October 01, 2019 at 05:59PM by CWC The days of strictly adhering to a hardcore fitness routine to feel like you got in a good workout are over. Now, all it takes is a line-up of small micro movements to feel the burn everywhere, and one of the best tools to get the job done is none other than a resistance band. P.volve is known for its tiny sculpting and strengthening movements—particularly ones using a specialized exercise ball, known as the p.ball. With bands recently being thrown into the mix, another muscle-sculpting door has been opened. But you don’t need to buy anything pricey to do the four minute workout the brand recently posted to Instagram—you can use what you already have at home. According to P.volve master trainer Celestine Atalie, the express workout helps strengthen your posture and activate the core and glutes. The opening movements are also great for anyone who sits at a desk all day, allowing you to get some relief in your hips, back, neck, and shoulders. The resistance band stays taut in your hands the entire time, whether you’re using a loop, handled, or normal option. Then while you’re doing arm movements, you’re also doing tiny sits and leg movements. If you really want to challenge yourself, you can rewind and repeat everything for a second time. By the time the workout is up, you’ll feel full-body relief—and will be building up strong, toned muscles in the process. View this post on Instagram We’re
Category: Your Regeneration
Does eating fruit after dinner really mess with your digestion? Let’s discuss
October 01, 2019 at 05:23PM by CWC Every night after dinner, I break apart one-third of a Trader Joe’s Absolute Black Dark Chocolate and eat it with frozen raspberries. The simple pairing is like fireworks to my tastebuds, and I honestly never get sick of the sweet-tart finalé to my day. And thus, when someone casually mentioned that eating fruit at night “was bad for digestion,” I was miffed. In attempt to prove this individual wrong, I consulted Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, dietitian and host of Well+Good’s You Versus Food. “It is completely false that ending a meal with fruit can disrupt digestion,” says Beckerman. (A-ha!) “Your body is designed to eat and break down all types of food—proteins, fats and carbohydrates—no matter the order in which you decide to eat it.” Beckerman tells me that no research to support the idea that topping off lunch or dinner with fruit will throw a wrench in your body’s digestive processes. Instead, the myth likely stems from the fact that eating large portions of certain fruits can make your stomach feel queasy. “Having a lot of fruit post-meal could be a one way to ticket to the bathroom. Some fruits are tough to digest in large doses, like grapes or apples, so don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she says. That said, your body will be totally on board with a smaller serving of apples, oranges, or—say—raspberries, once you’ve done the dishes and have a hankering for something sweet. “You just enjoyed
Therapists say millennials worry most about 5 specific issues
October 01, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Of all the labels used to describe millennials, as one of them, I have to say the “the anxious generation” feels the most apt. Because how could we not be anxious? The world is on fire and the extinction of our entire species is looming. “Anxiety is a form of fear—a type of fear that tends to be amorphous and often haunting in nature,” says clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD. Well, the climate crisis is not a drill and is definitely haunting—and it’s also hardly the only huge, amorphous issue fueling millennial anxiety. Since mental health pros, like Dr. Manly, are likely most privy to the worries that are haunting us, I sought insight from pros into the most common concerns plaguing my generation, as well as advice for easing our troubled minds with respect to each issue. And, to be clear, that easing of the mind is no small task. “Unlike a rational fear that can be readily addressed, fears that manifest as anxiety tend to be a bit tricky and more difficult to assess and overcome,” says Dr. Manly. Below, find the fears currently spooking us the most. The 5 most common reasons for millennial anxiety, according to therapists. 1. Missing milestones “The biggest thing I notice in millennial clients is pressure to hit milestones and a feeling of failure if they haven’t,” says psychologist Aimee Daramus, PsyD. “A lot of millennial clients are ‘behind’ where their parents were because
“Forest skin care” bottles up the stress-plummeting powers of forest bathing for your face
October 01, 2019 at 04:28PM by CWC In Japan, it’s tradition to walk through a forest to find stress relief. They coined the term forest bathing, and even doctors there prescribe jaunts in nature as preventative medicine, as plenty of studies have shown major reductions in cortisol, which in turn, help stress to plummet. Now this soothing trend is coming for your skin. “Forest skin care is buzzing—it’s skin-care brands inspired by the Japanese tradition of walking through forests for stress reduction,” Annie Jackson, co-founder and COO of Credo Beauty tells me. “So brands are adapting medicinal ingredients that you’d find in a forest to boost your skin’s immunity and promote stress relief.” It may sound out-there, but there’s legitimacy to the whole thing. The translation of forest bathing for your skin involves the most healing, nourishing plant extracts that you’d find amongst the trees—think Siberian fir, eucalyptus oil, juniper, birch sap, chaga mushroom—that all work to get your complexion healthier and less, well, stressed from outer forces. “Forest skin care is a branch—no pun intended—from the ‘natural’ trend of the past few years,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology. “There’s some science to back this trend—we know that mushrooms can enhance moisture and hydration similar to hyaluronic acid. Many mushrooms, which are a classic forest finding, have abilities to improve pigmentation and have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and even antibacterial properties, which makes them a great addition to a skin-care regimen.” As for tree-derived ingredients like birch
These head-to-toe doorway stretches are the next best thing to a full-body massage
October 01, 2019 at 03:30PM by CWC With all of the professional stretching studios you can go to these days, it’s become a covetable thing to have someone else do your stretching for you. It’s something I, as a lazy stretcher, am particularly grateful for. Of course, I can’t do this all the time—which is fine, because a doorway stretch can stand in for a professional stretcher from the comfort of your own home, office, etc. Wherever there’s a doorway, there’s a stretching opportunity to be had. “At times, stretching on your own can be easier said than done,” says Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d in New York City. “A simple and accessible tool like a doorway can help you achieve a stretch in areas that can be hard to get on your own.” How convenient! Keep scrolling for seven doorway stretch variations you can try to get loose on your own. 1. Chest: While standing in the doorway, grab a side with each hand so they are placed on the doorframe at an angle slightly above your head. While you are gripping the doorframe, slowly step forward so your arms are now behind you. “You should feel a stretch in the chest, biceps, and forearms,” says Brannigan. His tip? The higher your arms are, the more intense the stretch will be. 2. Side body: Put one foot in front of the other in the doorway, and bend to one side so that you’re holding one side of the door frame with
8 DASH diet-approved recipes to make every meal of the day good for your heart
October 01, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC With *so* many different healthy eating plans out there, it’s clear that there isn’t just one way to live your best, nutrient-rich life. But when it comes to the way of eating that doctors and dietitians recommend the most, there are two main contenders: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. You’re likely very familiar with the Med diet (it made a big comeback this year), but what about its less famous cousin, DASH? DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and like the Mediterranean diet, is a heart-healthy eating plan that emphasizes healthy monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts, and avocado. Other requirements: consuming six to eight servings of whole grains per day, four to five servings of fruits and veggies, fewer than six servings of animal protein, two to three servings of low- or non-fat dairy products, and keeping sugar and sodium intake to a minimum. (Again, veeeeery reminiscent of the Med diet.) Another reason health experts are such a fan of the DASH diet is that it isn’t restrictive and is actually pretty easy to stick with. Need proof? Check out the recipes rounded up here, for every meal of the day. Not only are they all DASH diet-compliant, they’ll have your mouth watering. Scroll down for eight healthy DASH diet recipes. Photo: Minimalist Baker 1. Peanut butter overnight oats Serving of whole grains? Check. Healthy fats and protein? Check. Fruit? Yep. In just five ingredients, this mason
3 zodiac signs are ruled by fire—here’s how to cool down the heat for balance
October 01, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC Most folks, regardless of their baseline zodiac knowledge know the basic traits of their sun sign (what you read when you check out your horoscope). Some may even be clued-in to their moon signs, which speaks to the person’s emotional, internal-leaning energy, and their rising sign, which is how others see them. Another feature to consider though, is your ruling element. There are four elements, or triplicities, and each sign belongs to one. The elements—Earth, water, fire, and air—often explain what pushes you in a certain direction, and fire signs can burn particularly bright. What are the fire signs, you ask, and what, specifically, do the ruling elements do? Think of the elements as another cliquey way the zodiac wheel sections us off and also brings us together. While the modalities (or quadruplicities)—cardinal, mutable, and fixed—speak to our behavior and how we react to the world, ruling elements more so act as commentary on our temperament. “Our star signs, also known as sun signs, are only one part of a much bigger picture,” says astrologer Carolyne Faulkner, author of The Signs. “Some people are very much aligned to their sun sign, in terms of temperament. If they are not, this indicates that an aspect is changing the output of energy.” “Fire signs usually seek action and adventure above all. They are forces of nature who motivate the self and others with ease.” —Carolyne Faulkner, astrologer That’s a gentle reminder that regardless of what