February 13, 2020 at 12:00PM by CWC When it comes to getting things done, there are many strategies worth trying in order to increase your productivity. But when, say, listening to music, ditching the multitasking, keeping your desk organized, and setting boundaries with your colleagues don’t seem to be cutting it any longer, it might be worth downloading a to-do list app to try. Because, while all of those aforementioned techniques can be helpful, the most effective way to maximize your productivity is to simply track and manage all your tasks. A pen and paper works great (especially if you fancy yourself to be a talented bullet-journaling artist), but when you have many projects in the works simultaneously that require your attention, keeping track of everything can quickly become overwhelming. Enter: to-do list apps. A whole host of them exist, and each offers unique features to help you, your tasks, and your entire life stay organized and super productive. And to save you from the perils of decision fatigue, rounded up below are nine to-do list app options that are each perfect for a specific focus. The best part? They’re all free to use, although you can upgrade to paid premium versions that’ll grant you access to added snazzy features. Found: The best to-do list app for streamlining 9 situations in life. 1. For note-takers: Evernote Consider Evernote to be your go-to hub for not just to-do lists but all of your notes. Weekly grocery lists, meal plans, work notes,
Category: Your Healthiest Relationship
Pros say meridian exercises have the potential to open up your entire body
February 13, 2020 at 02:30AM by CWC If you’ve ever gotten acupuncture or pressed on an acupressure point, you know how much of an overwhelming release you can get throughout your body by targeting certain points. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, your body is made up of 12 main meridians that are pathways within the body, explains Bethany Lee, yoga instructor and certified TCM expert. “There are acupuncture points that correlate to your organs, so when the needle is placed in these points along the meridian pathways, you’re stimulating that certain section on the pathway to feel relief,” she says. And the same can be said for meridian exercises, which are like acupressure in fitness form. Meridian exercise are often achieved via Yin Yoga, a slow style of yoga where you hold poses rather than flow through them quickly. “We’re stretching that entire [meridian] band,” says Lee. “When you’re in the pose, you’re targeting that entire meridian line, so it’s the same effect as stimulating it with your thumb on an acupressure point.” Practicing this kind of yoga is meant to help you relax and to create mobility in the body, says Lee. Ready to get started? Keep scrolling for all you need to know. Meridian exercises to try for yourself [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqnua4rHVVA] 1. Cat pose: According to Elizabeth Martin, licensed acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine expert, this pose works the kidney meridian, which purportedly helps decompress the lower back. In quadruped position, tuck your head down and pull your navel towards your
A tube of this $5 drugstore mascara sells every 16 seconds
February 13, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC There are the products you buy exclusively at the drugstore, and then there are those you get from the department store. For example, I’m a huge fan of Pond’s moisturizer, which pairs very well with $200 worth of serums and oils. But you can always get away with buying mascara at the drugstore. In fact, a tube of Essence Lash Princess False Lash Mascara sells every 16 seconds, according to the brand. That’s 5,400 tubes every day. There are thousands of YouTube videos dedicated to this mascara, with its narrow cone-shaped brush. Makeup artist Molly R. Stern previously told Well+Good that narrow mascara spoolies are great for people with short lashes. “Precision helps when you’re dealing with something that feels short,” she says. This mascara is one of four in the Essence Lash Princess family. Her sisters include Lash Princess Volume Mascara ($5), Lash Princess Sculpted Volume Mascara ($5), and Lash Princess False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara ($5). But the original False Lash Mascara reigns supreme as one of the brands best sellers of all time. If you’re a clean beauty devotee, this mascara is paraben- and gluten-free (yes, some mascaras contain gluten). And like the rest of Essence’s products, it’s also cruelty-free. The brand boasts that it produces 95 percent of its products in Europe, and that every one meets both FDA and European Union Cosmetics Directive standards. The latter is known for having much stricter cosmetic laws—the European Union bans over
This high-fiber oatmeal alternative will keep your blood sugar levels stable all morning long
February 13, 2020 at 01:00AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OZtgAA4XMY] Chestnuts aren’t just for the holidays. Here’s how to cook them to make a savory, hearty breakfast. Unless they’re getting name-dropped in Christmas songs, chestnuts don’t get much attention. Almonds, peanuts, and cashews are so popular that they’re downright basic, but chestnuts just aren’t a nut that typically comes to mind. But now, they’re getting their time in the spotlight. (Or more accurately, in your bowl.) In the latest episode of Plant-Based, herbalist, Supernatural founder, and holistic health practitioner Rachelle Robinett shares how to cook chestnuts to make a high-fiber breakfast porridge. “Chestnuts are low in fat and high in really good quality ‘slow’ carbohydrates,” Robinett says. The reason why they’re a “good” type of carb, she explains, is because they don’t cause a quick spike in blood sugar the way “fast” carbs do, like white bread or candy. “These slow burning, long lasting, very stable carbohydrates are what keeps blood sugar level,” Robinett says. This means your mood and energy will be more stable, too. Another reason Robinett is a fan of this underrated nut is because it’s a good source of prebiotics, which feed the good bacteria in the gut. Seriously, why have we been sleeping on chestnuts? If you are living a grain-free life—looking at you Paleo and keto dieters, Robinett says it can be especially beneficial to eat chestnuts regularly because they’re a good source of B vitamins, a nutrient that’s tricky to get if you’re gluten-free.
I’m a corrective exercise specialist and eccentric exercise is the fastest way to get stronger and more flexible
February 13, 2020 at 12:00AM by CWC Once upon a time in a gym not-so-far-away, the weight room may have seemed like the fairly straightforward place. You picked up a kettlebell or dumbbell and executed a set of moves—maybe bicep curls, maybe sumo squats—from start to finish. Then, you moved on with your life, never knowing that eccentric exercise (also known as negative training) may just be the key to getting—and staying—stronger than you ever imagined possible. There are two stages to every movement—eccentric and concentric—according to Tatiana Lampa, corrective exercise specialist and trainer at FitHouse. “[Eccentric is] the motion of the active muscle while it’s lengthening during a load,” explains Lampa. Concentric movement, by contrast, is the motion of the active muscle when it’s shortening during the load. In a crunch, for example, you’re moving concentrically when you press your chest upward and contract your abs, and you move eccentrically as you lower down. When you’re training with eccentrics, the goal is to stress the lengthening part of every movement. Meaning, you might come up in the crunch for one second, then try to lower down for three. The results are some pretty serious gains, says Lampa. And a ton (and I mean, a ton) of research backs her up. Keep scrolling to find out more. 4 benefits of eccentric exercises to memorize now 1. Negatives yield more muscle growth per rep Research has shown that if you were to place two lifters side by side and have one do
7 vegetables to buy canned instead of fresh for easy weeknight cooking
February 12, 2020 at 11:30PM by CWC While a refrigerator stocked with fresh produce from the farmers’ market is always nice, it never hurts to keep some healthy canned vegetables in the pantry. Canned goods are inexpensive, shelf stable, and easy to use in a variety of recipes. Of course not all canned produce is created equal. “When buying canned vegetables, something to keep in mind is they may have sodium added, as sodium helps preserve the vegetables so they last longer and prevent microbial growth,” says Erica Ingraham, RDN. “If you have a condition where you are watching your sodium intake, such as high blood pressure or heart disease, you may want to rinse the veggies or opt for a low sodium option.” Keeping that tip in mind, Ingraham and Casey Means, MD, a practicing physician specializing in nutrition and disease prevention, shared the canned vegetables they like to keep on hand for fast and easy weeknight cooking. Healthy canned vegetables for easy weeknight cooking 1. Tomatoes “Canned tomatoes are convenient to have on hand and make an easy addition to pasta, burritos, and soup,” says Ingraham. She likes to vary the flavors of the ones she buys, sometimes opting for fire-roasted instead of just plain. Dr. Means is into this one too, often buying tomato paste to use in vegetable stir-fries to add a bit of tang. “It’s packed with tons of lycopene, a potent antioxidant,” she says. 2. corn Ingraham likes canned corn because it has a
I have dry skin, and this three-in-one body product I use in the shower has *officially* saved it
February 12, 2020 at 11:00PM by CWC For years, dermatologists have been telling me that the best thing I can do for the dry skin that plagues my entire body during this time of year is slather it with shower oil. In theory, this is good advice, but there’s one problem: I hate it. I’ve tried dozens of these oils in pursuit of softer skin (including the ones that everyone else on the internet seems to swear by), and they all leave me feeling slick, greasy, and gross. Considering that the bare minimum I’ve come to expect from my body cleanser is that it leaves me feeling clean, this just isn’t something I’ve ever been able to get on board with. But then—but then!— I discovered L’Occitane Cleansing And Softening Shower Oil With Almond Oil ($25). Someone actually gave me a bottle of the stuff for Hanukkah in 2018, but it sat unopened under my sink for a year because, like I said, I hate shower oil. But when I ran out of my usual body wash a few weeks ago and my only choice was to either make a grab for the L’Occitane shower oil or trek to CVS naked and sopping wet, I decided to give it a try. (What can I say, I’m about that can-do attitude.) And let me tell you, it was unlike any product I have ever used in my life. What starts as an oil somehow turns into a frothy foam as you
The surprising health benefit of being in a relationship with an optimist
February 12, 2020 at 08:05PM by CWC In news I hope my boyfriend doesn’t read, it turns out that having an optimistic partner can lead to better health outcomes. New research out of Michigan State University, published in the Journal of Personality, found that being in a relationship with an optimist might actually help to decrease the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This isn’t some Jedi mind trick but rather the probable result of the optimist setting a good example in terms of leading a healthy lifestyle while encouraging their partner to follow suit. “We spend a lot of time with our partners,” said William Chopik, co-author of the study, which followed nearly 4,500 heterosexual couples for up to eight years. Behaviors such as healthy weight maintenance and regular exercise are good at staving off cognitive disease and decline, and those with happy, positive partners tend to be better at enacting them. “There’s a sense where optimists lead by example, and their partners follow their lead,” Chopik said. “While there’s some research on people being jealous of their partner’s good qualities or on having bad reactions to someone trying to control you, it is balanced with other research that shows being optimistic is associated with perceiving your relationship in a positive light.” Yes, pessimism is inherited to some degree, but you can skew more optimistic with some effort. According to Deepika Chopra, PsyD, a happiness researcher and founder of Things Are Looking Up—A place for Optimism, starting with a few
Better shoulder mobility isn’t a pipe dream—here’s why trainers never start a workout without the PVC
February 12, 2020 at 06:25PM by CWC When you’re typing, cooking, or going about your usual business, most of your body’s joints won’t be moving in a full 360-degree range of motion. And that’s okay. Before you start any workout, though, trainers say that warming up your joints using a handful of PVC pipe mobility exercises gives you the greatest chance at performing every move—from kettlebell swings to alligator walks—safely. “The PVC pipe can be a modality that adds a grip for the hands and allows the shoulders to increase mobility before working out,” says trainer Katrina Pilkington, NASM-CPT, with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The pipe—which is normally used in construction—also creates the muscle memory you need to hold a barbell safely overhead or get your deadlifting form down pat before adding the weight. Even when you’re not within the four walls of the gym, your body will thank you for taking the time to work on your mobility. “A lack of mobility can affect how we walk, how we sit, and if we can move through our day pain free,” Emily Kiberd, DC, a doctor of chiropractic at Urban Wellness Clinic, previously told Well+Good. So, yes, we’ve come full circle (360-degrees, you might say) back to you answering your emails, sautéing veggies, and just generally living your best life. PVC pipe mobility exercises for 360-degree mobility 365 days of the year (If you don’t have a PVC pipe on hand, a towel will do!) 1. Overhead partial
99 things to do after a breakup that are actually healthy and healing
February 12, 2020 at 05:00PM by CWC The morning after my most recent breakup from a serious relationship, I woke up, wiped off my mascara-stained face and wrote out advice for myself in list form. Item one read: “Breakups are excruciating as a default, you can’t escape that.” While that bummer of a truism isn’t the most empowering, I charged on with my list and ended up with a huge document of ideas of things to do after a breakup. And I found it to be hugely helpful as I navigated the healing process. Since my personal list included items I wouldn’t recommend to others (though I do contend that whatever your version of “have too many gimlets,” “Facebook messages different exes” and “wake up in last night’s dress” is part of the process.), I asked experts what they thought. So below, find an expert-informed list of actually healthy and healing things to do after a breakup that allow you to feel your feelings and evolve into a better version of you. 99 things to do after a breakup to become a happier and healthier you 1. Remember that you are human. “Heartbreak causes major physiological and neurochemical changes, and knowing that these changes are normal and expected will help you feel less alone in how you feel.” —Elle Huerta, founder and CEO of the break-up app Mend 2. Be sure to unfollow your ex. “If you are tempted to internet-stalk your ex late, turn off your phone and hide