August 26, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC A few years ago, an aspiring actress friend of mine wrote a screenplay as a means to an end, with the ideal end being an acting career. That script did land her what some would call kindling for a career—but as a TV writer, not an actor. The old saying of one person’s trash being another person’s treasure couldn’t have been more apt in this case; writing for TV has long been my pie-in-the-sky goal, and because of this, I felt a lot of negativity when she seemed to easily fall into my dream as her consolation prize. Through gritted teeth, I lied to her about how happy I was for her and privately sought to diminish her success any way I could as a means to self soothe. I told myself (and sometimes others) things I am not proud of, like, “She was only able to accomplish what I have not because her parents paid her expenses while she worked on that script full-time,” etcetera. (Gross, I know.) ad_intervals[‘413108_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413108_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); In the years since my bout of egregious envy, I’ve more or less completely reconfigured my life to better resemble what I’d always internally visualized for it. So I figured I’d evolved beyond my substantive envy…until my closest friend more recently got something I desperately want—and the unsavory dark envious energy returned with a vengeance. My friend is having a baby,
Tag: Well+Good
Take a cue from the cosmos and reboot your entire life for this week’s new moon
August 26, 2019 at 02:19AM by CWC With the frivolity of Leo season now at your back, brass-tacks Virgo dominates the week ahead (big time)—especially as the Northern Hemisphere autumnal equinox gets closer and closer. Meaning: As the moon wanes back to new (as it will Monday through early Friday morning), now’s the time to release clutter, as well as situations or circumstances that have run their course, including toxic relationships. To put it in Marie Kondo’s terminology: If it doesn’t “spark joy,” consider letting it go. With the season of harvest coming full throttle, actively create space for the crops you are cultivating as well as the abundance you desire to conjure in the future. Forgive old grievances. Move on. This new moon holds tremendous weight. Get your intentions ready because you don’t want to miss the opportunity to conjure your cosmic fresh start. I lovingly refer to Virgo as the protector of purity because of all the signs in the zodiac, Virgo remains the most astute at catching the flaw and taking a stand for things in their most refined, true-to-form essence. Ruled by Mercury, this sign stays devoted to being of service. While the sun travels through this part of the zodiac, now’s the time to focus your attention toward what you most wish to devote your life. ad_intervals[‘418154_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418154_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); The new moon, happening on Friday at 6:37 a.m. Eastern at 6 degrees of Virgo, invites
The 5 golden rules for healthy eating, according to a doctor and an RD
August 25, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC Unless we’re talking puppies, avocados, or Taylor Swift songs, I am of the belief that less is more—especially when it comes to healthy eating. No, I don’t mean less food—I mean less complication. It can be incredibly easy to get caught up in all the different eating plans—I say this as someone who has been on paleo, keto, vegan, plant-based, raw food, macrobiotic, and probably 12 other types of diets in her lifetime. It’s confusing! It can be hard to cut through all the chatter to know how to eat, something that was touched on during our most recent Well+Good TALK event. “It doesn’t have to be that complicated,” Katlin Smith, CEO of Simple Mills, said. “So while there’s a lot of noise out there, there’s actually a lot of things that we do know work very well. It’s not actually that mysterious.” Or at least, it shouldn’t be. Here, the top five tips we learned about simple healthy eating from Smith, Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, and Ruvini Wijetilaka, MD. (Because, Elle Woods voice: What, like it’s hard?) ad_intervals[‘418108_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘418108_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); 1. Simple ingredients (ideally from whole foods) are better “Think about eating simple ingredients that you can pronounce, that you and your body know,” Smith said. Dr. Wijetilaka agreed. “Try to eat whole foods with the least amount of ingredients,” she said. “Ideally something that’s not packaged—and I get it, we’re all busy!
The Bedtime app is your secret weapon for stress-free mornings (trust me, it changed my life)
August 25, 2019 at 08:00PM by CWC For me, “stressful” and “mornings” are like avocado and toast—but like, if the avocado were brown. I don’t think I’ve ever woken up and not felt anxiety. Or at least that’s how it was until I discovered the Bedtime function on my iPhone. Open the Clock app and, wedged between the alarm and stopwatch, you’ll find a cute little bed icon. Tap it, and you’ll be prompted to answer a series of questions: What time would you like to wake up? Which days of the week should the alarm go off? How many hours of sleep do you need each night? Follow them through to the end, and your phone will set a recurring alarm for the same time each morning (minus the weekends, should you so choose) and will also send you a gentle reminder each night when it’s time to start your 10-step nighttime beauty ritual—I mean, time to start heading toward bed. The magic of the Bedtime app is that you can set it and forget it. You know that panicky feeling when you wake up at 3 a.m. and can’t remember whether you set your alarm? Yep, that’s gone. (More importantly, those mornings when you sleep through the night only to discover that, well f**k, you did in fact forget to set your alarm, are also gone.) When the alarm wakes you up at the pre-set time, it does so by slowly increasing the volume of your alarm instead
Look for this ingredient in your shampoo to make sure your hair is *actually* clean
August 25, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC After sudsing up with shampoo and conditioner, you’re probably leaving the shower feeling fresh and ready to take on the world. But I have some bad news for you: Despite the sudsing, your hair and scalp might not be as clean as you think they are. That’s right: Even though they’re supposed to get rid of any product, oil, and dead skin buildup on your scalp, many shampoos often contain skin-clogging ingredients like silicones and sulfates that only add to the problem (not to mention the dirt and oil your hair naturally accumulates), leaving behind a residue that limits blood circulation to the hair follicle and prevents your hair from being strong and healthy. There is a simple way you can ditch the dirty hair for good, though: Make sure the shampoo you’re bringing home contains salicylic acid. ad_intervals[‘417871_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417871_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); Looking for more smart beauty intel? Check out our new video series, Dear Derm: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0sqKBXyjls] Yes, the famed acne-fighting skin-care ingredient is great for your hair, too. “Salicylic acid is a highly effective shampoo ingredient that keeps your hair healthy and prevents dandruff,” says Sacha Mitic, hair stylist and co-founder of Sachajuan. “It both unglues and washes away excess sebum from your skin, and has been found to help acne developing on your scalp and even your face,” she says—always a good thing, since scalp acne (aka folliculitis) is no. joke.
These lymphatic drainage workouts are basically a detox on a mat…or trampoline
August 25, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC If I sat and wrote out out all of the benefits associated with exercising, we’d both be here all day. But one more thing that I recently learned can be added to the endless laundry list of “why working out is good for you,” after “building strength,” “boosting your mood,” and “helping with sleep”? It aids in lymphatic drainage. Think of the lymphatic system as a series of pipes that removes toxins and waste from your body. It does the job just fine on its own, but we can do certain things—like getting lymphatic drainage massages or taking certain supplements—to help it move more efficiently. While there’s been a whole lot of conversation around whether or not lymphatic drainage—AKA detoxing your lymphatic system—is totally necessary, that hasn’t stopped people from trying all sorts of things in its pursuits. You can get lymphatic drainage massages, pop certain supplements, and even jade rolling is purported to help with the process. If you’re committed to the cause, these workout moves are said to help, too. ad_intervals[‘416877_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘416877_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); On a trampoline Consider this the most fun way ever to help get your lymph system moving. “Bounce is more effective than other workouts for lymphatic drainage because of the effects of gravity and your body’s muscle contractions while on the trampoline,” says Aly Giampolo, co-founder of the ness, a studio in New York City that offers trampoline
6 traits that make Scorpios the most intense and intuitive powerhouses of the zodiac
August 25, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC To all the Scorpios I’ve loved before (and also just regular platonic friends who were born between October 21 and November 23), plain and simple, I would follow you to hell and back. Something about being born amid the crisp air of peak fall, when the world’s still excited about sweater weather and more JOMO nights in, gives people of this zodiac sign a darkly magnetic lure. And if you’re one of them, surely you know it. I know it. So, consider this my love letter to Scorpios of the world and their captivating qualities. Okay, okay, to make this a little less creepy, let me provide some context: I’m a Taurus, and Scorpio is my total opposite on the zodiac wheel—I’ve always been drawn to them. Since so many of my friends are Scorpios, my bank account cringes every year come late October since it’s when I’m annually stockpiling birthday gifts for my most smoldering friends. My first love, in fact, was a total Scorpio. But he was also was a grade-A A-hole who ditched me on prom night…so I won’t derail this love letter to Scorpio personality traits to wax poetic about a romance I had when the hashtag symbol still meant “pound.” That said, his less-than-stellar handling of prom (and our relationship) does reflect a certain Scorpio tendency to avail oneself of traditions, astrologer Emma Toynbee tells me. And, hey, I have to learn to take the good with
Digestion experts name the 4 hallmarks of a perfect poop
August 25, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC People say that perfection is overrated. They’ve clearly never experienced the joys of a satisfying a.m. bowel movement. And, medical professionals agree, a healthy stool is a great indicator that your pipes are in tip-top shape and your body is getting the proper nutrients. But what, exactly, is the Platonic ideal of a poo? A functional medicine doctor and a gastroenterologist give me a checklist for what your poop should look like. 1. It’s brown “The first [thing] is color,” says gastroenterologist Niket Sonpal, MD. “Stool should be consistent in color.” According to the Mayo Clinic, all shades of brown tick this box. Greens, light-colored whites, yellows, black, and reds, meanwhile, all call for a visit to your doctor. If a peek into the bowl reveals a Pantone-style match for the classic poop emoji, you’re one step closer to the perfect plop. ad_intervals[‘417987_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417987_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); 2. It has a “Goldilocks” texture The next poo-criteria has to do with consistency, according to Dr. Sonpal and functional medicine doctor Mark Hyman, MD. At Butt-Con—a real event in New York City that bidet brand Tushy threw last week—Dr. Hyman said a good number two shouldn’t be too hard. “The quality should be not too hard and not too soft—it’s a Goldilocks phenomenon,” Dr. Sonpal elaborates. “You also shouldn’t see any undigested food chronically. It’s fine to see some corn on the way out, but if it’s
Everything you need to know about treating—and preventing—under-eye wrinkles
August 25, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC There are a lot of things that are really fun about getting older: no bedtime, being able to eat ice cream whenever you want, spicy margaritas. But on the other side of this naughty and nice list—right below “paying bills” and “going to work”—you’ll find under-eye wrinkles. I noticed my own “crow’s feet” for the first time earlier this year, at the ripe old age of 28, when a dermatologist pointed them out to me… before offering to inject them with Botox. And while I’ve always known that these fine lines were a natural part of getting older, I couldn’t help but wonder where the heck they came from, and why they suddenly decided to show up. What causes under-eye wrinkles? “The skin around the eye is one of the thinnest areas of skin in the body and is very fragile,” says board-certified dermatologist Nava Greenfield, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group in Brooklyn. And over time, “the collagen in the dermis of the skin under the eyes breaks down and loses its volume and elasticity. This occurs because of age, sun exposure, genetic factors, and environmental damage.” She adds that people with lighter skin tones are more susceptible to under-eye wrinkles because people with darker skin tones have a greater amount of pigment, which acts as a natural sun protectant and “will prevent an acceleration of collagen breakdown.” ad_intervals[‘417660_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘417660_div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7520022-3’);}); } }, 100); The fact
These herbs, flowers, and plants will help make your home an insect-free zone
August 24, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC You know the insect prob has gotten bad when opening a window leads to a whole internal debate: How much fresh air is worth a swarm of gnats moving in? Hmm, maybe if I wear a hoodie and sweats I can sit on the porch with my wine without getting any mosquito bites. Sure, there are workarounds, like setting natural traps on every surface, or gifting every guest who enters your home a complimentary fly swatter. But there’s also an easier—and beautiful—way to ward off bugs: using plants. Home decor that adds greenery and works to repel bugs at the same time is a double win—but it’s important to know which plants are actually up to the job. Here, Paris Lalicata, a customer experience coordinator at garden center marketplace and resource The Sill, shares exactly which ones will work. ad_intervals[‘413836_div-gpt-ad-5443410-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘413836_div-gpt-ad-5443410-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-5443410-3’);}); } }, 100); Herbs that repel bugs “There are a lot of common herbs you can grow [in pots] in your windowsill that repel bugs including rosemary, lemon balm, lemon grass, peppermint, and lavender,” Lalicata says. The reason why they work so well, she says, is because they all have strong aromas, which insects—including gnats, flies, and mosquitos—don’t like. (For whatever reason, trash and rotting food is more their jam.) “When you’re growing these herbs, they’re going to need a lot of light,” she says. “You can either put them in a place where