October 29, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Ask any skin-care pro which ingredient should be a top priority in your moisturizer, and you’re next to certain to hear a lot about ceramides. No lie: three consecutive derms heralded this ceramide-rich $16 moisturizer as a dry skin savior. Aside from being a word that rolls of the tongue of derms all the time (and that feels damn near impossible to spell, TBH) what are ceramides and why are they so important for keeping your skin hydrated? Ceramides are lipids that occur naturally in your skin, and make up more than 50 percent of it, according to Sheel Desai Solomon, MD, a Cary, NC dermatologist. If you think of your skin cells as bricks, the “mortar” in between them is filled with ceramides (plus cholesterol and some other fatty acids), which Rachel Nazarian, MD, a New York City dermatologist tells me is the “first line of defense” in protecting your skin from the elements. “It helps preserve the barriers of the skin and lock in moisture as well as shielding the skin from pollutants,” adds Dr. Solomon. When all of this is intact, moisture stays within skin to keep it hydrated and protected, but when it’s not, that’s when transepidermal water loss (aka when the water gets sucked out of your skin by the environment) happens. This can leave your skin feeling dry and inflamed, and it can make you more at risk for sensitivity issues like itchiness and eczema. All of
Tag: Well+Good
Facebook wants to be your personal health concierge—here’s what to know about the new features
October 29, 2019 at 04:44PM by CWC Facebook is a one-stop shop for creeping on your ex, connecting with your fit squad, and… staying on top of your health? Yes, the social media giant is expanding into healthcare with its latest preventive health features. On Tuesday, Facebook’s unveiled its new Preventive Health tool, which works as a digital reminder to see your doctor and help you find nearby medical practitioners. Freddy Abnousi, the head of Facebook’s healthcare research tells TechCrunch the new initiative stemmed from the fact that preventable illnesses, like influenza or heart disease (one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.), affect millions of Americans each year. Facebook worked with several health organizations to create the tool, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and the American Cancer Society. Facebook’s Preventive Health takes recommendations on proactive healthcare from these organizations and targets specific individuals based on factors such as age and gender. Facebook users will also be able to keep track of recent medical testing and—of course—share any updates with friends (if they want). Likely anticipating that some people might be wary in light of recent privacy concerns, the company released a statement explaining how personal medical information will remain just that. “Health is particularly personal, so we took privacy and safety into account from the beginning. For example, Preventive Health allows you to set reminders for your future checkups and mark them as done, but it doesn’t
The most common things we do each day that can throw our body alignment off
October 29, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC You take time to stretch before and after each workout, and you see your doctor regularly for check-ups. You pay attention to your posture and try to incorporate yoga to build your abdominal and back strength. Generally speaking, you feel healthy and properly aligned, but still, sometimes you have unexplained aches-and-pains. What’s up with that? If you ask Emily Kiberd, DC, founder of the Urban Wellness Clinic in New York City, the culprit could be seemingly innocent everyday activities that challenge your spine. According to her, the same way we develop positive habits, so too can our body also learns negative ones. “We are a blueprint of our actions, and most times what we do all day is not balanced,” she explains. “Imbalanced loading of certain muscles and joints can lead to repetitive strain and sprains. We become susceptible to new injuries, as well as increased likelihood of exacerbating existing issues.” So what could be to blame? These rituals that we’re all pretty much guilty of doing on the reg. Sitting all day You probably don’t need us to tell you that sitting pretty from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is bad news for your back. But in case you haven’t gotten the memo, consider this: “Sitting is the new smoking!” exclaims Kiberd. In addition to the stress it puts on your muscles, it can also compromise your ability to inhale and exhale effectively, especially if you are slouching or hunching over your
7 tips to help you handle the grief of losing someone once you go back to work
October 29, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Returning to work after losing my mom was a hard reality to face. Being in meetings, answering emails, and meeting deadlines all felt so trivial and weird given that I was right on the heels of the most emotionally taxing time in my life. Dealing with grief at the office quickly proved to be a struggle—I couldn’t and didn’t want to check it at the door when I came in each morning only to pick up on my way out. But I didn’t know whether I should communicate my feelings at work. And if so, how? Dealing with grief is complicated because it’s so personal and affects everyone differently. It can influence how you work, connect, and communicate, and figuring out how to navigate this new normal (even if it’s a temporary normal) in a professional setting can be an intimidating and daunting task. Two big factors in this discomfort? A workplace’s culture and its attitude—perceived and direct—toward grief, says career coach and human-behavior expert, Beverly Flaxington. “We haven’t been taught how to be supportive and understanding, yet not intrusive, about the nature of grief,” she says. “Plus, in many workplaces, it’s all about the work. This can make it challenging for the person experiencing the grief, because they may be afraid and hesitant to bring up their grief.” That said, some do prefer to disregard their emotional weight during business hours, because it can serve as a break or distraction of sorts
If you’re only going to buy one facial serum, make it one of these multitaskers
October 29, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC My serum collection is about as vast as my hot sauce collection: I have a lot of both. While I tend to use only one of my hot sauces (Valentina ILYSM), my serums overwhelm me to the point that in a skin-care-induced craze I just slather on the many active ingredients I want to feed my face with—vitamin C, retinol, and hyaluronic acid—but I’d love if I could streamline things down and just use one super-incredible multitasking serum that does it all. You feel me? It’s actually not the most out-there thing to have on a wish list, though. Plenty of multifunctional serums line the beauty shelves—you just have to know what to look for. “Most dermatologists subscribe to this multi-tasking policy,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology in New York City. “If we had to use one ingredient per product, our regimens would be long and multi-stepped—we opt for shorter skin-care regimens with multiple active ingredients per product.” Celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas, who has an eponymous skin-care line Joanna Vargas Salons and Skin Care, says she specifically formulates her serums to pack a lot of benefits into a single bottle. “I wanted good nutrition for the skin and products that multitask when I use them,” she says. “A serum made with ingredients tends to assimilate into the skin better, and has a lot of vitamins and minerals to keep the skin balanced all day.” Her tip? Look for green
There are 4 types of intimacy, and only 1 includes touching
October 29, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Something about the mere word “intimacy” evokes an image of not necessarily being in the middle of sex, but at least being in a situation that’s setting the mood for it. Perhaps the parties involved aren’t fully dressed, or perhaps they’re just inching closer toward each other. At any rate, no matter what you’re imagining specifically, it’s likely aligned to the concept of being intimate with someone, which is a notion many of us regard as first and foremost a physical act. That’s where we’re not quite right. Truly connecting with someone calls upon a combination of the four types of intimacy, and most of those don’t involve any type of touching whatsoever. According to an Instagram that therapist Alyssa Mancao, LCSW, recently posted, fostering a sense of closeness in any relationship (romantic or otherwise) requires a combination of all four types of intimacy: emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical. But since you obviously won’t have natural off-the-charts natural chemistry with every person in your sphere, understanding what each of the types of intimacy has in common is crucial for maximizing the power of each. According to Helene Brenner, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of I Know I’m In There Somewhere, A+ intimacy boils down to connection and attention. “Intimacy is a one-on-one connection that involves a synchrony between two people,” she says. “If you want to feel intimate, the first thing you and your partner need to do is stop all the other things
The key to future fitness gains might lie in your resting metabolic rate
October 29, 2019 at 11:30AM by CWC There are tons of acronyms and terms that get thrown around at the gym, from AMRAP to PR to WOD. But there’s a surprising health metric that experts say not enough people understand: RMR, which stands for resting metabolic rate. “In simplest terms, RMR is the energy your body uses when you’re doing absolutely nothing—your base energy burn, aka how many calories you need for your body to perform basic functions like breathing,” says Ash Wilking, NASM, a Nike trainer and instructor at Rumble. Why is this important, and is there anything that can be done to improve or optimize one’s own resting metabolic rate? Here’s what experts say you should know. Why does resting metabolic rate matter, anyways? Essentially, the RMR describes the energy your body burns naturally on its own, before any kind of exercise or food gets involved. Your body’s natural RMR is crucial to support breathing, blood circulation, and brain function, per the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Surprisingly, your RMR makes up for 60 to 75 percent of your total daily energy expenditure—so it’s actually pretty important in understanding how much energy your body needs to function properly. (Exercise, on the other hand, ranges from 15 to 30 percent.) Wilking says that understanding your personal RMR (kind of like your body’s baseline) can help you optimize your body’s performance, as well as enable you to meet fitness goals and optimize healthy weight management. “Don’t set out to ‘change’
50 wellness-inspired activities to check off your fall bucket list
October 29, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC There’s something about that first blast of crisp, fall air that instantly makes you want to throw on a knit sweater and jump into a pile of leaves. But in reality, by the time you shake off summer brain and get around to unpacking your sweaters, you end up cramming all of autumn into like a week. To actually enjoy the season, you need a game-plan—which is why we dreamed up this list of fall bucket list ideas (with a wellness spin, of course). Whether it’s wandering through a corn maze pretending not to be lost with your friends, or plopping down on your couch for a scary movie marathon with a bowl of Smartfood® Smart50 air-popped, 100 percent whole grain popcorn at 50 calories per cup or less, fall is prime time for prioritizing fun. What are you waiting for? Snow is right around the corner, so throw on that oversized sweater, pour yourself some cider and popcorn, and start crossing off these 50 wellness bucket list items. Keep scrolling to get a full look at these fall bucket list ideas. Shop for fall snacks Buy Now Smart50 White Cheddar $4 Buy Now Smart50 Sea Salt $4 Sponsored by Smartfood® Smart50 Top photo: Getty Images/Westend61 Continue Reading… Author Well+Good Editors | Well and Good Selected by CWC
8 inexpensive nutrient-dense foods to fill your cart and fit your budget
October 29, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC A survey conducted by the American Heart Association in early 2019 found that even though 95 percent of grocery shoppers “at least sometimes” wanted to seek out healthy options, only 25 percent of them reported having the knowledge to do so. Clearly, when it comes to eating healthy foods, there’s a knowledge gap. And yes, It’s true: there’s no reliable “healthy foods this way!” sign at your local supermarket. That’s exactly why we asked Malina Malkani, RDN, a dietitian with the American Academy of Dietetics which nutrient-dense foods will load up your cart without emptying your wallet. According to Malkani, creating a shopping list that caters to your nutrient needs involves reaching for four types of food: protein, healthy fats, fiber, and the combination of calcium and probiotics. Truth be told, an infinite combinations of grocery store purchases could satisfy Malkani’s must-have items, but not every list would ring up to the same dollar amount at the register. So below, she offers a shopping list that ticks all four boxes. Let’s just call it your nutrient budget—shall we? 1. For protein, it’s all about the beans The dietitian says that frugal shopper can’t beat beans for protein. “When it comes to convenient, affordable foods that are nutrient-dense and rich in many of the nutrients that promote health and wellness, beans and legumes are always among my top choices. Beans and legumes are rich in plant-based protein, many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and of
How to have amazing vacation sex, even when you’re not on vacation
October 29, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC Can we spare a minute to talk about how nothing brightens up a sex life like the City of Light…or the sands of the Caribbean…or a cozy cabin in Vermont with a crackling fireplace? If the notion of these locales (where I’m assuming you don’t live full-time) alone puts you in the mood, you’ve likely experienced the highs of vacation sex. Compared to the regular at-home, I-guess-we-should-do-it coitus, vacation sex tends to be a little bit more consistent and delightfully spicier than you’re likely to experience during a regular at-home week. And, there’s some psychology to explain why this is. The guiding premise behind vacation sex veers into self-expansion theory, which supports the idea that novelty can stoke excitement within your relationship. When you focus on self-expansion or, essentially, trying new things as a couple, the result may include an improved connection and a boost in sexual well-being. And side note, introducing an element of novelty into life also skews the brain’s perception of passing time in such a way that things seem to feel slower-moving. So, when you’re operating outside your normal schedule and routine, romps may also feel longer, regardless of whether they really are or not. The problem with this theory about why vacation sex is so great? Since you probably don’t have the limitless funds and vacation days required to be jet-setting constantly, the notion of only having great sex on vacation probably doesn’t satisfy you. Because, plain and