October 15, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC When it comes to astrology, Mars is a body-ruling planet. On the physical front, we already know that the planet spells out a person’s sexual appetite, and it can also help shape your go-to workout routine. And if you’re still stuck on being able to answer “What is my Mars sign in the first place?” not to worry, my friend. If you plug in your birthdate and time into an app like Co-Star, Astro-Charts, or TimePassages, you’ll be able to generate a natal chart that can give you your Mars sign. “Mars is the planet of passion and action,” says astrologer Rachel Lang. “It represents what motivates and drives us. When you’re creating a fitness regimen, you want to look at where Mars is in your chart. That will show what kind of physical activity best suits you as well as what will help you stay on track with your fitness goals.” Per Lang’s take, if you know your Mars sign and how to meet your Mars sign’s needs, you can design a fitness plan that works for you. Below, find her suggestions for the most cosmically balanced way to get your sweat on. The best workout for you astrologically, according to your Mars sign Graphics: Well+Good Creative Mars in Aries Someone with Mars in Aries has plenty of physical energy to exert, which is why they need to sweat—especially when stressed. “An Aries Mars wants to be pushed to the limit, and they may
Category: Your Regeneration
How elephants in Thailand (and Nora Ephron) helped me feel strong as hell
October 15, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC When packing to hang out with elephants in Thailand, I immediately thought to bring Nora Ephron’s Heartburn, hiking boots, and a straw hat I was gifted in happier times. I packed the second two items for my last-minute trip to Southeast Asia in anticipation of region’s rainy season and steamy temps. But the first item was just my literary comfort food for a journey I was hoping would turn around what was shaping up to be my worst year yet. Even though I had every intention for it to be the life-affirming stuff of Eat, Pray, Love rather than the treacherous cautionary tale of Into the Wild, I wasn’t confident about how it would turn out. So I clutched Ephron’s cathartic, darkly funny, inspiring, and nearly autobiographical story about her husband upending her world by cheating on her during her pregnancy with their second child—because if she can handle that, I can make it out of 2019 alive. And, not to be hyperbolic, but this year has been an isolating doozy for me. My friend died. My roommate of four years moved out. And, most recently, my long-term relationship ended. Repeatedly, change and loss—my two least favorite things—have been thrust upon me. But when AirBnb Animal Experiences—a new expansion of the company’s Experiences offerings—invited me to visit the Mahouts Elephant Foundation for a three-day adventure in Chiang Mai, I said yes. This change to my daily routine would be different, I told myself;
Women need to stop believing the myth that stress causes miscarriage
October 15, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC For people who are pregnant and excitedly expecting, no amount of information is enough. Knowledge about every stage of development is yours for the taking both online and from friends or family members who are a life-stage ahead. But when it comes to miscarriage—which affects up to 20 percent of pregnancies—the paucity of information about the experience leaves many women with more questions than answers. The possibility of miscarriage is often why women wait three months before sharing news of a pregnancy with others, and experiencing a miscarriage is often done secretly, a pain many grapple with alone, unfairly coupled with a feeling of guilt. According to a new survey released today by digital health startup Ava, 66 percent of women who have experienced a miscarriage blame themselves. Fifty-nine percent of women who have experienced a miscarriage believe stress can cause a miscarriage. No wonder they blame themselves: Who hasn’t been stressed? (Fully 95 percent of respondents to a Well+Good survey reported feeling stressed at the time.) Yet, while the belief that stress causes miscarriage is one of the most pervasive pregnancy myths, according to Mayo Clinic, “there’s no evidence that stress results in miscarriage.” Maureen Cronin, MD, the chief medical officer for Ava, has a hunch as to why so many women blame miscarriage on themselves—and their stress. “Most miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities, and when this occurs, there is no way to save the pregnancy. One reason why this might
The 4 foods you should avoid for better gut health, according to a top dietitian
October 15, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpAjl3cFn6A] Looking for improved digestive health? Here are the foods you should eat—and the ones you should avoid. I can’t quite believe I’m typing this right now, but the official kickoff of holiday party season is just a few weeks away. While that may be great news for your Insta story game, all those late nights, cocktails, and skipped workouts can be a serious bummer for your gut. How to get things back into balance—and keep them there—when bloating and bathroom disruption strike? Well, one place to start is with your diet, and it’s just as important to know the worst foods for gut health as it is to load up on the best. In the latest episode of You Versus Food—Well+Good’s YouTube series that simplifies confusing nutrition topics—registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, lays out four ingredients to avoid for optimal gut health. Suspect number one: sugar. “A growing body of evidence is showing that a high-sugar diet can alter gut bacteria,” Beckerman says. “Plus, refined sugar stimulates the growth of harmful bacteria, known as candida, that can damage your gut lining.” (Swap these no-added-sugar “peanut-butter cups” for the real thing, thank me later.) Beckerman also makes a case for reducing your meat consumption in the name of good gut health. “There is a link between a meat-based diet, gut bacteria, and heart disease,” she says. “Because bacteria changes swiftly in the gut—which can either be a good thing or a
What does food sustainability *actually* look like? 3 experts share their takes
October 15, 2019 at 04:30AM by CWC https://content.jwplatform.com/players/65hNlGKC-AjgxWzQ7.js Sustainability might be the biggest buzzword in the foodie space right now, but have you stopped to think about what it means in a practical sense, or better yet, what it should look like in your own life? To break it down for you, we tackled the topic at our Well+Good TALK on The Next Gen of Food Sustainability, where health & wellness strategy and communications manager at Ocean Spray Audrey Perkins, MS, MPH, Local Roots founder Wen-Jay Ying, and chef and owner of Charley St Dan Churchill (all of whom practice what they preach by connecting farmers to consumers) discussed how sustainability can be applied in people’s IRL lives. If you’re reading this article, you’re already on the right track. “Sustainability to me means thinking about our relationship to the land and our community, and how we can care for both those players in a healthy and regenerative way,” Ying says. How you actually do that will look different for everyone, but the experts agree that getting involved in CSAs (community-supported agriculture), opting for sustainable brands like Ocean Spray (which has committed to sustainably growing all its cranberries by 2020), and getting creative with uses for your food waste are all great places to start. “Ocean Spray is a farmer-owned cooperative, allowing us to be sustainable across our entire business in the way we grow our berries (regenerative agriculture), the way we make our food (sustainable operations), and the way we
Blue-light blocking glasses: Workday eye saver or wellness scam?
October 15, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC He may not have realized it, but my grandpa unintentionally lived his life like a wellness influencer before the concept ever existed. He started every morning by plunging into his frigid upstate New York swimming pool. (DIY cryotherapy!) He never turned down a Nutty Buddy ice cream cone, no matter the time of day or time of year. (Intuitive eating!) And I never saw him leave the house without his BluBlockers, the original blue-light-blocking glasses, long before anyone was asking, “Do blue-light glasses work, or are they just a scam?” To jog your ’90s infomercial memories, BluBlockers are aviator-style sunglasses with orange lenses that block out all UV rays and the blue wavelength of light. The guiding premise here is that filtering out blue light from your field of vision can make objects appear clearer because blue-light waves are shorter and more scattered than other visible light frequencies. Well, fast-forward a few decades, and a new iteration of these specs are trending again for a different reason: We’re surrounded by devices that emit blue light from their screens, which, according to some research and sources, can sabotage sleep, contribute to headaches, strain eyes, and promote fatigue with extended exposure. Now brands like Felix Gray, Quay, and Warby Parker offer more modern-looking frames optimized for screen time that are fitted with clear lenses you can wear without looking like a Bono wannabe. But, if you’re into that aesthetic, options from Blublox and TrueDark still
‘I’m a neurologist, and these are the 5 things I do to keep my brain healthy’
October 15, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Brain health—it’s not exactly sexy, but it’s basically the boss when it comes to your overall health. After all, without a healthy brain, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy the activities you love the most, whether it be a solo run, a competitive trivia game with friends, or rolling-on-the-floor giggles with your little one. Having a healthy mind is crucial, which is why you’ll want to listen up as Ajeet Sodhi, MD, a neurologist and the director of neurocritical care at the California Institute of Neuroscience, shares the habits and activities he does to promote and improve brain function every single day. It’s advice you—and your brain—simply can’t miss. 1. Regularly exercise your mind Just like the rest of your body, Dr. Sodhi says keeping your brain active and engaged is key to optimal brain health. “My brain is busy all the time,” he says. And no, he doesn’t mean thinking about work. “I love puzzles and doing the crossword or Sudoku, as well as reading the paper and challenging my brain to learn and do new and different things constantly.” And the benefits have been proven: In a recent study conducted by the University of Exeter, researchers found people who regularly completed word puzzles were found to have a brain that clocked in 10 years younger than their actual age. If puzzles aren’t really your thing, don’t sweat—learning new skills or languages, regularly reading, and otherwise engaging your brain in different ways
I’m 6 months into a new job and I *hate* it—can I quit?
October 14, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC Never stay less than a year at any job is one of those golden rules of résumés, right up there with having no unexplained employment gaps or wild changes in industry. So, what’s a hardworking professional to do when they gave it the old college try, but know their new job isn’t right for them? In this week’s Good@Work column, career expert Amy Odell—whom you may know as the former editor of Cosmopolitan.com and founding blogger of New York magazine’s The Cut—explains why a short stint is only part of the picture. Question: I recently left my “comfortable” job and started a new one. I’m now six months in and realizing I completely regret leaving my old gig. I know I’m unhappy and have given it a decent amount of time and effort, yet nothing seems to change. I want to leave but I’m worried what other companies (and friends/family) might think if I leave too soon! How bad is it really to jump around jobs too much? Will potential hiring managers see it as a red flag?? My parents have been at the same company their entire career so I’m worried about not living up to those expectations! Answer: It sounds like your two big concerns about leaving are what your parents will think and what people who might hire you in the future will think. But this is your life and your career and the thoughts and feelings you should be most concerned
Blush draping is the under-the-radar way to sculpt your face without any contour
October 14, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC Typically, when I want to give my face more of a sculpted look, I’ll either carve my facial muscles with gua sha, or use my NuFace (which uses microcurrent). That’s all because I’m not savvy enough with makeup to do any contouring, which would, in theory, be the easiest way to make my cheekbones look more chiseled. You don’t have to have an entire contour kit or Kardashian-level skills in order to fake a more angled face, though—all you need is some blush. Browse through photos of any 1970s-era icon (like David Bowie, Grace Jones, Jerry Hall, etc.), and you’ll see that they all did something called “blush draping”… which basically sculpts your face with zero contour product or microcurrent device required. “Draping is essentially sculpting the face with blush,” says Merrady Wickes, a makeup artist and beauty director for The Detox Market. “No wonder this blush is making a comeback right alongside flared jeans, silky blouses, and disco dresses—the blush sweeps high on the cheekbones upwards into the temples, and across the brow bone both above and below.” So think of it as a C-shape that blends in towards your eye. View this post on Instagram @georgiehobday wears Cloud Paint seamless cheek color in Puff A post shared by Glossier (@glossier) on Sep 10, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js If you look to the 70s-style rockstars for the inspo, you’ll notice that the blush draping looks quite… bold. Which is totally fine, but
ICYWW, left brain vs right brain has nothing to do with the color of *that* viral shoe
October 14, 2019 at 10:30PM by CWC Let’s take a time machine back to early 2015 when the blue and black dress (or was it white and gold?) took the internet by storm. Twitter users quickly pinned the difference in perception to the commonly held belief to that each of us leans toward being right-brained (creative and emotional) or left-brained (analytical and rational). Now that the goddess Lizzo has recirculated a sneaker with similar color-shifting trickery, the mystery has returned to cyberspace once more. This time, Matt Johnson, PhD, a professor of neuroscience and founder of neuromarketing blog PopNeuro, wants you to know the cold, hard facts. Whether you see the shoe as green and grey or pink and white has nothing to do with being “left-brained or right-brained.” And, by extension, says zero about how artsy, intellectual, or analytical you are. “There’s a lot of talk about people being right-brained or left-brained,” says Dr. Johnson. “To a neuroscientist, this is second only to ‘we use only 10 percent‘ as the most frustrating colloquial belief about the brain.” The idea of learning something about your personality from a widespread meme is tempting—no argument there. But, according to Dr. Johnson, it’s nothing short of fantasy. View this post on Instagram I SEE GREY & TEAL BUT MY WHOLE TEAM SEES PINK & WHITE HELP A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating) on Oct 13, 2019 at 2:15pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js “There’s no evidence that certain people use one hemisphere more than