October 02, 2019 at 09:30PM by CWC As far as I’m concerned, music should only be listened to one way: at full volume. What can I say? Some like it loud, and I’m one of those people. Now that the Apple Watch is strapped to to my wrist, I’ve been forced to reconsider just how the volume when I play Cardi B. The new Apple Watch noise app keeps track of the decibels within your immediate surroundings. And for those of us who would like to keep our hearing well into old age, the new feature is definitely a wakeup call. Garrett Thompson, AuD, an audiologist at New York City’s Resnick Audiology, says you shouldn’t ignore the new noise app. “Being aware of how much noise one is exposed to is important,” he says. “Damage to one’s hearing from noise exposure is cumulative over a lifetime, so even noise damage at a young age can contribute to poorer hearing later in life.” What’s more, losing your ability to listen to others affects your health in a more ways than one. “Hearing loss has consequences beyond asking a friend to repeat themselves. We know it is linked to social isolation, depression, and even cognitive decline.” Apple’s brand-new noise app (yellow with a tiny ear illustration) listens to the space around you and reports back on the harmfulness of noise levels, with indicators ranging from”OK” to “LOUD.” If you want to get even more specific, the app breaks down amplified noises into
Category: Your Regeneration
9 healthy foods that are always cheaper to buy than make yourself
October 02, 2019 at 09:00PM by CWC Two major obstacles prevent people from eating healthy: it’s expensive and it’s time-consuming. While it’s true that our food system is structured in such a way that makes burgers and chicken nuggets cheaper than anything from the earth, there actually are quite a few products at the grocery store that are both cheap and don’t require any effort in the kitchen. The topic actually sparked quite the conversation on Reddit, generating over 1,000 comments. Rounded up here are some of the most useful—and some surprising wildcards—including ones healthy food experts stock up on. Keep reading for a list that will save you both time and money. When eating on a budget, these healthy foods are cheaper store-bought 1. Hummus While canned garbanzo beans are only about $1, one Reddit user points out that a jar of tahini is typically more expensive than just buying hummus already made. Another user echoed this saying that Costco’s single-serve hummus packs are particularly cost-effective. 2. Greek yogurt Several Reddit users called out yogurt as being particularly tedious and time-consuming to make—and not any cheaper than buying it ready-to-eat. Fage Greek yogurt, for example, costs $1.19, definitely more cost-effective than buying milk and the necessary bacteria culture. 3. Guacamole This is one condiment registered dietitian Melissa Rifkin, RD says is worth buying versus making yourself. “With the cost of avocados constantly on the rise, you just may be better off purchasing pre-made guacamole,” she says. “Plus, with the
5 stretches a physical therapist wants you to do every day to prevent stiffness as you age
October 02, 2019 at 08:30PM by CWC If you’re already feeling a little stiff, just wait—this is just the beginning. As you age, your joints only become stiffer, and usually that goes hand-in-hand with bodily aches and pains. And there’s typically one thing behind the problem: not being active enough. “Stiffness often occurs when we’re not exercising enough, so the best way to prevent stiffness is by being regularly active,” says Katie Sun Worrall, DPT, physical therapist at Zion Physical Therapy. “There’s a lot of research that shows how sedentary behavior—aka sitting at work all day and not exercising—can lead to a number of health problems: obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure, to name a few. Whether it’s walking, running, yoga, cycling, lifting weights, or another exercise of your choice, all of it is good for you and your health in the long run.” To help you fight off stiffness in the future, you’ve gotta start now. Here are Worrall’s top stretches to combat stiffness—particularly the kind that occurs in the spine, neck, and back, as they’re some of the most common complaints. A physical therapist’s top 5 stretches to fight stiffness as you age 1. Cat-cow Start on hands and knees in a neutral spine. Inhale, drop the belly, widen the collarbones, open the chest, and arch the spine. Make sure to keep the back of the neck long (often people crunch the back of the neck trying to look up in this posture). Then exhale, draw the belly in,
A psychologist names the 1 type of social media account you can follow without feeling triggered
October 02, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC I’ve actually considered hiring a personal social media manager as a strategy to help me feel less blue after scrolling into the void. Because no matter what’s going on in my life, when I log on to any platform, I fall victim to either the comparison trap or my anxieties about the state of the world. Watching old classmates live their fun lives after clocking out from their fancy jobs bums me out, just as watching other old classmates overshare about their less-than-enviable situations also bums me out. Happy or sad or voyeuristic (like, say, photos of my co-worker’s vacation), the feelings I have as a result of seeing the content are always the same: negative because it seems social media is negative in effect regardless of whether what I’m viewing is positive or negative itself. Research backs me up here: A recent small study notes smartphone dependence (guilty) is predictive of loneliness and depressive symptoms, and past research has connected social media with similar mental-health issues. Be that as it may, we live in a world where unplugging is more likely to be a facet of a restorative vacation than a permanent choice. Meaning, I’m almost certainly not going to stop using my phone and/or social media. So what gives? Who, if anyone, should I follow on social media to gas myself up and also avoid feeling triggered? It turns out this exercise starts with who not to follow rather than who
Can carbon offsets really erase your environmental footprint with the swipe of a credit card?
October 02, 2019 at 07:40PM by CWC Remember the days when one could simply drive a Prius, carry a reusable cup, and consider themselves a decent ally to the environment? How quickly times have changed. Ever since last October, when scientists proclaimed that the world needs to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or be faced with climate catastrophe, it’s become clear that we all need to do a lot more to reduce our footprints. This is why carbon offsets have been getting so much buzz in recent months. Essentially, they’re a way for governments, businesses, and individuals to further neutralize their greenhouse gas-producing activities by investing in projects that reduce or eliminate those gasses in the environment. If you think you aren’t personally responsible for a significant amount of carbon emissions, think again. “All the things we do as the result of being humans alive on the planet today result in carbon emissions,” says Peter Miller, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council‘s Climate and Clean Energy Program, Western Region. “Carbon emissions” is a blanket term for greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane, and these emissions are produced whenever we drive, fly, or use gas and electricity to power our homes. Just about every product we buy also contributes to the world’s emissions load—livestock farming and the apparel industry are two particularly egregious offenders. According to the World Economic Forum, the average American is responsible for 14.95 metric tons of carbon per year. (That’s the most, per
A beauty editor’s definitive ranking of every product and service for sparse brows
October 02, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC My brows are what you’d call…sparse. They’re there—I’m not the product of ’90s over-tweezing, and I haven’t got blonde hair that makes them impossible to spot on my face. Rather, the two brows that perch above my eyes are kind of like couch potatoes—they’re lazy and definitely have some holes in their sweat pants (read: so. many. patches.). As such, I’ve spent the better part of my life in pursuit of solutions that will give my arches some oomph, leading me to try and test every brow procedure and product out there. While there are plenty of ways to fill in brows, whether at a salon or in your morning makeup routine, I’ve found that consistency is key to overall brow success. When you have sparse or patchy brows, it can be tempting to put off brow appointments because the hairs that you have are so precious; however, consistently grooming them can help you accentuate what you’ve got. With that, I have the definitive ranking of the tried-and-tested services and products that turn sparsity into a problem of excess. The very best procedure you can get: microblading I’ll be honest with you: I’d intentionally skipped out on microblading for the better part of my beauty editor career because I didn’t want those token stenciled-on brows that have become so popular on Instagram. Then, I met Shen Beauty’s Josh Beeler, to whom those in the New York City area should run (not walk!) for
Boost your coordination and full-body strength with kettlebell cleans
October 02, 2019 at 06:38PM by CWC Kettlebell cleans used to scare me. However, once I gave them a shot, I quickly realized that heavy cast iron ball with a handle wasn’t nearly as intimidating as it looked—and that a proper clean never fails to give me a full-body workout. Performing proper kettlebell cleans looks simple enough. You bring it from the floor to the racked position on your chest in a smooth, continuous movement. But like most kettlebell exercises, it’s not just about swinging—you have to master a few tiny details that go into perfecting the movement in order to get it right. “The kettlebell clean primarily targets the legs and core, while also involving the arm and back muscles. It’s a complex full-body movement with the emphasis on the legs,” says Samantha Jade, creator of BODY by SJ at Project by Equinox and senior instructor at SoulCycle. “The movement is generated from the hips and the main power comes from the quads and the hamstrings, with many other muscles assisting.” The kettlebell clean is a very technical, complex exercise, and if you’re not careful, you could hurt your wrists. Take your time learning each of the steps required for proper form. How to do kettlebell cleans properly Start with the kettlebell on the ground and between your legs. With your hips flexed—and neck, back, and spine straight—hold the kettlebell by the horn with your palm facing your body. Keeping your elbow against your side the entire time (like
How to tell if a product is non-comedogenic if it doesn’t say it smack-dab on the label
October 02, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Almost every skin expert-backed tip about our beauty routines involves making sure products are “non-comedogenic.” FWIW: “Products that are non-comedogenic contain ingredients that will not clog pores and cause a backup of oil and dead skin cells,” says Sarah Akram, a master esthetician based in D.C. This is especially important if your’e prone to getting breakouts (*raises hand*). But since not all of the stuff you see on beauty shelves actually says that it’s non-comedogenic, what can ya do when the evidence isn’t smack-dab on the label? “Solving the mystery of skin-care ingredients, especially in products that don’t brag on their non-comedogenicity is a problem that most people with acne-prone skin have to solve,” says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. A product’s comedogenic level is measured on a scale of one to five, with the lower numbers meaning it’s non-comedogenic, and five being the most pore-clogging. That said, just because something’s non-comedogenic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not going to clog your pores—the category isn’t regulated by anyone, much like the marketing terms “clean” and “natural.” “The trouble with figuring out what products won’t break you out is that the term non-comedogenic has no official legal definition and is not a term regulated in any way by the Federal Trade Commission or the FDA,” says Jessica Krant, MD, a cosmetic and medical dermatologist. “Even when it’s on the label, a product may still cause breakouts for some people, and
Having trouble focusing? Start your day with the brain-boosting sun salutation A
October 02, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC There’s no one “right way” to start your day. Whether it’s 20 minutes of meditation, a sweat-inducing workout, or setting intentions by way of journaling, “whatever works for you” is really the best mantra to live by when it comes to morning routines. But if you struggle with choosing just one of these options for how to prep your body and mind for what’s ahead, there’s good news: Yogis have somehow managed cover all three with a series of 12 moves by way of sun salutation A. Surya Namaskar, which is sanskrit for “sun salutation,” translates to “greeting the sun” and should be practiced in the morning. “Mornings are the best time of day to set intentions,” says Kajuan Douglas, yoga instructor and founder of Merge New York. In addition to being beneficial to the mind and soul, though, the series is also great for your body. Think of sun salutation A as the yoga class equivalent of a cardio burst. It will get your heart pumping and your blood flowing, all while stretching and strengthening your muscles at the same time. “The mechanics of the Surya Namaskar A series are designed for stretching the back and shoulders, lengthening the waist, strengthening the arms, lower abs, and pelvic floor,” says Douglas. Think of this series as a way to set rhythm in a vinyasa class—it gets your breath and body moving as one, and sets the stage for what’s to come on the
The pleasure-boosting reason a sex therapist wants you take a hand mirror to your vagina
October 02, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC In a world where we’re getting more and more in touch with ourselves and our sexual identity every day—what with masturbating our way to better skin and better relationships, and going out of our way to learn about female desire—learning more is the name of the game. And in that spirit, I was thrilled when I recently learned a shortcut for boosting my pleasure and deepening my understanding of my body: a compact. Or, really, any kind of mirror. That’s because according to Shannon Chavez, PsyD, licensed sex therapist, being clear on the answer to what does a vagina look like is so important. “Knowing your sexual anatomy and physiology can improve your sexual responsiveness and interest in sex,” says Dr. Chavez. “You are more likely to communicate with a partner about what feels good if you know your body and where and how you enjoy stimulation.” Using the mirror is a way to slowly and thoughtfully explore your anatomy (and ensure you never have to ask what does a vagina look like). Furthermore, vulva-owners essentially need a mirror to get a close look and better understanding of what works for them in the bedroom since the equipment is basically indoor plumbing, you know? (External genitals, on the other hand, are easier to see and—ahem—explore without extra accessories). “You are more likely to communicate with a partner about what feels good if you know your body and where and how you enjoy stimulation.” —sex