November 29, 2018 at 10:37AM During the winter months, I’m guilty of trying to make my blowouts last long past their expiration date. As in, way long. I absolutely hate washing my hair when it’s cold outside, because my only options are either cutting into my valuable sleep time for the sake of styling it in the morning, or walking outside and risking my head turning into a popsicle. And so, from November through March, dry shampoo becomes my BBF (beauty best friend). But like all great relationships, we have our ups and downs. Some days, a single spritz of dry shampoo will refresh my greasy scalp into pristine condition. And other days…it backfires on me. The latter happened to me this morning, when I attempted to refresh my day-four strands and wound up with a white, matted mess that looked much, much worse than what I’d started with. With five minutes to get out the door, I panicked (if you, like me, are a dry shampoo aficionado, you definitely know the feeling), and begged my Instagram followers for help. “Use a blow dryer,” a friend replied in my DMs, and, desperate, I grabbed mine and blasted my crusty (…sorry) scalp and strands with heat. One minute and a few strokes of a paddle brush later, I was a new woman and my life was officially changed forever. To find out why this tried-and-tested trick is so effective, I turned to stylist Riawna Capri of Los Angeles’ Nine Zero One Salon, who was mildly
Tag: Well+Good
A-Rod’s investment in keto cookies is a sweet, romantic gesture for J.Lo
November 29, 2018 at 09:27AM It’s no secret that Jennifer Lopez is someone who prioritizes healthy habits. She does stair sprints, push-ups, and booty-sculpting moves (duh) to keep her fitness game on point—and often shares tips via social media so her loyal followers can copy the moves for themselves. But she is, in fact, a human being, which means she’s not someone who deprives herself of dessert. And her partner in love and fitness just supported her sweets-eating habit in the form of a huge financial investment. “I happen to know a woman who loves cookies. And I mean loves,” Alex Rodriguez, her boyfriend, said on a recent episode of Shark Tank. “Jennifer eats a cookie every night before she goes to bed.” Ultimately, Rodriguez invested $300,000 in exchange for a 25 percent take in ketogenic cookie company, Nui, CNBC reports, and Lopez’s sweet tooth just might have been the deciding factor. Made with coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and only one gram of sugar per two-cookie serving, the treats come in three flavors (chocolate chip, peanut butter, and ginger) and are crafted to give keto devotees a way to satisfy a craving for sweets without breaking ketosis. (They’re also gluten-free.) Made with coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and only one gram of sugar per two-cookie serving, the treats are crafted to give keto devotees a way to satisfy a craving for sweets without breaking ketosis. The cookies are still super-new to the market—they aren’t even revved up on Instagram yet—and the investment from
Pissed about your constant UTIs? Try physical therapy
November 29, 2018 at 09:08AM I’m going to make a wild guess and say that if you’re reading this article, you’ve had at least one UTI. And given that 40 to 60 percent of women will have a UTI in their lives, according to the NIH, you’re definitely not alone in knowing how straight-up terrible they are. The burning, the constant need to pee—no thanks. But often, getting a UTI is not just a one-and-done kind of deal. Twenty percent of women who get a UTI will get another one, and 30 percent of those people will get a third, because yay being a woman is amazing! And if you’re a lucky member of the recurrent UTI club, you’ve probably tried every natural remedy and preventive method under the sun. Guzzling water and cranberry juice, taking supplements, sacrificing your first-born…you know, everything. But here’s one up-and-coming tactic you might not have tried: pelvic floor physical therapy. Hold up: What is pelvic floor therapy? First, a quick anatomy lesson. “The pelvic floor contains a group of muscles that attach to the pelvic and thigh bones,” says Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, FACOG, double board-certified in ob-gyn and maternal fetal medicine, “which provide support for the pelvic organs, are responsible for healthy sexual activity, and maintain control over bladder and bowel function.” In women, these muscles are located near the bladder, bowel, and uterus. Pelvic floor physical therapy is basically like any other form of physical therapy; it’s just focused on strengthening your pelvic
Does working out in the cold actually do something weird to your lungs—or does it just feel like it?
November 29, 2018 at 08:50AM It’s a sad day when the temps drop, turning your breezy fall runs into 10-layer, freezing-cold sprints straight back to your warm, cuddly blanket. Even though winter can’t stop you from hitting the pavement, there’s one thing that might be bothering you during your outdoor workouts: the weird—and sometimes painful!—sensation you get in your lungs from breathing in the icy air. But is something bad actually happening to your lungs, or does it just feel like it? When you’re simply walking around outside in cold weather, you’re probably breathing through your nose, giving that ice-cold air time to warm up before it hits your lungs. When you’re exercising, on the other hand, you’re taking deep, quick breaths through your mouth, so the cold, dry air hits your lungs as-is, creating a sensation that despite feeling weird isn’t anything to worry about. “Cold weather can cause your airways to spasm, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest tightness. But unless you have asthma and other lung diseases, exercising in cold weather isn’t harmful to the lungs,” says John Prucha, MD, a doctor at UCHealth. Even though working out in the cold doesn’t harm your lungs, that feeling still isn’t at all enjoyable. Luckily, there are some simple ways you can exercise outdoors a little more comfortably. “To reduce these symptoms, you can cover both your nose and mouth with a scarf or thin face mask while exercising. This warms and moistens the air prior to inhalation,
Your “duh” for the day: Lack of sleep intensifies anger
November 29, 2018 at 08:37AM You might want to take a seat for this news confirming everything you know to be true: According to a recently published small study, lack of sleep makes you more irritable. WHO KNEW, RIGHT? The research, conducted by Iowa State University, claims to be the first of its kind to crystalize this specific finding since previous studies have only linked sleep and anger, but not the causal relationship. (As in, it used to be unclear whether anger disrupted sleep or lack of sleep lent itself to an anger uptick.) So yes, you can now feel scientifically vindicated the next time those zzz’s evade you for one reason or another, and you find yourself with white knuckles as you try to not rip off the head of your slow-as-molasses barista. To get these super-obvious results, the small study’s 142 participants were randomly sorted into two groups—one would maintain normal sleep, and the other would restrict sleep duration by two to four hours a night. Both before and after the measured night of sleep, the participants’ reactions to anger-provoking irritants were recorded. Barking dog? Check. An uncomfortable shirt? You got it. And yep, sleep deprived people were less adept at rolling with the punches unaffected. Shocking right? What would have been super-interesting to note, however, is how angry/sleepy people react to other types of stressors. You know—the ones that now seem to infiltrate our lives on a daily basis. For example, how might your reaction to a troubling
5 clues your body is compensating for a weak core—and how to deal
November 29, 2018 at 08:28AM If someone asked you to point to your core—where would you point? Probably your belly where your abs are. But it turns out, core muscles actually run band to band (AKA from the tip-top of your ribs to the top of your hips) and all the way around all the way around. Yep, core got back. “Your core technically includes your pelvic floor muscles, your internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis (and all the other superficial layers you think of when someone says six-pack, the erector spinae and multifidus (which are in the back), and all the deeper, smaller muscles in your trunk,” says Alena Luciani, MS, CSCS and founder of Training2xl. To put it one way: The core is more complex and complicated that my relationship with my ex, but unlike my ex, it’s a total #powerhouse. Not only does the core protect the body and stabilize the spine and pelvis, powers your movement, and is the cornerstone of boss-babing the sh*t out of your workouts. So yeah, your core has to show up for you at all times. And if it doesn’t…or if it’s too weak? “The rest of your body and muscles have to compensate for it, which can cause a giant (and bad!) chain reaction,” explains Bethany Lyons, founder and CEO at Lyons Den Power Yoga. It can be hard to know if your core is weak, because even visible six-pack-abs are not a sign that your core is strong. Lyons suggests two quick at-home tests to determine whether or not
This easy vegan fried egg recipe is just begging to top your avocado toast
November 29, 2018 at 07:58AM When Ellie Bullen—the plant-powered blogger behind Elsa’s Wholesome Life—posted a picture of her fried egg-topped toast on Instagram, her followers had a mini freak-out, thinking it was real. And you can’t blame ’em: Without reading the caption, looks alone could fool just about anyone. There were no chickens needed to create this version, though, and the recipe is incredibly simple. “It tastes jut like egg—it’s pretty crazy. If you’re someone who went vegan and you really miss eggs, this recipe is a real game-changer for you,” she says in her video. “You don’t even have to make the whole egg white and fried egg component. If you like, you can just make the yolk: that’s where the egg flavor is. You can make some toast strips and just dip them in.” If there’s one thing I miss years after going vegan, it’s eggs. Not meat, not cheese (*gasp!*), just eggs. I lived for daily omelets and scrambles, and there are definitely products on the market now that completely nix my cravings for both of those former staples. But I definitely didn’t think I’d ever see the day where I got to relive eating my beloved avocado toast topped with a fried egg, yolk and all, until I came across this video below. Scroll down to see Bullen make a vegan fried egg and read the recipe. View this post on Instagram Chill guys, it’s not a real egg wanna see a tutorial on how to make this? Comment a
How to style high-waisted jeans so you don’t wind up with a front butt
November 29, 2018 at 07:56AM One of the more embarrassing trends I participated in during my youth was super tight low-rise jeans. The kind that were so low they would show a sliver of buttcrack when you bent over. (Also, I don’t think I’ve ever written the word buttcrack in my professional career.) Paired with a similarly tight-fitting top and one of those triple grommet belts, it was a look that makes me incredibly grateful that Instagram #ootd wasn’t a thing then. But that’s how it was in the early aughts; the thought of anything high-waisted was as foreign to me as the concept of cauliflower as a pizza crust. We live in a world with 3D printers and nearly-sentient robots. I feel like we shouldn’t have to settle for front butt in our otherwise flattering high-rise denim. Now, however, I can’t get enough of high-waisted jeans. Like if the rise isn’t over 10-inches I’m not buying. I’m very short, so I appreciate the leg-lengthening properties of high-rise pants. Plus, they don’t have the same muffin-top potential as the low-rise jeans of my youth. But there’s a reason shopping for such denim has inspired many a meme—it’s hard to find a pair that fits just right. You know what I’m talking about. The dreaded front butt. That pooch in the front where the fabric gapes and makes it look like you have, as the term suggests, a butt in the front. Granted, I’d rather deal with front butt over exposed
Some of the coolest new sneakers are coming from these eco-friendly brands
November 29, 2018 at 07:39AM As sustainability becomes a greater focus in the fashion industry, it’s getting easier to shop for ethically made wardrobes staples from dresses to jeans and outerwear. But for the wellness junkie who’s habitually signed up for yoga, boxing, and barre classes—and (literally) running errands in between—sneakers are a must from performance-based to fashion styles. So, it’s refreshing to see so many of the coolest kicks coming from eco-friendly brands right now. “It used to be if you wanted an animal-free sneaker, your only option was fast-fashion and if you wanted a sustainable pair of kicks, your only option was leather-clad,” says Ashlee Piper, a sustainability expert and author of Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet. “Now, brands like Veja, Native Shoes, and Keep bring all the style and comfort of a sneaker with cruelty-free options that are also ethically produced,” she says. While a functional trainer is a strong starting point, fashion-forward kicks—from wear-with-everything white lace-ups by Veja to Stella McCartney’s new techy, sock-style sneakers—come with an ethical stamp of approval. “We wanted to create a sneaker that would be made better and that respects the environment and workers,” says Veja co-founder Sébastien Kopp, whose business doesn’t pay for advertising or marketing as a way to invest the company’s entire budget in their moral manufacturing processes. “Our sneakers would be more expensive to make, but we knew we could keep the price on par with other brands if we didn’t allocate money for
Here’s what a top nutritionist has to say about our enduring avocado obsession
November 29, 2018 at 06:19AM There are only three things absolutely certain in life: death, taxes, and the fact that everyone will always love avocados. The beloved healthy fruit, for better or for worse, has even moved off our plates to make its mark on pop culture as wall art, athleisure, and pool floats. But nutrition-wise, are avocados really worthy of the over-the-top praise and devotion we give them? [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5D6Xr1gg7c] That’s the question registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood-Beckerman, RD, tackles in the inaugural episode of Well + Good’s new YouTube series, You Versus Food. The goal? To give a no-B.S. nutritional breakdown on the most popular food and drink trends. Because let’s face it: Between adaptogens, collagen, and whatever the latest trendy eating plan is, living your healthiest life can get pretty baffling. In the first episode, Lockwood-Beckerman hilariously breaks down the merits of our enduring avo-love. Some highlights: Avocados are apparently known as “butter fruits” in parts of India. They might be able to help with bad breath?! They apparently contain the “Beyoncé” of antioxidants (Lockwood-Beckerman’s words!) So for everyone out there who’s ever wondered if avocados are actually healthy while mashing up two of them on a piece of toast…this one’s for you. Watch the first episode above to see the verdict. If you’re seriously craving some avocado now, check out these next-level guacamole recipes and this avo-margarita. Continue Reading… Author Emily Laurence | Well and Good Selected by iversue