a perm for your eyelashes. Unlike lash extensions which can damage your lash line, lash lifts chemically curl your natural lashes so there’s no damage involved. The result is an effortless, bright-eyed look that lasts from 4-6 weeks, no mascara involved. Curious? Watch what happens when Well+Good director of creative development Ella Dove gets a lash lift herself. Spoiler alert: the results might make you envious… [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im3ejx7zOKM] 2. Get creative with your curler Curling your eyelashes before applying mascara can take your lash game to a new level, but be strategic in how you do it. One easy way to really get that doe-eyed look is by heating up your curler with a hair dryer. Like a curling iron, the warm tool will shape your lashes up
Watch out SoulCycle: Barry’s is offering spin classes now, too—and here’s what I thought when I tried it
February 20, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC In November of last year, Barry’s quietly dropped the word “Bootcamp” from its name. It came by way of a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Instagram post, declaring that from here on out, they were “officially on a first name basis.” And now, we know why: The “best workout in the world” is no longer just a bootcamp—it’s a spin studio, too. On February 18th, the brand launched two Barry’s Ride “pop up experiences” at studios in New York and Los Angeles. In a move that’s sure to give SoulCycle and Peloton a run (or rather, a spin) for their money, the new iteration of the iconic workout swaps treadmills for spin bikes. “Barry’s Ride, which replaces the treadmill with a bike, is a natural extension for us,” the brand’s CEO, Joey Gonzalez, tells Well+Good. “It’s a high-intensity, lower-impact, workout [that’s] ideal for anyone who can’t—or prefers not to—run, but still wants that perfect HIIT cardio [and] strength training combination.” To which I say, “it me.” Barry’s has always scared the hell out of me, because I am simply not a runner. I am, however, a devoted spinner and strength trainer. That being the case, when I got news about Barry’s Ride, I decided to try my luck in the “Red Room” (the name they give their studios for their signature color) for the first time since 2018 (…when I puked after getting off the treadmill). At 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, I clipped my Shimano cross-training
Thermal wellness is about to become the next must-know metric
February 19, 2020 at 09:00PM by CWC Way before we turned to Megaformers and Theraguns in an attempt to achieve wellbeing, cultures around the world relied on far more simplistic measures to keep them feeling good—things like heat and cold, for instance. Sweating it out in saunas and dipping into ice baths are just two of the long-standing practices that endure today, thanks to their resulting physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits. “Temperature has always been used a therapy,” says Elizabeth Gazda, CEO of wearable tech company Embr Labs. “The human body is built to absorb those therapies and use temperature stimulation for wellbeing.” So perhaps it’s not surprising that, in an everything-old-is-new-again twist, thermal manipulation is once again a hot topic in the wellness space—this time with modern scientific research and leading-edge technology driving the trend. In general, our bodies stay within a tight core temperature range as we go about our days. “The body does try to stay at the same temperature—around 98.6℉—but it will cycle between a normal range of 97 to 99℉ depending on what may be going on, such as digesting food or entering the ovulation cycle in women,” says One Medical provider Michael Richardson, MD. (Actually, a recent study shows that the average body temperature is now closer to 97.5℉, which could be due to a decrease in infectious diseases since the Civil War era, when the 98.6℉ benchmark was established.) Strategic exposure to higher and lower temperatures, however, is thought to impact the body
The 12 most common sex mistakes keeping you from your orgasm
February 19, 2020 at 08:01PM by CWC This is super embarrassing to admit, but once upon a time I was known for bragging about my “abilities” to orgasm easily. Then, poof! My superpower disappeared. Now, just like many other vulva-owners I know, I’ve started having trouble orgasming on command. It’s tempting to blame partners, and there are some who need a hand-drawn map in order to find certain erogenous zones, but given we’ve basically just learned the difference between a vagina and a vulva ourselves, it might be that we could use a little more education, too. After all, it’s complicated! To that end, I asked sexperts and psychologists to enlighten us as to the myriad ways by which we’re sabotaging our own orgasm. Below, they share tips for getting out of your own way in order to get yours. Here’s what to do when you’re having trouble orgasming 1. You’re ‘Spectatoring’ Spectatoring refers to looking in on your experience from the outside instead of enjoying the physical sensations of the experience itself, says Jess O’Reilly, PhD, host of the Sex With Dr. Jess podcast. “If you’re worried about how you look or you’re focused on what your partner is thinking, you may be less likely to orgasm,” she says. “Some research suggests that you have to ‘let go’ in order to allow your body to release and relax into the moment; instead of thinking about what the experience looks like from the outside, focus in on one sensation—physical touch,