November 02, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Carbs just can’t catch a break. For decades, they’ve been looked at with a skeptical eye, deemed the culprit for weight gain. Then the ketogenic diet came along and had experts proclaiming that not only could carbs keep people from achieving their weight loss goals, but they also aren’t great for your brain either. Experiencing brain fog? Oh, that’s because of carbs. Feel sluggish around 4 p.m.? Probably because you had carbs for lunch. It’s undeniable that what you eat affects brain health both in the short and long terms. We know that foods high in omega-3 fats, vitamin B12, zinc, magnesium, and iron (all key components of the almighty Mediterranean diet), can boost your mood in the short term, provide energy, and also ward off cognitive decline later in life. But where carbs fit into the equation is less clear. Here, three experts—a functional neurology expert, an expert in nutritional biochemistry, and a registered dietitian all shine light on the carbs-brain health connection, both short- and long-term. Carbohydrates and cognitive decline The basics of carbs and brains: glucose—a type of carbohydrate—is your brain’s preferred energy source. Your brain needs some amount of carbs to properly function. But then things quickly get more complicated. “Simple carbs, like bread, pasta, soda, or juice, are absorbed quicker in the body, which means they can provide a quick boost of energy, but it also [can cause] a blood sugar imbalance, since those levels will go up
Category: Your Regeneration
Tina Fey wants you to know what ‘chipple’ means—because it makes complaining so much less stressful
November 02, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC We’ve all been guilty of an “I love them, but” type of ramble at some point. It’s the kind you reserve for the need to assert that you’re a good person despite the complaint you’re about to share. To accomplish this, you list out a number of positive attributes about the subject of your vent. It’s a common practice, but wow, is it time consuming. Ever wondered how to complain kindly and, more importantly, concisely? You’re in luck, because Conan O’Brien invented a word to expedite your preamble: chipple. What is chipple, you ask? In a recent episode of O’Brien’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, guest Tina Fey professed her love for it, calling it, “a super, super useful word in any workplace,” she says. According to O’Brien, the word was born thanks to his friend Robert Smigel, former Saturday Night Live writer and voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog who’s known for his uncompromising work ethic. He was often complained about for various reasons, and staffers would try to soften their blows with professions of “how we all love Robert, and he’s a comic genius and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” Eventually, O’Brien decided to speed up the process. Chipple takes the place of the long and exhaustive “I love them, but” prelude to a complaint; it cuts to the chase. “I would always say, ‘Do we have to do the whole preamble? Because it takes time, and we all
The healthy baked good a French nutritionist eats for breakfast
November 02, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC The quintessential French breakfast typically involves café au lait and a big flaky croissant. At least that’s the stereotype. And yet, the truth is that the healthy food revolution has rocked France, too, which makes that stereotype rather démodé. French singer-songwriter and fitness influencer Jess King recently told Well+Good that her go-to breakfast is typically a breakfast bowl with chia seeds. This doesn’t mean healthy French eaters have given up pastries completely. First, they appreciate the fact that moderation is key, and second, just like healthy foodies elsewhere in the world, they know the value of smart substitutions. French nutritionist Claire Power’s vegan banana buckwheat breakfast cake is a prime example. Not only is it loaded with protein, it’s nut-, egg-, dairy-, and gluten-free. (How’s that for checking all the boxes?) “I am all about healthy recipes that are vegan but also lower in fat and sugar than normal recipes,” Power says. “I want to create cakes that make me feel good and that are good for me while also being delicious and kid-friendly.” She also adds that another one of her goals is to show how easy healthy eating can be. Besides bananas—which are totally having a moment right now BTW—Power uses buckwheat flower, coconut milk, and a few smart sweeteners, such as maple syrup and vanilla. (Head to her site for the full recipe.) It may not be a flaky croissant, but this French breakfast pairs just as well with that
Please, please stop shopping for discounted cosmetic treatments
November 02, 2019 at 11:00AM by CWC Earlier this year, two people in New Mexico were diagnosed with HIV after undergoing the Instagram-famous “vampire facial.” The news sent the internet into a tailspin, calling into question just how safe the treatment—and other treatments like it—really are. And while this is an extreme (and horrific) example of a cosmetic procedure gone wrong, the incident was a major wakeup call about the precautions we should all be taking when it comes to finding, scheduling, and undergoing beauty treatments. When you see advertisements for beauty treatments popping up on your Instagram feed at seemingly every other swipe (case in point: The vampire facial came into popularity in 2013, after Kim Kardashian shared a bloody selfie of herself getting one), it can be easy to forget that these treatments are, in fact, a big deal. “Cosmetics medicine and plastic surgery have become the Wild West in health care; there are so few regulations about what is happening [and] people should not treat these situations and decisions without the seriousness they deserve,” says NYC-based plastic surgeon Laura Devgan, MD. “In the same way you wouldn’t go to a fun pop-up millennial-pink bar for your upper endoscopy or lung cancer screening, you shouldn’t go to a place like that for your cosmetic interventions. These are real medical procedures with real risks and benefits.” In 2015, a study published in The Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery noted that “minimally invasive” procedures—like Botox, fillers, chemical peels, laser
How to make a gut-healthy snack with 2 ingredients in less than 2 minutes
November 02, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC For some reason, I have it in my mind that making a healthy snack requires so much more effort than just reaching for whatever packaged snack is in my vicinity. (Hello, leftover Halloween candy.) But registered dietitian Amanda Sauceda, RDN, sure proved me wrong with a handy little graphic she posted on Instagram recently. Sauceda, who specializes in gut health, showed three snacks that not only require only two ingredients each but are also good for your gut: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN, CLT (@guthealth.nutritionist) on Oct 30, 2019 at 11:26am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Here, Sauceda elaborates on what makes each of the three simple snacks such wins in the digestive department: 1. celery and nut butter The major reason Sauceda says this childhood classic is a gut health win: the fiber. “Celery is a great fiber food on its own, but it can be a little plain. Adding a spread of nut butter adds some flavor and more fiber,” she says. “Here’s a pro tip: nut butters are often better tolerated than whole nuts for those with gut problems, so if you think you can’t eat nuts, try having it as a butter.” 2. fruit and yogurt Fiber is another major reason Sauceda often recommends a quick fruit-and-yogurt pairing, but she also loves this snack because of the probiotic benefits. “Yogurt is a probiotic food, meaning it is full of good bacteria that
Why wearing socks in bed could lead to more orgasms
November 01, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC One of my earliest and most embarrassing bedfellows couldn’t part with two things: The Smashing Pumpkins album Siamese Dream (but why?) and dad-like white tube socks. Clearly ours was a very pasty affair, and I’ve kind of been Team No Socks in Bed ever since. But here’s something that’ll knock your socks…back on. Keeping your feet all toasty actually might actually be the key to increasing your sexual pleasure. No, really—there’s some research on this! According to one study by the University of Groningen, couples who wore socks while getting, um, intimate were much more likely to achieve orgasm. And the Socks Versus Sockless disparity is real: the probability of reaching the orgasm soared to 80 percent from 50 percent. That’s a 30 percent climax difference, you guys. But why is this? Mind you, I exclusively wear Christmas socks, so I’m having a real hard time imagining all those screenprinted reindeer setting the mood. Well, there’s twofold things! See, keeping your feet warm is a way to improve blood flow, and if your tootsies are ice-cold, blood can’t rush as quickly to your, um… relevant parts. But neuroscience professor Gert Holstege, who led the research, also found that sock and sex connection is especially important for women. Since women tend to build up arousal when they’re feeling a sense of internal and external comfort, a pair of fuzzy socks can act as a stabilizing base. And hey, it’ll help you sleep better post-orgasm! Now, if you’re very
A beauty product formulator says your skin-care routine should only take 5 minutes
November 01, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC There’s no question that the Internet is a great place for discovering beauty advice, but there’s one problem: All of the tips, tricks, and product recommendations out there can often make it seem like your skin-care routine needs to be 20 steps and two hours long. But I am happy to report that that is simply not the case. According to cosmetic chemist Lalita Vedantam (… if you’re a skin-care nerd like I am, her Instagram is well worth a follow), all you really need for an effective skin-care routine is five minutes and five basic products: a cleanser, a light moisturizer, an active serum, a heavy moisturizer, and (of course) sunscreen. Here, she lays out the quick, easy routine that anyone can squeeze into their day—plus a few affordable products that can help make it happen. View this post on Instagram Hi friends, Let's talk about how to achieve a good skincare routine in 5 minutes. We're all pretty busy and it's not always easy to find time for a 30 min skincare routine. I've put together 5 steps that I feel are essential in your skincare routine. Step 1 – A cleanser that will not strip your natural oils from your skin. This means it can be either water-based or oil-based. If your skin feels clean and supple, it's probably a good cleanser for your skin type. Step 2 – Apply moisturizer on
The best thing you can do for your spine is just hang
November 01, 2019 at 09:00PM by CWC In yoga, teachers will tell you that having an open heart starts with having an open spine, which means moving through elaborate yoga backbends and spinal stretch twists. But if you feel more at home at the gym than at the studio, Will Torres, founder of Willspace, says that all you need to have an open back (and, by extension, an open heart) is to hang. By hang, he means finding the nearest tree branch or pull up bar and holding your entire body up with just the grip of your hands. “Hanging has many benefits,” says Torres. “It stretched the spine, improves the other is grip and forearm strength, and helps with shoulder health.” You’re not just stretching, in other words. Your full body gets involved in a strengthening and lengthening combo. “Everyone knows and feels that they have tension in the shoulders, in the elbows, in the back. And what hanging does is use your body weight to start creating more space between the joints,” Torres explains. “So you create more space and strength in the elbows, in the shoulders, and between the ribs of the rib cage. Also, gravity pulls you away from the anchor point on the bar, so you’re creating space between the vertebrae of the spine.” When you come down from the bar, you have more room between each of the lego-like pieces that make up your spine. Over time, Torres say you’ll feel yourself sitting up
7 healthy muffin tin breakfast recipes for people who like to sleep in
November 01, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Baking a week’s worth of breakfasts in one day is a great way to do yourself a big favor. And while fluffy blueberry baked goods certainly fit the bill, muffin tins don’t get enough credit for their versatility. Whatever your eating plan, there’s a muffin tin breakfast recipe that’s right for you. Just one hour in the kitchen will yield a whole week (or more!) of protein-rich, fiber-full breakfasts that will keep you full until lunch. Let’s eat. 7 muffin tin breakfast recipes for every single diet Photo: My Keto Kitchen keto: chocolate Breakfast muffins Keto-eaters, I’ve granted your wish: to eat chocolate for breakfast. Almond flour, butter, and cocoa powder come together in a recipe that’s, um, basically morning dessert. Mediterranean diet: EGG MUFFINS With bell pepper, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and olive oil, this recipe combines the best ingredients of the Blue Zones for five-bite egg muffins. These also happen to be gluten-free and loaded with protein to give you that up-and-at-’em morning attitude. Curious about the Med diet? Here’s what a dietitian thinks: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGnyqti9wsw] Low-fodmap: GREEK EGG MUFFINS In a similar style as the Mediterranean breakfast, you’ll just sprinkle feta and tomato in the bed of each muffin hole, pour egg over top, and bake. It literally couldn’t be easier. Photo: Getty Images/yipengge Vegetarian: BAKED OATMEAL CUPS I kid you not: you can bake oatmeal (and ICYMI, you can also toast it). Blogger Amanda Finks behind The Wholesome Dish
Sea-level rise threatens 300 million homes by 2050—here’s the most important thing you can do to stop it
November 01, 2019 at 05:13PM by CWC Newly released data reveals the catastrophic effect of rising sea levels, painting a stunning picture for the future of the planet. Estimates produced by Climate Central, a science organization based in New Jersey, more than triple previous projections for sea-level rise by 2050. In little more than 30 years, water threatens to overtake highly-populated cities like Shanghai, mainland China’s commercial capital, and Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city with unparalleled historical significance. The common narrative around such climate reports too often skews toward cutting down use of plastic straws, swapping your car for public transportation, and watching your electricity usage. These choices for personal responsibility make a measurable impact, but they fall short of enlisting people with the power to make the biggest difference of all: elected officials. It’s our job as inhabitants of the planet to vote for candidates who prioritize its health—those who will create policy that regulates the use of carbon emissions, for example. “People in the U.S. and across the world need to know that carbon emissions play a key role in determining how fast or slow sea levels rise,” says Scott Kulp, PhD, senior computational scientist at Climate Central who helped author the study. “The more we reduce greenhouse gas pollution, the more time coastal communities will have to plan and respond to this threat.” “For coastal cities, sea-level rise is an existential threat. It’s truly above politics.” —Scott Kulp, PhD Concern over sea levels rising should inundate political differences,