October 11, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIrOT6TMm_8&w=560&h=315] Do you use dry shampoo? Or texturizing hair products? (Same.) Well then, your scalp might just look like it’s covered in anthills of… gunk. At least, that’s what our video producer Ella Dove discovered about her own head when a scalp facialist took a very, extremely close-up (and personal!) look at it in our latest episode of What the Wellness, Well+Good’s video series that explores whether the most out-there health practices are weird or worth it. This magnified head selfie is just the normal first step of getting a scalp detoxifying treatment, which Dove goes on to experience at Blow Me Away salon in Los Angeles. These facials for your scalp are just what they sound like—a treatment meant to address buildup at the roots—and they’re popping up all over the U.S. as we realize just how important having a healthy scalp is in order to have healthy (and pretty and shiny) hair. Head spas that provide treatments for your scalp have actually been popular in Japan for a long time, but we’re just now becoming keen to the trend here. During the 60-minute treatment, Dove’s head gets cleansed, massaged, given its very own aromatherapy sesh, and then steamed and exfoliated. It’s honestly a lot like what would happen in a facial for your face. As her scalp gets the TLC it deserves, we learn some pretty fascinating stuff about what it takes to have good hair. Watch the whole thing
Category: Your Regeneration
Surprise! Some derms think you should actually be rinsing that micellar water away
October 11, 2019 at 10:39PM by CWC Even though all of my friends and colleagues have different skin types, we all have (at least) one single common denominator in our skin-care routines: micellar water. It’s one of the few beauty products that can work for e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e, with zero irritation or inflammation involved, since it’s as gentle as a butterfly as it removes gunk and makeup from your face. Besides being a fan-fave for its gentleness, people have heart eyes for micellar water because it’s easy AF to use. Typically, you just soak a cotton ball or cotton pad, or even just pour it on your hands, and swipe it all over your face before going on with the rest of your regimen. But… nope. Dermatologists actually say that some people should be rinsing it off, not just leaving it on their skin. … Cue the record scratch. “Micellar water contains surfactants, which can disrupt the structure of the skin,” says Shari Sperling, DO, a board-certified dermatologist. Surfactants are the part of the micellar water’s formula that work to attract the oil on your face, which is what removes debris. “These can be irritating and should be rinsed off your face, not left on.” While some people can tolerate leaving it on without a problem, those with reactive skin need to be more careful, says Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in California. “There are a few people out there that can’t leave anything on their skin because they’re so reactive, so
Why eucalyptus deserves even more than your shower’s spotlight
October 11, 2019 at 09:37PM by CWC Celebrity esthetician Joanna Czech, who handles the faces of actresses like Jennifer Aniston, Mandy Moore, and Uma Thurman, openly praises the skin-saving prowess of eucalyptus on Instagram. “It is healing, soothing, and decongesting,” she says, as she breaks down her technique for crushing leaves with a hammer or rolling pin to “release the essential oils that bring out the intensity of the eucalyptus” before dressing her shower head in its greenery. Though she appreciates the scent year-round, the colder seasons deserve a second helping of the relaxing extracts. “It is great for when I have a headache or allergies!” she enthuses. While the purported bathing benefits of eucalyptus have swept up showers, we’re only scratching the surface of what the plant can be used to achieve. Take this: Wanderlusting outdoors introduced us to over a dozen varieties of the fast-growing evergreen that thrive on Hawaiian islands like Lāna‘i. “The State Forestry Division planted over 90 different species across Hawaii in the early 1900s to stabilize soil erosion issues at the time,” explains David Palumbo of The Four Seasons Lāna‘i spa, one of the most exclusive in the country. “A survey was taken in the ’70s to see which species naturalized,” he says, noting that 13 types were found thriving, some which smell like citronella, others that are more floral and akin to lavender, and even one specific beauty called “rainbow eucalyptus.” And the potential benefits are as wide-ranging as the species. “Aside from smelling
‘Forever chemicals’: Here’s what you need to know about PFAS in your food
October 11, 2019 at 09:05PM by CWC PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been found in foods, drinking water, household products, and more since the 1940s. Yet mystery still surrounds how PFAS migrate into consumables, which makes it challenging to avoid these potentially harmful “forever chemicals.” On Wednesday, a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives shed new light on where and how most people consume PFAS. Diet is one of the major contributors of PFAS exposure, says Holly Davies, PhD, a senior toxicologist at the Washington State Department of Health, according to Consumer Reports. Some researchers believe that the chemicals migrate from food packages to the food itself. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) names popcorn bags, nonstick cookware, paint, and even cosmetics as potential culprits. Researchers have found that meals sourced from fast food chains and pizza restaurants tend to be served with higher levels of “forever chemicals” than home-cooked meals. Since PFAS have the ability to accumulate in both the body and the environment, it’s worth considering what that really means for our health. Graham Peaslee, PhD, is a professor of experimental nuclear physics at the University of Notre Dame who has has studied the presence of PFAS in various items, including dental floss and fast food wrappers. “PFAS in general have not been extensively studied, but certain types of PFAS—particularly PFOA and PFOS—have been,” Dr. Peaslee tells Well+Good. “The health effects from those two in particular are very worrisome. Their concentrations in human
The most fulfilling way for you to socialize, according to your Myers-Briggs type
October 11, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC All people have a social muscle they flex in different ways, and no matter how introverted or extroverted, selectively social, or endlessly energetic a person may be, everyone needs both social time and time to recharge in some measure. And, knowing your Myers-Briggs personality can help you decipher how to socialize best for your personality. (Don’t know what your MBTI is? Read this first!) Some personality types save their social energy for just a few people, like INFJs. Other types, like ENFPs, absolutely crave the excitement and stimulation that comes from meeting entirely new people and figuring them out. The bottom line here is there’s no right or wrong answer for how to socialize: You have to honor your own needs. What are yours? Read on to learn more about how you and those in your life prefer to interact. How you like to socialize, based on your Myers-Briggs personality. W+G Creative ISFJ ISFJs are surprisingly social, within limits. You love planning parties for your closest friends, most of whom you’ve known a long time. You enjoy a big gathering from time to time, but you make quality time for your best friends every single week—maybe one or two people—as well as your partner. Other people bring joy to your life, but just a few get your consistent investment of time and energy. ESFJ ESFJs are all about social energy, which they derive from any number of activities. You love to spend time
Sunday’s full hunter moon wants you to take risks—here’s what that means for your sign
October 11, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC The next full moon, nicknamed the full hunter moon because it directly follows the full harvest moon, is Sunday, October 13, and it stands to affect you way beyond potentially messing with your sleep. Get ready to experience emotions and feelings and big realizations. Basically, it’s going to be an intense time, and you can thank Pluto for that. “The sun in Libra and moon in Aries will square Pluto, making for an emotional day,” says intuitive astrologer and healer Rachel Lang. “It’s a time when you could have big realizations about your life, especially with relationships.” And yes, though it is going to be an emotional full hunter moon, it’s also one for feeling and expressing those emotions. “If you’ve been holding back from telling someone close how you feel, access your courage and say the words you’ve been holding back,” Lang says. Since the full hunter moon is in Aries, Lang predicts that we’ll be feeling a bit feisty, and suggests being mindful of that. “Speak your mind, but avoid starting a fight,” she says. Be patient, and don’t rush to conclusions if conflicts arise. “The Aries moon is always a time for self care, and it emphasizes taking care of yourself by asserting yourself in relationships. Say what you mean, and be brave.” Learn what this full hunter moon in Aries means for each sign. Graphics: Abby Maker for Well+Good Aries This full moon is in your sign, shining a
How being too flexible can throw your fitness routine out of whack
October 11, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Focusing on just working out is so…passé. Much to our bodies’ benefits, however, stretching and flexibility have become equal focuses in our wellness routines—and it seems that these days, everyone’s on a quest to make themselves nimble. That’s all fine and dandy—but just as you can go too hard with working out, I wondered if it was also possible to go too hard with flexibility. The answer? Well, sort of. There are two groups of people: Those who have a normal anatomy, and those who have more lax ligaments. “You have the sort of people with a normal anatomy, who just stretch a lot and can be flexible, but they have normal muscles, tendons, ligaments, and collagen,” says David Geier, DO, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist. “Then there are those who are naturally what we call ligamentously lax. It’s what we used to call double-jointed, even though that’s not technically correct.” Being extra stretchy seems like it would be a good thing, but it can also lead to injuries if you’re not too careful. “Joint dislocations can happen with very little effort,” he says, adding that it’s not too much to worry about because you probably have an idea if you’re hypermobile. “People with this can do things like touch the tip of their thumb to their forearm, hyperextend their elbows, and things like that,” he says. “It’s more common in females than in males, and probably effects one to two percent of
Follow the dietitian’s ‘rule of 5’ when looking for a healthy snack
October 11, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC It feels like we’ve all hit peak snacking culture. Some of the hottest food brands out there exclusively specialize in healthy snacks (can we talk about RX’s nut butter squeeze packs for a hot sec?). Starbucks’ checkout line offerings essentially forecast what the next “it” snack will be (ahem, Perfect Bar). With the plethora of choice available in the grocery store aisles comes a bit of confusion about what really constitutes a “healthy” snack. After all, health-washing is rampant in the food industry. Instead of pacing around center aisles trying to suss out a legit good-for-you option, or staring at the random things in your fridge and feeling unsure about how you want to put them together, we talked to a few RDs to get their five essential rules to follow when buying or making a snack. You’ll never feel stumped (or hangry) again. 1. Protein first “Because I want my snack to work harder for me and hold me over to the next meal I want it to have 10-15 grams of protein and around 250 calories,” says Maggie Michalczyk, MS, RD, and blogger at Once Upon a Pumpkin. If shopping for a packaged snack, that’s pretty easy to look for on the label. When DIY-ing it, Michalczyk says an easy way to go about it is to always pair produce with protein to ensure you’re getting enough—think an apple with two tablespoons almond butter, unsweetened yogurt, or a serving of nuts
We asked a dietitian to help us finally understand the difference between whole wheat and whole grain
October 11, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC By now, most healthy eaters know that classic white bread isn’t exactly the healthiest option on the grocery store shelf. But there are two options you’re bound to come across that sound similar but aren’t exactly the same: whole wheat and whole grain. They seem healthy-ish, right? Don’t get it twisted, though. While whole wheat and whole grain certainly have a lot in common, there are important differences between the two that can impact the nutritional profile of your avocado toast. Here, registered dietitian Chelsey Amer, RD, explains the difference and her verdict on which one is really healthiest. Whole wheat vs. whole grain: What’s the difference anyways? “The difference between ‘whole grain’ and ‘whole wheat’ is that whole grain can be from any grain—such as barley, oats, sorghum, buckwheat, or wheat—while whole wheat means it’s only made from wheat,” Amer says. Basically, all whole wheat is whole grain, but not all whole grains are whole wheat. You won’t just see the terms popping up in the bread aisle either. Whole grains and whole wheat are both used to make other foods such as pasta, tortillas, frozen waffles, and baking flour. Speaking of bread…why are people so freaked out about gluten? [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9XGWtvL1s] Regardless of which label you reach for, you’re going to reap some major nutritional benefits. “Whole grain foods contain the entire grain—the germ, endosperm, and brain—which boosts your intake of fiber, healthy fats, and additional minerals,” Amer says, including iron,
Checks+Balanced: An engineer making $90K in Denver has a monthly leggings budget
October 11, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Even in a world where questions about menstrual cups and the ins and outs of sex are completely (and blessedly) normal, somehow the ever-ubiquitous use of money remains a touchy subject for many. People want to live their healthiest life ever, but—#realtalk—it can add up. Have you ever wondered how your colleague who makes less than you do (or so you think) can afford to buy a $5 matcha and a $12 chopped salad every day? Or how your friend’s budget allows her to hit up $34 fitness classes three times a week? It’s enough to make anyone want to ask, “Ummm, excuse me. How do you afford that?!?” That’s where Well+Good’s monthly series Checks+Balanced comes in. By lifting the thick, tightly drawn curtain to expose how much women of varying income brackets spend on wellness, we’re spreading transparency and hopefully providing some inspo that’s possible to copy. Because no matter how much you make, it’s possible to cultivate healthy habits that work within your budget. This month, meet Liz Stoyan, a 26-year-old engineer living in Denver, Colorado, making $90,680 a year. She’s passionate about working out (she even works as a spin instructor on the side), eating nutrient-rich food, and living an all-around healthy lifestyle. Oh, and she can’t have enough pairs of leggings—seriously, she loves them. Keep reading for an up-close look at her spending habits. Here, a 26-year-old engineer living in Denver shares her spending habits. Graphic: Well+Good Creative Liz Stoyan, 26, engineer, Denver, Colorado Income: $86,000 per year as engineer,