April 09, 2019 at 10:45AM by CWC Praise the farmers’ market, it’s finally spring time! Zucchinis, carrots, onions, cabbage, beets! The produce section is bursting with freshness. (Compare that to a month ago when poking around for the few good items meant avoiding the stink eye from other shoppers.) For once, your crisper is full and all those glorious veggies are ready to chop. Right. Chop. The annoying pre-dinner time chore. This is exactly when a mandoline comes in handy, you know, if you’re willing to risk losing the tip of a few fingers in pursuit of a vibrant spring salad. Let’s be real here: mandolines are scary! But they’re a timesaver. In fact, Dez restaurant co-owner and executive chef Eden Grinshpan says it’s the single most underrated kitchen utensil—pretty high praise. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqHUybNr4U] So, what’s the key to shaving time off your cooking prep and not your digits? How to use a mandoline safely First, make sure you’re using the mandoline on a clean, sturdy surface. That way, it’s easier to keep your movements smooth. When getting ready to slice and dice, always use the safety guard. It provides a protective layer between you and the food. Hold the mandoline with your non-dominate hand to keep it in place, while holding the produce with your other hand, which has more control. Stop before you get to the stem, which clogs up the blades, and makes cleanup more dangerous and difficult. Feel a little better about how to use a
Tag: Well+Good
Meet sisu, the Scandinavian concept of perseverance the world really needs to embrace
April 09, 2019 at 09:57AM by CWC When it comes to self care, Scandinavian countries have earned the world’s implicit trust. The Danes are masters of the ultra-cuddly hygge and the Swedes juggle responsibilities to strike balance as lagom experts. But given this trash-fire planet on which we’re forced to subsist, what we might really need right now is sisu. The Finnish term describes a sense of courage that’s all about putting your big-girl pants on when the last thing you want to do is put on pants (a universal #mood if I ever knew one). Sisu is all about resilience and not giving up when you are one 4:45 p.m. meeting, idiotic tweet, or Kardashian scandal away from breaking. The concept is at least a few hundred years old, but recent research, published in the International Journal of Wellbeing, is giving it new life. “Taking a close look at the concept reminds us that, as humans, not only are we all vulnerable in the face of adversity, but we share unexplored inner strength that can be accessed in adverse times,” Emilia Lahti, a doctoral student and study author say in a press release. Sounds like it might be time to give your life a healthy dose of sisu healing, huh? Here are the key the elements that help explain what sisu really means so you can apply it to your life. Extraordinary perseverance You know how every once in a while, you have a long work lunch and only
Found! Beyonce’s no-budge lip gloss is a $12 drugstore diamond
April 09, 2019 at 09:13AM by CWC When a beauty product gets the Beyoncé stamp of approval, you better believe that I take heed. And when said beauty product costs less than a tricked-out smoothie, well, the first thing I do is run out and test it for myself. At a L’Oreal Paris launch event this morning, Bey’s makeup artist, Sir John, revealed the go-to lip product he uses when he wants to give the #queen a long-lasting finish. The “best he’s ever had”? L’Oreal Rouge Signature Lightweight Matte Colored Ink ($12). “When I know I’m not going to see my client again, and I know there’s going to be no touch-up and they’re going to put something on and go, this is my jam,” he told a group of beauty editors. “I know when it hits the carpet, I know if she eats—I know it’s not going to dry, it’s not going to get crusty, and she’s going to feel good.” He shared that he recently used the shade “I Create,” a pink-y brown, on the singer when she went to accept her GLAAAD award a few weeks ago, and he was right—based on the photos, that stuff really did stay on all night. Per Bey’s recommendation, I swiped my own lips with a coat of L’Oreal Rouge, and in the words of Beyoncé herself, it was f-l-a-w-l-e-s-s. Unlike most matte glosses, it didn’t look dry or cakey on my mouth, and didn’t leave behind a single one of
How to use “The Law of Attraction” to get everything you’ve ever wanted (and more)
April 09, 2019 at 08:49AM by CWC An Instagram influencer I follow recently wrote that she had “manifested” her partner. I rolled my eyes so hard at a photo of the happy couple (who were, of course, holding hands while gazing into a sunset near Los Angeles) that I’m shocked I didn’t fall off my chair. As the (sometimes) bitter single that I am, I thought, I’ll manifest you right out of my feed, and clicked “unfollow.” The idea, however, intrigued me. Can we actually learn how to use the law of attraction to call things into our lives as easily as ordering off the menu? I went on a journey across space and time (seriously, there’s a lot of physics involved) to discover which aspects of manifestation are fable and which are fact. Understanding the mechanics of an Ariana Grande-style “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it” situation starts with teeny-tiny particles, according to Mandy Morris, author of Love: “It’s How I Manifest.” “The law of attraction comes down to an intricate system of consciousness impacting particles. This is not a ‘woo woo’ factor—it’s physics!” “The law of attraction comes down to an intricate system of consciousness impacting particles,” says Morris. “This is not a ‘woo woo’ factor—it’s physics! When someone can understand their own personal process of impacting these particles, they are then able to change how the particles react.” Grab your lunch boxes, kids, because we’re going back to your high school
Yes! It’s possible to use lighter weights and still get stronger
April 09, 2019 at 07:42AM by CWC Without a doubt, strength training is great for your body—it builds muscle, keeps your metabolism up and ticking, and lowers the risk of osteoporosis and other health conditions later in life. However, if you’re noticing chronic pain or if you find yourself more injury-prone after lifting that forty-pound barbell, you might be overdoing it, and all that good work could start to backfire. What’s more, even without a clear red flag that you’re lifting heavier than you should, there are times when picking a lighter set of weights will provide greater benefits for your fitness endeavors. Unsure of when to take it down a notch? Here’s your ultimate guide to when you should grab a pair that’s below what you’ve been lifting, according to experts. If you’re learning an exercise Even if you’ve been lifting twenty-pound dumbbells for a squat military press, if you want to try out a renegade row, it’s not a bad idea to opt for a lighter set of weights first while you’re learning the move. In fact, while learning the mechanics of a posture, you should always plan to drop the weight you’re lifting, according to Sara Mastantuono, CSCS and Equinox trainer. This allows you to build technique without distraction from added resistance. And this rings especially true when the move you’re learning works several muscle groups. “It’s important to start with lighter, more manageable weight when learning complex movements. Because these movements are multiplanar and demand multi-joint
Revive a dull complexion with derm-approved, chocolate-spiked skin care
April 09, 2019 at 07:39AM by CWC When skin-care guru Josh Rosebrook drank cocoa mixed with soy milk regularly, he noticed that his skin became noticeably brighter. “So I did some light research on cocoa and skin, and found a study that said when it’s taken internally, it stimulates blood circulation in the skin,” Rosebrook, beauty expert and founder of his eponymous line Josh Rosebrook tells me. “I thought to myself, if it does this internally, according to science, what can it do topically?” On a hunt for the ingredient to slather on his skin, he noticed there really weren’t many chocolate face masks or beauty products using readily available cocoa extract. “I figured, ‘I guess I’ll make it myself,’” says Rosebrook, who proceeded to concoct a facial mask using raw cacao from Whole Foods mixed with apple cider vinegar, essential oils, and olive oil. This was the earliest rendition of his cult-fave creation of the Cacao Antioxidant Mask ($65) that is now a staple in beauty cabinets of skin-care devotees everywhere. “Topically, the purpose is just to tone and brighten [the skin],” says Rosebrook. “Cocoa is so potent with flavonols—the antioxidants and polyphenol and the caffeine stimulate blood circulation topically, when it’s topically stimulated, it creates a redness. But that’s the blood being pulled from the dermal layer which feeds all the cells. And it’s that activation phase of skin care that’s so important and overlooked. It’s activating the skin by pulling blood through to the surface so that
Lesbian and queer bars are closing—will queer fitness classes take their place?
April 09, 2019 at 05:13AM by CWC In urban areas where boutique fitness studios and workout joints are popping up faster than you can say “pass the La Croix,” more and more dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces are becoming extinct. The physical places—bars, clubs, baths—where queer and lesbian folks met, socialized, and fell in love in the ’90s and early ’00s are closing one-by-one, and have been for the past two decades. According to Market Watch, in 2017, only 36 of the 1,357 LGBTQ bars in the world were lesbian bars, and that’s down from 56 in 2014. In New York City, there are only four lesbian bars, and in other big cities like San Francisco, Philadelphia, and New Orleans, there are none. But, as Will Lanier, executive director of The OUT Foundation and founder of OUTWOD puts it: When you’re a minority group—be it sexuality, race, or gender—having a safe, shared space is life-saving. So…what now? Queer wellness spaces and LGBTQ+ fitness communities are emerging in their place. For folks already entrenched in the fitness and wellness scene, this shift from bars-to-barre won’t come as a surprise. We’ve already seen that wellness spaces are replacing the local watering hole en masse for people of all identities. Recently, there’s been an influx of fitness classes and groups created specifically for LGBTQ+ folks. For example, Laughing Lotus in New York City, owned and operated by renowned yogi Dana Flynn, recently launched a Queens and Queers: Fluid Flow yoga class, while OUTWOD hosts a
Serve these delish cauliflower parmesan bites at your next low-key girls night in
April 09, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC6CDmY5Vrk] There’s nothing more cathartic than inviting a few of your soul sisters over for a night of casual dining and IRL heart-to-hearts. Add a few homemade-with-love plates to the equation, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate stress-busting dinner party. Lucky for you, we have just the healthy recipe to get the cozy night started—Cauliflower Parmesan Bites—from the queen of spiralized veggies herself, Ali Maffucci. You’ll find the veggie-centric appetizer in the new Well+Good Cookbook, which officially drops on April 16 with 100 easy, tasty recipes, all from wellness luminaries. (And yes, it’s available for preorder now, so glad you asked.) “My inspiration was taking what makes many Italian American dishes so delicious (cheese, basil, and tomato sauce) and applying that to a hearty vegetable to create a snack that’s nostalgic, delicious, and nutritious—AKA, totally well balanced,” says Maffucci, founder of Inspiralized. In other words, these bites will go fast. Watch the video above to see the cheesy bites in action, and preorder The Well+Good Cookbook, stat. Cauliflower Parmesan Bites Makes 6 servings Ingredients Coconut oil spray 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish 1/2 cup almond flour 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, plus more for garnish Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets 1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 fresh basil leaves, very thinly
Checks+Balanced: A 27-year-old medical resident in Pittsburgh making $58K prioritizes food and fitness
April 09, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC Even in a world where questions about menstrual cups and the ins and outs of sex are completely (and blessedly) normal, somehow the ever-ubiquitous use of money remains a touchy subject for many. People want to live their healthiest life ever, but—#realtalk—it can add up. Have you ever wondered how your colleague who makes less than you do (or so you think) can afford to buy a $5 matcha and a $12 chopped salad every day? Or how your friend’s budget allows her to hit up $34 fitness classes three times a week? It’s enough to make anyone want to ask, “Ummm, excuse me. How do you afford that?!?” Last year, we asked five women with salaries ranging between $30,000 and $250,000 exactly what they spend on wellness, and their responses showed that no matter your income, it’s possible to cultivate healthy habits that work within your budget. So we created Checks+Balanced, a series featuring women in different income brackets who open their wellness-wallet habits, to keep spreading the transparency and hopefully providing some inspo that’s possible to copy. (Want to be featured? Email emily@wellandgood.com.) Here, a 27-year-old family medicine resident shares how she affords (and makes time for) her wellness habits while working up to 80 hours a week. Graphic: Well+Good Creative Ally Vogl, 27, family medicine resident, Pittsburgh Salary: $58,000 Rent: $1,200 per month, including utilities. Other big expenditures: $438 to $488 per month. My monthly car payment is $200 a month, and I spend between
6 reasons to get on board the broccoli-everything trend
April 09, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC In case you haven’t heard, broccoli is pretty trendy right now. (Sorry, cauliflower, but you finally have some competition.) It tastes good raw, dipped in a zesty dressing, steamed and incorporated into a stir-fry, and yes, ground up and used as pizza crust. What a time to be alive. While you’ve probably been hearing that broccoli is good for you since you were a kid, people don’t often talk about the reasons why. Well, wonder no more. What are the biggest broccoli benefits I should know about? 1. It’s a good source of folate. Broccoli is an excellent source of folate (57 micrograms per cup, AKA 14 percent of your recommended dietary allowance), which contributes to lowering the risk of heart diseases and strokes, treating gum disease, and even supporting hair growth. (It’s also a key nutrient for fetal development.) 2. Broccoli is full of vitamins A, B6, and K. Those little broccoli stalks are good sources of vitamins A, B6, and K. Together, these nutrients help keep the immune system up (vitamin A), keep blood flowing and supporting calcium absorption (vitamin K), and building muscle (vitamin B6). 3. It has a ton of vitamin C. One cup of raw, chopped broccoli has 82 grams of vitamin C—more than what you’d get in a whole orange. So if you’re not a citrus person (or you just need a palate cleanser), consider broccoli your unsung immunity booster. 4. Eating broccoli supports a healthy metabolism. Like