October 27, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC I used to get really excited seeing French fries (or truffle French fries, TBH) on a menu, but now I get a kick out of seeing an ingredient that I use in my skin-care routine. (I still love the fries though.) It happens a lot, because, as we all know, what’s good for our bodies tends to be good for our skin too. When you really start to look for ingredients that double as MVPs for a moisturizer or serum, your head will start spinning. There’s fruit-spiked skin care, omegas 3, 6, and 9, practically all of the vitamins of the alphabet—and I can keep going, but I’ll spare you. It can lead to the question: Can’t you double down and eat skin-boosting ingredients out there in addition to applying them topically? “The most popular natural skin-care ingredients include hyaluronic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, collagen, omega-3 fats, CoQ10, reserveratrol, green tea extract, and alpha lipoic acid,” says Naomi Whittel, founder of OMI Skin Nutrition and author of Glow15. “You’ll often find these as active ingredients and antioxidants in skin-care products, but you can also gain benefit by getting them directly from food.” That said, it won’t be exactly like feeding yourself a double dose of a beauty product. “When you eat the foods that contain the specific nutrient, the nutrients will be distributed around your body,” she says. That means you might only get a little bit designated to your glow, unlike when you
Tag: Well+Good
Frog hops open your hip flexors and massage your spine at the same time
October 27, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC Yesterday, I was crawling all over the floor at WillSpace Movement, the new workout studio in New York City’s West Village. The class was instructed to do all types of animal-like crawls—no matter how weird or embarrassing—in order to get our bodies moving. But it was the frog hops specifically that made me say “ahhhhhh” rather than “ughhhhhh.” If you don’t watch National Geographic documentaries about amphibians on the reg, frogs sit very low in a respectable ultra-deep squat, legs out wide, then use their front arms (are they called arms on frogs?) to reach far in front of them, stretching out long, and then using their leg strength to jump forward into another squat position. It looks and sounds intimidating, but when I actually got onto the floor and tried it for myself, I was surprised by how good it felt. Frog hops have a lot of benefits for your body. “They condition the wrists, ankles, knees, and hips—specifically, the tendons and ligaments within the joints,” says Will Torres, trainer and founder of WillSpace Movement. “Frog hops, or crawls, work to open the hips and ankles, while strengthening your legs and lower back.” Getting down into the wide squat feels really good on my hip flexors—prying them right open. Then reaching out onto the floor pulls my spine, giving it a tasty stretch slash massage. Torres says that you should begin in a deep squat, which means hamstrings-to-calves—but if that’s not accessible, modify
Beyond the ‘Dirty Dozen,’ these are the 5 foods everyone should buy organic
October 27, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC When it comes to organic food, so much of the conversation revolves around the “Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean Fifteen”—lists of food compiled every year that either have the highest or lowest amounts of pesticide residue when grown conventionally. They’re handy guides for knowing how to prioritize your spending when buying veggies and fruit at the store, because even in 2019 organic foods remain pretty expensive. For instance, you’ll want to get kale and strawberries organic when possible, as they’re at the top of this year’s Dirty Dozen list. Meanwhile, you get a pass with avocado, bananas, and cauliflower for being the least contaminated with pesticides and other toxins. Curious about the “Dirty Dozen?” Here’s what you should know: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncHSaA0-Chg] Yet there are other foods beyond produce that most of us should prioritize buying organic when we can. “It’s a personal decision and organic is definitely more expensive,” says Ilyse Schapiro MS, RD, CDN, but it can be worth it—especially on certain foods that can contain lots of added hormones, toxins, pesticides when grown conventionally. “I also personally think organic food tastes better, too,” she says. In an effort to save some money while still doing right by your health (because honestly, not made of $$$ here!), Schapiro says these are the five foods beyond the “Dirty Dozen” that you should always try to get organic: 1. Poultry Experts say you don’t want to mess with conventionally raised poultry. By getting chicken (and
Orthopedic surgeons explain how to prevent the 4 most common shoulder injuries
October 27, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC A good friend of mine surfs daily in order to maintain his sanity (it’s a rough life out here in Los Angeles!)… or at least he did, until a shoulder injury sidelined his healthy hobby for an indeterminate amount of time (so far spanning half the year). He is despondent about losing his daily outlet, in constant pain, and unsure of when things will return to normal for his body. Shoulder injuries, it turns out, are no joke—some can come on for seemingly no reason, too, and then go on to last months or even years, significantly reducing quality of life. The good news is, early intervention can help tremendously, which is why it’s important to know what to look out for. “If you’re having on and off shoulder pain for a few days, that’s pretty normal, so you should stop doing activities that bother you and if it gets better, that’s probably all you need to do,” says orthopedic surgeon David Geier, MD. “Where you might need to start watching out would be when you’re consistently having trouble lifting up overhead, like reaching into a cabinet or blowdrying your hair, or reaching behind your back.” The doctor also notes that it’s not just pain you should be on the lookout for. “Sometimes your shoulder is getting stiffer and it’s getting harder to do something, not because it hurts but because the motion is actually getting tighter,” he says. How to prevent common
Derms agree that this $16 moisturizer is the best of the best for dry skin
October 27, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC There are moisturizers that claim to be plumping, brightening, oily-skin friendly, intensive… the list goes on. But really, the name of the game is bestowing your skin with hydration that stays put—especially as the temperatures drop. In the face of zillions of creams lining the shelves to choose from, dermatologists all seem to recommend one specific product: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($16). “I love Cerave Moisturizing Cream and the brand’s hydrating cleanser,” says Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Entiere Dermatology. “They’re gentle but effective moisturizers and cleansers that are reliable, moisturizing, and elegant for all skin types.” Sheel Desai Solomon, MD, a dermatologist with Preston Dermatology, echoes this, noting that the moisturizer is oil free and “hydrates like the best of them.” Once you take a closer look at the ingredients, it all starts to make sense. All of the skin-moisturizing must-haves are in the cream: hyaluronic acid, various ceramides, and glycerin, so your face won’t be left thirsty. And its use of not just one but three ceramides makes sure to strengthen your skin’s barrier, leaving it plump and strong (even in the face of that incoming winter air). Another perk? Even though it’s mighty, derms say you can apply it throughout the day as needed. “You can apply this cream throughout the day and throughout your skin-care routine,” says Dr. Solomon—which means morning, night, and if you so happen to feel the need for moisture midday because of that
It’s going to be a financially lucrative year for you, Gemini—so get ready to be filthy rich
October 26, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC It’s almost 2020, baby, and I’d like to think that means happy horoscopes for all. The ’20s of the last century, after all, was gleeful time: everyone had finger wave hairstyles, there was lots of booze, and doing the Charleston danced away any ennui. Most importantly, everyone was filthy, filthy rich. We’re in less financially prosperous times, but according to famed astrologer Susan Miller, founder of Astrology Zone, a star sign is going to go into the 2020s truly roaring. …Oh, no, it’s not Leo. It’s Gemini. Miller recently shared her 2020 predictions at an event for the Zodiac Collection with Venus et Fleur. And while Taurus babies thrived financially in 2019, the outlook for cosmic neighbor Gemini is looking green as hell. “Money, money, money, you’re buying drinks for everybody, but not yet,” Miller says. “After December 2, all the work you’ve put in finally begins to pay off in bucketfuls.” The interesting thing is, it’s not so much that a big promotion is in the stars (although you never know, Q4 is not the time to roll the dice and slack off. Instead, Miller emphasized that outside money will be finding its way into your wallet. Whether that’s performance money, a commission, a tax refund, an inheritance, winning a prize, earning royalties, or getting licensing fees, the idea is that luck or a side hustle will probably be providing your income. That makes sense—Gemini babies are known for their intellect (typical air sign) and social skills, so
Keep your bones healthy and strong with these 8 foods high in vitamin K
October 26, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Most people are accustomed to getting in their daily dose of vitamin C to keep their immune system in tip top shape and soaking up some sun (with SPF, of course) to get mood-boosting vitamin D. But once you get down the vitamin alphabet to K…well, its benefits are a bit less headline grabbing than its vitamin counterparts. Despite the PR problem, vitamin K is crucial for good health. “It aids with calcium absorption which is necessary for building strong bones and maintaining bone density,” says celebrity nutritionist and Well+Good Council member Kimberly Snyder, CN. Vitamin K is also essential for creating blood clots, she says, which prevents excessive bleeding from cuts, wounds, and other injuries. “Vitamin K also inhibits calcium from depositing in the arteries, known as vascular calcification, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” says nutritionist Stephanie Paver, MS, RD. There are two forms of vitamin K: K1 and K2. “Vitamin K1 is concentrated in green-colored vegetables,” Paver says. “Vitamin K2 is formed by bacteria in the human intestine and is also found in fermented foods.” “The National Institutes of Health recommends that women consume at least 90 mcg [micrograms] of vitamin K per day and that men consume 120 mcg,” Snyder says. If you eat a healthy diet comprised of lots of fruits and veggies, chances are you’re already hitting that daily recommendation. For example, one cup of raw spinach (145 mcg) or one cup of chopped raw broccoli
Your triceps are the largest muscle in your arm—here’s how to stretch ’em
October 26, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC I learned a surprising piece of trivia during a workout the other day: Your triceps are the largest muscle in your arm. The many people who I relayed the message to were shocked—most people think that biceps are the headliners, but nope. Considering that my triceps are still sore, two days later, I wondered what kinds of stretches could give my arms some love. I tried the one triceps stretch that I know of—the one where you reach one elbow up over your head with your hand down to your shoulder blades, using your other hand to pull it deeper—but it’s not doing this muscle soreness any justice. “I always tell my patients it’s important to move and loosen up prior to exercise, in particular with muscles such as the triceps,” says celebrity physical therapist, Karen Joubert, PT of Joubert PT in Beverly Hills. If you’re anything like me and get super sore if you space your arm workouts too far apart, you’ll appreciate these gooey, tricep-opening stretches, courtesy of the pros. Four tricep stretches to try now [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQJwGhYbb5o] 1. Foam roll it out: I’ve never foam rolled my arm muscles, which is a mistake. Corinne Croce, DPT and co-founder of Body Evolved, says foam rolling your triceps is really good for stretching them out. “Begin by lying on the ground on your back with the foam roller lying parallel to the body,” she says. “Begin stretching the tricep by extending the
What you need to know about how sound affects your digestion
October 26, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC Countless factors affect the intricate internal network known as your body’s digestive system. The spices sprinkled on your food, the temperature of your H2O, and even the polyphenols lingering in your cup of tea all have a say in how well everything moves from your mouth to, well, you know. But there’s one digestive agent you probably haven’t even though about: sound. According to Jarrod Byrne Mayer, a certified sonotherapist from Brooklyn Healing Arts, the sounds you hear before, during, and after a meal affect how well your body processes food for two major reasons. “On a physical level, the vagus nerve is the main competent of the parasympathetic nervous system, which oversees many different bodily processes, including digestion,” he says. “The vagus nerve directly connects the brain with the gut.” The brain and the vagus nerve connect via the auricular vagal branch, which stimulates the nerves of the ear canal, tragus, and auricle. This creates what Mayer calls an “inner-atmosphere” where the nervous system interacts with outside noises in relaxing—or not-so-relaxing—ways. Research has even linked noise pollution with digestive spasms. “Simply stated, if you were to listen to a jackhammer, or something aggressive, it stimulates the vagus system. Meanwhile, calm nature sounds and relaxing music decreases inner-tension.” (I know. My mind is blown, too.) The second reason audible stimulation may help or harm digestion enters into the realm of the woo woo. “The second capacity of sound working with digestion happens on
Elevate the Zen in *any* bathroom using 5 simple spa bathroom ideas
October 26, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC A club-foot bathtub. A stream of natural lighting. A cupboard filled with freshly rolled towels. The aroma of essential oils lifting through steam. This sure sounds nice, but it’s definitely not how my bathroom looks or feels. My bathroom, rather, is a completely utilitarian fluorescent box that I use for the express purpose of expelling bodily fluids, seeing out my minimalist-yet-consistent skin-care routine, and scrubbing myself in fine-not-great showers that leave me feeling kind of clean afterward. But, I recently learned, there are so many simple spa bathroom ideas that would make my bathroom feel more like the one in my blissed-out daydreams. No matter if your bathroom situation is bare-bones basic (like mine) or skews more dreamy and luxe, we can probably all agree that it would be so swell to have a space that feels more like a spa than an area that’s, well, purely for business. So what can be done? According to interior and product designer Caitlin Wilson, anyone and everyone can make a few space-transforming tweaks using spa bathroom ideas. “A few or all of these switches can make such a difference, and since the bathroom is the first and last place I end the day, it’s such an important place for me to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.” Below, get Wilson’s spa bathroom ideas. Give your bathroom a Zen makeover with 5 simple spa bathroom ideas. 1. Dial things down a notch with light dimmers It can be a