September 07, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Of the holistic healing modalities gaining in popularity—acupuncture, healing stones, qigong meditation, to name a few—reiki remains one of the most opaque. And if you’ve seen reiki therapy performed, with a practitioner hovering their hands a few inches above the person they’re treating, it can seem pretty out there. So, I asked a few reiki experts to break down the practice for me, including how to do reiki on yourself. What is reiki? “Reiki is an alternative therapy commonly referred to as energy healing,” says Leslie Saglio, life coach, reiki practitioner, and yoga instructor. “It was introduced in 1920 by a Buddhist monk [named Mikao Usui] in Japan. Then it was brought to the U.S. through Hawaii in the 1940s and then to Europe in the 1980s. The word reiki itself comes from the Japanese language. Rei means universal consciousness, and ki means life force energy.” On her website, reiki master Kelsey Patel describes the practice by writing, “Everything in life is, on a scientific level, made up of energy. Your body is made of energy. Everyone is energy. And, as energy, we have the ability to emit and absorb energy as well.” Following that philosophy, during a reiki session, a practitioner will either place their hands directly on the client’s body or let hover them above the body in order to channel the life force energy through their hands. “It allows any stuck or stagnant energy to basically release itself,” Saglio says.
Tag: Well+Good
How to reap all the nutritional rewards of black beans—without the digestive discomfort
September 07, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC Even if you’re a die-hard meat lover, it’s impossible to ignore the rise in plant-based eating. Alt-products just keep getting more accessible and better tasting—a win no matter what you’re eating plan of choice is. Of course when you’re swapping meat for a vegan option, one of the main dilemmas is figuring out where to source that protein. Pretty often, black beans, come to the rescue as the solution. (It helps that they’re cheap and easy to find, too.) As plant-based eating continues to dominate, you can expect these humble little beans to take center stage in your food even more frequently. Which raises the question of just what sort of nutrition they bring to the table (literally). Are black beans healthy? Here’s a quick run-down of what a typical serving of black beans gets you: 15 grams of protein (the goal is to get roughly 46 grams a day), 15 grams of fiber (more than half of what’s recommended per day), and 40 grams of carbs. It’s that high-carb content that tends to trip people up when it comes to black beans, causing many to think that they aren’t, in fact, healthy. But Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center registered dietitian Samantha Cochrane, RD, says it’s nothing to stress over. “Part of black beans’ carb source is fiber,” she says. “Fiber is very healthy—especially because in this case, it’s in the form of soluble fiber, which is linked to lowering LDL cholesterol.”
How a minimalist bedroom helps you to declutter the rest of your life
September 07, 2019 at 06:01PM by CWC Creating a minimalist bedroom is easier said than done—especially when you live in an apartment. I mean, there’s a Pilates reformer chillin’ next to my bed, a mini office set-up in the entryway, and a closet that’s overflowing with things that don’t fit anywhere else. Even though I keep things as tidy as possible, it’s always beneficial to do some rearranging, whether you live in a tiny space or a five-bedroom house. When you’re surrounded by clutter—even if that’s just piles of clothes or too tightly-packed furniture—you’re left feeling stressed overwhelmed—the opposite of what you want in a room that’s purpose is helping you unwind and rejuvenate. “Sleep is one of the most important needs for well being. It’s a necessity to ensure we stay at our prime, from our immune systems, to our mental health and day to day function,” says Becky Shea of Becky Shea Designs. “The less you have in the space to distract your mind, the more you can focus on the value of sleep.” So, what exactly should your minimalist bedroom include? “Any minimalist space includes just enough and not much more,” says Megan Hopp, creative director at The Everset. “A minimalist bedroom should have three staples no matter what: a bed, a bedside table, and a light source. The rest can be played depending on the circumstance. It should always create a place of calm, and clutter can tip those scales into chaos quite easily.” Having the
Homemade bubble bath will give you a luxurious soak *without* a side of skin irritation
September 07, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC As a child, I adamantly tried to turn every bath into a bubble bath. You could find me squeezing shampoo under the running faucet trying to create movie magic-level bubbles in vain. Bubble baths still have a permanent place in my self-care repertoire—but now I reach for products that are a little more sophisticated—because, when you’re a bath person, slipping into a steamy tub always feels luxurious. But wherever there’s a rose, there’s a thorn. The ingredients responsible for lather and bubbles are surfactants, some of which can be irritating if you have sensitive skin or a condition like eczema, says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD. Likewise for commonly used ingredients like synthetic dyes and fragrances. Enter: the homemade stuff. “The advantage of using your own bath additives is that you can control exactly what your skin is coming in contact with,” Dr. Zeichner says. Whipping up homemade bubble bath is almost as simple as running soap under water, and only takes a few ingredients you probably already have around your home. What you can use for homemade bubble bath base Body soap Dr. Zeichner recommends using a foaming body wash you know you like, since the product is already designed to be gentle on skin. Nix those thoughts of using shampoo (5-year-old me didn’t know a darn thing), which can be irritating after extended exposure. We don’t really have to say this, but shampoo does its best work in your hair—not your body.
Overwhelmed to the point of glitching? Here’s how to find your reset button to manage stress
September 07, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC I’m not sure if you play the The Sims 4 like I do, or if you otherwise lead a rich, fulfilling life among people you can’t control, so roll with me here. Sometimes my Sim will start glitching and then promptly begin behaving like a moron, doing things like making garden salads on an endless loop or peeing themselves because they think they’re trapped behind a counter (JUST WALK AROUND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU, OMG). These Sims in distress seem trapped within their self-made states of being overwhelmed, unable to do anything right until you click the option to “Reset Object (Debug).” After a minute of standing still in a state of nothingness, they’ll finally be able to function. Clearly, the Sims could use some tips for how to manage stress, but since I feel like I—a real-life human being—was glitching just the other day, I could use some help in this department too. When I was moving a new roommate into my apartment last month, I was overwhelmed to the point of dysfunction. I couldn’t carry any more trash bags, I couldn’t unpack any more glassware, I was shaking and panicked, overcome with the refrain of “what do I do, what do I do, why can’t I do it.” Nearly paralyzed by the feeling, I did what felt the most reasonable: nothing. I sat in a chair and stared ahead in the silence for 5 or 10 minutes. What I
The waterproof headphones that won’t slip during my sweatiest workouts
September 07, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC In case you don’t have a Google alert for “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson” (as I do), here’s the 411: in late May, the actor-slash-fitness-fanatic released a pair of headphones in partnership with Under Armour and JBL. The Project Rock’s True Wireless Flash earbuds come with all the trappings of sporty ear-wear you see from Apple, Beats, Jaybird, and more. The only real diff? They’re waterproof. Which, to anyone who likes to sweat reads: “will not slide out of your ear canals no matter how many burpees you do.” Upon first opening the packaging of the headphones, two words pop into my head: bad. ass. Each wireless bud displays the image of bull and the punchline “Blood. Sweat. Respect.” is stamped on the packaging like a challenge. If that’s not a slogan, I certainly don’t know what is. As I slip them into the ear, I imagine I’m physically carrying the warrior spirit of The Rock in my eardrums (you know, like a total weirdo). The actor is the closest human equivalent to The Hulk, so I feel mighty as I stride into the gym, open Instagram, and find the strength training video I’ll be relying on for my workout. Once I’ve turned on my training playlist, I wedge the buds into my ears and turn the volume all the way up. (Disclaimer: This is terrible for you eardrums! You should never do it, just sayin’.) Cardi B. sings to me and suddenly I’m
Here’s why you should rate your sexual desire on a scale of 1 to 9
September 07, 2019 at 02:01AM by CWC “On a scale from 1 to 9, how turned on are you right now?” Isn’t it always so sweet and considerate when a significant other takes the time to ask you that? Oh, wait… that has never happened to me. And judging by the vast amount of people (specifically women) who just aren’t in the mood, I can’t possibly be alone. Learning to state our needs, and inquire about those of our partner(s), is a skill many of us don’t possess just yet. That’s why the folks over at The Gottman Institute, a research-based group of relationship experts, are strong proponents of rating your desire for sex on a scale of 1 to 9 before things get hot, heavy, and, um, confusing. “Many couples are uncomfortable discussing how to initiate sex and also don’t know how to say, ‘Sorry, I’m not in the mood,’ in a way that doesn’t feel hurtful or rejecting.” —The Gottman Institute “Many couples are uncomfortable discussing how to initiate sex and also don’t know how to say, ‘Sorry, I’m not in the mood,’ in a way that doesn’t feel hurtful or rejecting,” the Gottman Institute posted to Instagram. “It’s also difficult to cope with being turned down.” That’s why sex therapist Lonnie Barbach, PhD, strongly advocates for plowing through the awkwardness of rating your arousal based on a numbers system. On the other side both you and your partner will emerge with a stronger, clearer means of communication.
Meal-replacement shakes are back with a new look—but are they healthy?
September 07, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC I was just a kid when SlimFast meal replacement shakes were popular, but I still remember the commercials. It always involved a svelte looking woman excitedly popping open the can—as if a slice of cake would jump out of it—gulping it down, and leaving a big chocolate milk mustache above her smiling mouth. Back then, I was a big fan of chocolate milk—more of the Nesquik variety—but I still couldn’t understand why someone would want to drink their meal instead of eat it. Then, I grew up, became a Working Girl myself, and understood the concept (kinda). Sometimes, mornings or afternoons were just so crazy that there didn’t seem to be enough time for a proper sit- down meal. Eating on-the-go was necessary, sometimes, and salads aren’t exactly ideal for that. Only meal replacement shakes weren’t popular anymore; protein bars had replaced them. It stayed this way for a long while until 2013 when Rob Rhinehart, a young, hungry (both metaphorically and physically) Silicon Valley entrepreneur decided to take meal replacement to the next level with Soylent, a drink that contains all the nutrients someone needs for the day all in one go. Now, we’ve landed somewhere in the middle of the SlimFast and Soylent mentality: post-protein bar success, food startups like Mēle, Gemini, and Huel, are reinventing the meal replacement shake category with products that have more substance than the ’80s canned options but still left room for eating later in the
Citrus essential oils are mood-boosting superstars—here’s how to use them
September 06, 2019 at 11:15PM by CWC During the summer months, the quickest mood boost comes from stepping outside, basking in the warm sun, and breathing in the fresh air. However, with fall quickly approaching, some extra help might be necessary. The good news is you probably already have exactly what you need hiding in your essential oils collection. Citrus scents—orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, and more—are superstars when it comes to boosting your mood. Which, TBH, probably explains why I suddenly feel weirdly happy when I’m cleaning with essential oil-infused disinfectants, even though I’m… you know, cleaning. And there’s a simple explanation for why that magic happens. “The typical fresh and uplifting smell of citruses comes from their main chemical component, d-limonene,” says certified aromatherapist Caroline Schroeder. “Extracted from the fresh fruit rind and usually pressed, citrus essential oils contain up to 97 percent of d-limonene, and studies suggest this component supports the part of the nervous system that’s responsible for relaxation. In other words, it can decrease stress.” There are a handful of different kinds of citrus essential oils, and each is “refreshing, brings energy, and has an uplifting, cleansing effect,” Schroeder says. But different types can make you feel different things. “Lemon is cool and joyful while orange is warm and pampers. And grapefruit boosts energy in an entirely different way,” she adds. A recent study from the University of Sussex even found the scent of a lemon can help boost your self-confidence and body-image. If you want to
How to emotionally prepare yourself to live with a stranger in college
September 06, 2019 at 10:22PM by CWC My sister and I shared a room growing up. Whenever we complained (and, oh, we did so often), my mom said the same thing: “I’m preparing you for college! One day, you’ll thank me.” In a strange twist of fate, I didn’t have a roommate freshman year, and roomed with my best friend from there on out. Later in life, however, I did encounter the odd experience that is moving in with a stranger. (And let’s just say, it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped.) If you, dear student, are about to embark on the adventure of sharing living quarters with someone who you know strictly from their social media presence, this one’s for you. Nowadays, most colleges require students to fill out a comprehensive survey that determines who you’ll be bunking with based on their cleaning, sleeping, and socializing habits. But alas! Personality cannot be boiled down to a 10-minute questionnaire. So to do some of the legwork of getting to know your future roommate, psychologists have some hot tips. Get out your shiny new pens and notebooks and jot this down. (Or, you know, type it out. It is 2019, after all.) How to emotionally prepare for living with a college roommate before you arrive on campus 1. Break the ice with your roommate So the school sent you your future roommates email and you’re ready to reach out and say hello. Here’s how to do it: “Focus on general,