May 21, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEKOzT7oDyI] You’ve likely seen hordes of healthy ice cream options popping up in the freezer aisle, with labels that boast fewer calories, more protein, and less sugar. But are these treats as good for you as they seem? Registered dietician Tracy Lockwood-Beckerman took to Well+Good’s YouTube channel for another installment of You Versus Food to share her top tips on what to look for for a healthy-ish ice cream. 1. Prioritize fiber if you can Beckerman recommends comparing the labels of your favorite frozen treats to see how much fiber is in each variety. “Fiber is great for lowering the ice cream’s glycemic index, meaning your blood sugar may not spike as much after you eat it,” she says. When your blood sugar is volatile, you’ll feel a “crash” after a sugary snack, and you’re more likely to reach for more sweet stuff to feel better. With fiber in the mix, she says your blood sugar is better able to self-regulate and stay stable. 2. Watch out for some sugar replacements To cut down on sugar, lower-calorie ice cream brands sometimes use sugar replacements like erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia. While these are technically “healthy” ingredients, Beckerman notes that they can cause G.I. issues like bloating or gas in some people. If you know you have a sensitivity to a certain sweetener, be sure to check the label, and size your portions accordingly. 3. Skip super low-fat ice cream It might seem
Tag: Well+Good
Here’s the scoop on buying healthy ice cream like a registered dietitian
May 21, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEKOzT7oDyI] You’ve likely seen hordes of healthy ice cream options popping up in the freezer aisle, with labels that boast fewer calories, more protein, and less sugar. But are these treats as good for you as they seem? Registered dietician Tracy Lockwood-Beckerman took to Well+Good’s YouTube channel for another installment of You Versus Food to share her top tips on what to look for for a healthy-ish ice cream. 1. Prioritize fiber if you can Beckerman recommends comparing the labels of your favorite frozen treats to see how much fiber is in each variety. “Fiber is great for lowering the ice cream’s glycemic index, meaning your blood sugar may not spike as much after you eat it,” she says. When your blood sugar is volatile, you’ll feel a “crash” after a sugary snack, and you’re more likely to reach for more sweet stuff to feel better. With fiber in the mix, she says your blood sugar is better able to self-regulate and stay stable. 2. Watch out for some sugar replacements To cut down on sugar, lower-calorie ice cream brands sometimes use sugar replacements like erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia. While these are technically “healthy” ingredients, Beckerman notes that they can cause G.I. issues like bloating or gas in some people. If you know you have a sensitivity to a certain sweetener, be sure to check the label, and size your portions accordingly. 3. Skip super low-fat ice cream It might seem
Why the rule of three can provide so much comfort when you’re having the worst week ever
May 21, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC The only thing getting my editor through an especially awful week is the rule of three. Her first brush with bad luck happened bright and early on Monday, when a pigeon broke into our office and pooped on her head, point blank. Then she came home to no WiFi or cable and was stood up for a breakfast meeting the next morning. But when she finally hit that crappy-event threshold of unlucky number three, she felt…calm. Like, she had fulfilled the terms of her sentencing and was once again free to live her life unencumbered by the negative will of the universe, all thanks to the ever-so-unscientific rule of three. Often, the rule of three is connected to death—celebrity death, in particular—and understanding the principle in this specific scope can be helpful for its applications elsewhere. Upon deeper thought though, I realized the rule itself is inherently flawed because of its totally subjective parameters in both timeline and definition. For instance, are we counting deaths that happen by the end of the week? Month? Year? Furthermore, not everyone is looking toward the same three “celebrities”; the people who are mourning Doris Day aren’t necessarily mourning Grumpy Cat, y’know? But despite matters of life and death and goings-on beyond our control being very random on a macro level, assigning them a pattern of sorts to govern them helps us cope. This assigned significance even has a name: apophenia. “Apophenia is an error of perception:
Why the rule of three can provide so much comfort when you’re having the worst week ever
May 21, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC The only thing getting my editor through an especially awful week is the rule of three. Her first brush with bad luck happened bright and early on Monday, when a pigeon broke into our office and pooped on her head, point blank. Then she came home to no WiFi or cable and was stood up for a breakfast meeting the next morning. But when she finally hit that crappy-event threshold of unlucky number three, she felt…calm. Like, she had fulfilled the terms of her sentencing and was once again free to live her life unencumbered by the negative will of the universe, all thanks to the ever-so-unscientific rule of three. Often, the rule of three is connected to death—celebrity death, in particular—and understanding the principle in this specific scope can be helpful for its applications elsewhere. Upon deeper thought though, I realized the rule itself is inherently flawed because of its totally subjective parameters in both timeline and definition. For instance, are we counting deaths that happen by the end of the week? Month? Year? Furthermore, not everyone is looking toward the same three “celebrities”; the people who are mourning Doris Day aren’t necessarily mourning Grumpy Cat, y’know? But despite matters of life and death and goings-on beyond our control being very random on a macro level, assigning them a pattern of sorts to govern them helps us cope. This assigned significance even has a name: apophenia. “Apophenia is an error of perception:
I had my very first workout-induced “brain orgasm” and you can too
May 21, 2019 at 01:15PM by CWC I was in the middle of an all-out sprint on a treadmill at Barry’s Bootcamp recently, when an N’Sync song came on (“Dirty Pop”, if you were curious), and I was keeping pace at a really high speed, when I swear I had what felt like a brain orgasm. I felt so incredibly happy, which I thought was kind of weird considering how challenging the sprint was (it was on an incline, and I had grown pretty exhausted by that point). I could barely breathe, and yet I felt the full-on warm and fuzzies. I think I even smiled (WTF). It’s happened before, too, and it always strikes me as odd—because it only really occurs at precise moments when you’re really beat down but also killing it. To learn more about this—so that I can potentially have another (I repeat: orgasm)—I had to consult the pros. Apparently, what I was experiencing was a good old fashioned runner’s high. “Runner’s high is the euphoric chemical rush of happiness one will experience after engaging in exercise after a specific period of time,” says Heather Cauthen, PsyD, CMPC, a certified mental performance consultant and E-board member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. “It fluctuates over how many minutes in duration one must exercise until they feel that ‘rush’ of excitement and awesomeness. In a way, it’s your body signaling through the pain to push beyond the discomfort zone and have you continue to enjoy the
I had my very first workout-induced “brain orgasm” and you can too
May 21, 2019 at 01:15PM by CWC I was in the middle of an all-out sprint on a treadmill at Barry’s Bootcamp recently, when an N’Sync song came on (“Dirty Pop”, if you were curious), and I was keeping pace at a really high speed, when I swear I had what felt like a brain orgasm. I felt so incredibly happy, which I thought was kind of weird considering how challenging the sprint was (it was on an incline, and I had grown pretty exhausted by that point). I could barely breathe, and yet I felt the full-on warm and fuzzies. I think I even smiled (WTF). It’s happened before, too, and it always strikes me as odd—because it only really occurs at precise moments when you’re really beat down but also killing it. To learn more about this—so that I can potentially have another (I repeat: orgasm)—I had to consult the pros. Apparently, what I was experiencing was a good old fashioned runner’s high. “Runner’s high is the euphoric chemical rush of happiness one will experience after engaging in exercise after a specific period of time,” says Heather Cauthen, PsyD, CMPC, a certified mental performance consultant and E-board member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. “It fluctuates over how many minutes in duration one must exercise until they feel that ‘rush’ of excitement and awesomeness. In a way, it’s your body signaling through the pain to push beyond the discomfort zone and have you continue to enjoy the
Is it just me or do I get way more sunburned when I’m drinking?
May 21, 2019 at 12:30PM by CWC It’s now legitimately hot outside and the sun is shining. This means that two things are a must: wearing extra sunscreen to protect skin, and drinking alcohol al fresco (in moderation, of course). But then I heard murmurs that the two have a combative relationship, and a light bulb went on in my head. Can drinking alcohol affect your sun sensitivity? When I checked out the scenario with dermatologists, they weren’t necessarily able to call out a definitive link, but there does seem to be a correlation between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of sun damage. “There is a slight association between some alcohol—primarily white wine—and the likelihood of developing skin cancer,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with Schweiger Dermatology. That said, she notes that she hasn’t seen a study that proves that alcohol makes you sun sensitive or increases your chances of getting a sunburn, though others have echoed that consumption of alcohol does correlate with an increased risk of skin cancer. While it’s very important to understand that correlation does not imply causality, I have noticed that I return to my home a bit pinker on the days spent in the sun, cocktail in hand. But… what’s behind that? Science is still working that out in many ways. “The full reason is not quite yet known, but some hypotheses exist,” she says on the connection between alcohol and sun sensitivity. “One is that the metabolism of alcohol may
The outfits 14 stylish people choose for a pick-me-up on a no good, very bad day
May 21, 2019 at 12:27PM by CWC “Never underestimate the power of a good outfit on a bad day.” It’s one of those maxims that end up on inspirational Pinterest pages and coffee mugs, despite hazy origins, because it’s just so true for so many people. Sometimes, you are what you wear, and that can be especially useful when you’re not feeling like yourself. I asked 13 stylish folks about the good looks they rock in the hopes of generating good vibes, and here’s what they had to say. Photo: Keri Goff “When it comes to my anxiety, fashion and function collide. I fortify myself in layers—in this photo there are four, not to mention the double option of a dad hat and a beanie. A flight, a road trip, a date, a day when I don’t know exactly where I’ll end up or when I’ll be home: If I’m unsure about the situation, I dress for every situation. If I’m unsure about the temperature, I dress for every temperature. And sure, all those anticipatory concerns are largely unfounded, but strangers often tell me they dig the jacket, and I dig the comfort of wearing everything underneath it. On those worry-filled days, I definitely appreciate the peace of mind… and a little validation, too.” —Ben Kassoy, author, Editor-in-chief of DoSomething.org “I love to wear this dress as much as I can to auditions, especially those I’m feeling a bit ‘meh’ or nervous about. It gives off a fun and friendly
10,000 steps is over. *This* metric is way more important
May 21, 2019 at 11:45AM by CWC Before I found out that 10,000 steps a day is total scam, I would do just about anything to meet the quota. (Speed walking in circles! Spending an extra five minutes on the treadmill! Running in place!) Now that the advice has been struck from the (un)official wellness rulebook, I’ve been scouting for the next big thing to gamify my workout. According to one trainer, VO2 max is the new metric to turn to for measuring your fitness goals. “VO2 Max is the person’s maximal oxygen uptake that is utilized generally during intense activities,” says Brandon Hirose, a master trainer at Crunch Gym in New York City. It’s the maximum amount of oxygen you have access to during intense forms of exercise, and it can help illustrate a person’s overall, physical potential. “It can indicate a person’s essential aerobic capacity, or the maximal working heart rate of that individual.” In short, the University of Georgia’s exercise physiology department names this metric “the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.” Enough said. Many wearables will automatically log your VO2 max after a few workouts. If you want to go old school and calculate it yourself though, you’ll need to do a little bit of math. How to find your VO2 max Calculate your heart rate max (the number of beats per minute during an intense workout) by using the equation: HRmax = 205.8 – (0.685 x age) When you’re completely relaxed (i.e., not
New research suggests CBD could help people recovering from opioid addiction
May 21, 2019 at 10:09AM by CWC Between 1999 and 2017, the opioid crisis claimed 400,000 Americans lives. Finding appropriate methods to treat people with addiction has presented a challenge for health care practitioners since the first wave of opioid overdoses struck in the ’90s. Recently, a small study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that the the use of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive element of the cannabis plant, may ease cravings and anxiety for those on the road to recovery from opiate addiction. Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai treated 42 men and women recovering from opioid addictions with either 400 milligrams or 800 milligrams of CBD and a placebo, reports Newsweek. As part of the study, participants viewed photos of drugs, drug use, and packages that appeared to contain heroin as well as calmer images of landscapes. The subjects’ emotional response was recorded in three different situations: when they took the CBD capsules right before viewing the images, 24 hours later, and a week later. By recording vital signs, reported anxiety levels, and participant cravings, the study leaders determined that those on the CBD regimen experienced fewer cravings and less anxiety related to drug use as compared to the placebo group—not just after 24 hours, but a full seven days later. It’s also important to note that women—among whom addiction is growing at an alarming rate—responded with double the amount of cravings and anxiety triggered by the pictures than men. According to