October 23, 2018 at 10:20AM As the zodiac season of ambition and honesty, it’s not surprising that Scorpios include badass celebrities like Katy Perry, Gabrielle Union, and Drake (Scorpios know how to werk). So through November 21, pay attention to the Scorpios in your life—they are prone to bouts of jealousy. And since their birthdays fall between Halloween and Thanksgiving, they may not be getting all of the attention they deserve during their special season (especially considering the way everyone turned out for Libra season). So how do you know you’re a real Scorpio? Keep scrolling for 6 telltale signs. //players.brightcove.net/4872551774001/ryOwWXr3G_default/index.min.js 1. People often use the word “intense” to describe you Your emotions tend to run high and hot—you either love it or hate it, there’s no in-between. Some call it being extreme, but you prefer to think of it as having passion. //players.brightcove.net/4872551774001/ryOwWXr3G_default/index.min.js 2. You’re extremely humorous and witty You have great observational powers, which is probably why you’re so good at spewing biting comebacks and quippy remarks. //players.brightcove.net/4872551774001/ryOwWXr3G_default/index.min.js 3. You’re extremely driven, which can lead to jealousy The price of your ambition and unending quest for success means that you’re susceptible to a bout of envy here and there. //players.brightcove.net/4872551774001/ryOwWXr3G_default/index.min.js 4. You’re extremely independent, which can come off as being secretive Or as you like to call it, “guarded.” You’re not trying to be shady, but you don’t really feel the need to be share your business. //players.brightcove.net/4872551774001/ryOwWXr3G_default/index.min.js 5. You’re a big believer in brutal honesty You can’t (or maybe won’t) sugarcoat the truth. //players.brightcove.net/4872551774001/ryOwWXr3G_default/index.min.js 6. You’re extremely loyal, sometimes to a fault Part
Tag: Well+Good
Infected hangnails have met their match with *this* essential oil
October 23, 2018 at 10:02AM Spotting a hangnail wreaking havoc on your otherwise flawless manicure is a beauty SOS moment in an of itself, but add a nasty infection to the equation, and you’ll be Googling furiously for a quick solution. According to Leigh Winters, MS, a neuroscientist and former fellow at Columbia University’s Spirituality Mind Body Institute, you don’t need to look any further than your essential oils collection to get the sweet relief you so desire. “Nature provides us with a lot of really safe and powerful antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal plants that are distilled into even more potent essential oils that we can use to treat infected hangnails,” says Winters, adding that this particular dilemma calls for applying more potent oils directly onto the skin irritation without a carrier oil like jojoba. “I recommend applying 2 to 3 drops of high-quality tea tree essential oil directly onto the hangnail and inflamed fingertip,” she instructs. “I recommend applying 2 to 3 drops of high-quality tea tree essential oil directly onto the hangnail and inflamed fingertip.” – Leigh Winters, MS If you don’t happen to have tea tree in your beauty shelf yet, 1. consider adding it, stat, and 2. fear not, because Winters says there are oh-so-many other oil varieties that will work in its place. “Reach instead for roman chamomile, helichrysum, eucalyptus, thyme, clove, or vetiver. They should all do the trick and have your finger back to functioning in no time,” the oil pro says. To heal your hand
Firsthand accounts of the most LOL-worthy bodily functions that happen while running
October 23, 2018 at 09:24AM Ask a runner about the diciest moment they’ve ever had while clocking mileage, and most will gladly walk you through a play-by-play with a gratified glint in their eyes. Sure, the medals pavement-pounders earn from crossing the finish line prove satisfying in their own right, but the stories said races elicit are often *the most* rewarding. The general rule? The grosser, the better. I’m not just speculating here! We asked Well+Good readers (and runners) to share the most embarrassing things that have happened to them during the hours upon hours they spend while meeting training goals, or finally making it to the starting line, and the majority of answers involved spit, the runs, or some other bodily fluid. Because while running is fierce, let’s face it, it’s also super messy. Below, Well+Good readers and runners share the hands-down most embarrassing moments they’ve ever had on a run. Photo: Getty Images/Westend61 When you feel the need to pee, like, the whole time—but keep running anYway “Most of the times when I go for a run I have to pee the whole time, even if I peed right before I left to run! It’s so frustrating because it’s one of the things that is holding me back from running more, but I feel like it’s such an embarrassing problem [that] I won’t find a solution [to].” “Running a half marathon and had to pee so badly around mile 11. I thought, ‘I doubt anyone will know, they’ll think it’s sweat.’ Yep, you know I
The perfect pair of leggings comes down to 3 things, according to Karlie Kloss
October 23, 2018 at 08:45AM The second it starts getting chilly outside, ladies everywhere have the exact same routine. And no, it’s not just ordering all the cozy pumpkin spice beverages—it’s stocking up on new leggings to get through the next six or so months of coldness. Right now, searches for the activewear staple are up 800 percent on Google Trends, but don’t just add any item in your shopping cart: Karlie Kloss, who rocks ’em year round, has some intel on what to look for before you hit “buy.” Kloss has been part of the Adidas fam for quite a while now, and because the company has a women’s collective where #girlbosses are able to give feedback on their pieces, so it’s safe to say she’s a pro at knowing what makes great activewear. At the brand’s recent launch of The Statement Collection—which is a sports bra collection inspired by female creators with new low, medium, and high-impact options, boldly-patterned leggings, and jackets—the model opened up about the three things that make for a can’t-beat pair of leggings. And spoiler: the style (gasp!) isn’t one of them. Keep scrolling for her take on what to look for in your best-worn pair. View this post on Instagram For your training sessions, your vinyasas and your jabs, the Statement Collection is here to let you stand out in style. . Join superstars @dualipa, @karliekloss, @hannahbronfman, @garbimuguruza and @shaymitchell and get ready to transform your workouts via link in bio. . #adidasWomen
Venus retrograde alert: The current planetary alignment is known for making your love life loco
October 23, 2018 at 08:39AM If you’ve been on Instagram at all since the end of summer, you’ve definitely seen the hashtag popping up: Everyone is talking about #VenusRetrograde. And with good reason—this cosmic event is one of the most intense of all astro-phases in 2018. Venus retrograde comes around approximately every 18 months, unlike the infamous Mercury retrograde, which happens three times a year—so the relative rarity of Venus retrograde phase can make it feel even more potent. And because Venus reputedly rules the things that we tend to adore most in life—romance, pleasure, beauty, money, and relationships—it’s wise to pay close attention to its vagaries. You’ve probably already started to notice a rash of significant celebrity breakups (Ariana and Pete, for starters). Think of these stories as archetypal evidence of what you should be paying attention to over the next few weeks and months. So, what is a retrograde, anyway? It’s when a planet appears to move backwards from the perspective of earth. Note that planets don’t really go backwards—it just looks like they’re reversing in their orbit, from our vantage point. Energetically and symbolically, retrogrades indicate reversals, slowdowns, and breakdowns. And on the positive side: the ability to mend and repair. In the case of Venus retrograde, your heart can be mended if you’re willing to do the challenging inner work involved. Your relationships may have started feeling super strange since early September, when the front-end shadow of the retrograde started. Venus stationed retrograde at 10 degrees of
4 expert tips for having a great vacation that doesn’t derail your nutrition goals
October 23, 2018 at 08:35AM It’s a tale as old as time: You’re committed to a healthy eating plan when you’re at home, but then you go on vacation, and it’s food anarchy. Because, let’s be real: food is fun. Vacation is a time to let loose and abandon your typical daily structure, which is a notion that certain lends itself to eating habits. Can you even imagine sitting in a bistro in Paris and passing up a baguette because you don’t do carbs despite the fact that you actually love them so much? That’s the stuff of nightmares right there. But, that said, if you treat vacation like a food free-for-all, getting back into your healthy habits when you get home can be all the more difficult. Thankfully Jane Larkworthy—beauty writer, weekend food blogger, and frequent traveler—has simple tips for striking ever-elusive balance of eating healthy while traveling and still having the best time ever. Check out 4 expert tips for striking a healthy balance when it comes to vacation food. Photo: Getty Images/encrier 1. Hack the 5:2 diet The 5:2 diet is a variety of intermittent fasting in which you eat normally for five days out of the week and consume 500 daily calories for the other two days. While there aren’t many specific studies conducted on humans about the benefits of this nutrition plan (experts do, however, say that it’s best to train your body for trying it in order to avoid unfortunate bouts of hanger), there is
6 quick ways to relieve neck tension, because who has time for that?
October 23, 2018 at 07:07AM Neck tension is, well, a pain in the neck—literally and figuratively. It really puts a damper on your day and can lead to headaches. (Or worse, migraines.) Some of the causes of neck tension include looking down at your phone 24/7, stress, carrying heavy bags, working out, and even eating certain foods that cause inflammation in your body, says Michelle Ebbin, touch therapy expert and spokesperson for on-demand massage service Soothe. Of course, most of us have zero time to be dealing with pesky neck aches on the daily—hello, we’ve got important things to do! (Although, as mentioned before, a stressful schedule is part of the problem…) So for those times when acupuncture or a chiropractic visit just won’t fit on the calendar, I asked Ebbin how to relieve neck tension ASAP—and help prevent it from coming back. Keep reading for an expert’s tips on soothing a sore neck. Photo: Getty Images/Fizkes How to relieve neck tension, once and for all 1. Stretch it out Slow neck rolls are your best friend when you have neck tension, Ebbin says. To do them, drop your head forward and make slow circles with your head in one direction. Whenever you feel tightness, hold it there for a few seconds. Then, continue making circles in the opposite direction. 2. Give yourself a massage Although splurging on a massage is always a good idea, if your busy schedule or budget doesn’t allow it, you can totally go the DIY route. All you
Try the mini ballet barre series that even made Jennifer Garner sore
October 23, 2018 at 06:15AM The popularity of barre-style workouts aren’t dying down anytime soon. Pippa Middleton loved doing them throughout her pregnancy, Martha Hunt is using them as part of her “Operation J.Lo Booty” challenge, and then there’s Jennifer Garner, who’s most recent routine made her sore for days. Largely as a result of working with all-star trainer Simone De La Rue on the regular, Garner has solidified her status as a total fitness queen. And it turns out when she’s not doing in-person sessions, like she did all throughout her preparation for her high-energy action flick Peppermint, she’s doing what the rest of the world does: sweating it out to whatever workout the Body By Simone founder shares via Instagram. (Celebs—they’re just like us, #amirite.) And the trainer’s latest mini barre series was no joke. In fact, even Garner admits she got sore from all those pulses, leaving a comment on the workout post: “I can barely walk thanks to this little treat.” Photo: Instagram/@bodybysimone What was so challenging anyway? Well, let’s just say it’s understandable that star couldn’t walk afterward: The series was designed to target the lower body in the best way: “These exercises work the quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, and adductors,” De La Rue writes. “I’ve placed my BBS Pilates ball in between my thighs to keep my adductors and glutes engaged.” Ready to try it out for yourself? Try the 4-move mini barre series that even made Jennifer Garner sore. View this post on Instagram Monday Motivation!
Taking work email off your phone won’t stop the world—or your productivity
October 23, 2018 at 05:07AM Years ago, I was among the first of my friends to get a smartphone—a big, clunky, purple BlackBerry. Being able to email, text, surf the web, and make calls from the same device made me feel like I was a superhero with the world at my fingertips—or at least somebody with urgent messages to send and receive. Thinking back, I couldn’t tell you whom I was communicating with or about what, but I know for sure that my BlackBerry made it look like I had it going on. Fast-forward to the present, and those first-date butterflies I felt with my BlackBerry have since morphed into a toxic relationship my iPhone. It’s funny how being busy (or in this case, seeming busy) on a device can make you feel important and successful. The busy trap, a still-too-relevant term writer Tim Kreider coined years ago, keeps us glued to our smartphones, caught up in our calendars, and thinking about nothing but the next thing. While the gadgets aren’t directly responsible for the chaos, they certainly don’t help; studies have even shown that an addiction to them can mimic symptoms of substance abuse. And since we cannot, for the life of us, just turn them off, we masochistically self-subscribe to get notified about those after-hours work emails, which fuels the stress that keeps us up at night and more-ominously threatens our health. A way to know the epidemic is real and really threatening? Big tech companies that have
Here’s what your gas says about your health
October 23, 2018 at 03:30AM Even if hardly anybody admits it, everyone farts. But how much is normal? And can you learn something about your body from the way you pass gas? Robin Berzin, MD, CEO of the functional medicine practice Parsley Health, says flatulence can help you assess what’s going on with your health. Here, the Well+Good Council member explains why you’re tooting—and how you can use your newfound fart I.Q. to become even healthier. Gas, flatulence, farting—call it what you want. Everyone does it; everyone pretends not to. But paying attention to your gas instead of ignoring it could help you uncover information about your body and lifestyle that you can use to resolve gas and bloating for good. At the most basic level, gas is excess air trapped in the intestinal tract, but it comes from two different sources. First, you naturally swallow air while chewing, eating, drinking, and swallowing. The gas from this is usually odorless and made up of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. The average healthy person passes gas between seven and 20 times a day. Second, gas is a metabolic byproduct of digestion, produced when bacteria in your large intestine feed off of foods that were not well digested in your small intestine. Certain foods like cruciferous vegetables, beans, and lentils sometimes cause more gas because they’re high in indigestible fiber and contain specific complex carbohydrates that your gut microbiome thrives on. The gas produced by the fermentation of this indigestible food