October 17, 2018 at 07:17AM When your skin’s upset, it can manifest its anger in various ways (much to our detriment). There are cysts, whiteheads, blackheads, and a slew of other forms of inflammation. One that doesn’t get talked about as much, though? Milia. You may be familiar with the skin condition—it basically looks like teeny tiny bumps that are just below the surface. The thing is, your typical acne spot treatment doesn’t necessarily work for milia, which can make it even more mysterious. That’s exactly why I spoke with Sandra Lee, MD—AKA Dr. Pimple Popper—for some pro insight. (Yes, she’s popped plenty of milia before—enjoy if you so please.) “Milia, or called milium if there’s only one, are very small superficial cysts that form just underneath the skin, most commonly around the eyes, which is the thinnest skin we have on the body,” says Dr. Lee, who has her own skin-care line SLMD Skincare. “They can form for a variety of reasons. They’re very common and some people are simply more prone than others—we even see some newborn babies born with milia.” The bad news? “You can’t really treat milia at home or get rid of them yourself—they can’t be easily extracted without usually a small incision or nick in the skin. They’re completely harmless though, and don’t cause any irritation or pain, and usually they’ll go away on their own after some time.” “Milia are very small superficial cysts that form just underneath the skin, most commonly around the eyes.”
Tag: Well+Good
TIL that I’ve been using a cheese grater the wrong way my entire life
October 17, 2018 at 06:51AM Cheese graters seem pretty self-explanatory, right? Whenever it comes time to do some shredding—whether you’re making mac and cheese from scratch or need a tea topper (because yes, that’s evidently a thing)—you probably grab a block of your go-to variety, position your box grater handle-side up, and go to town. Hate to break it to you, but if you’ve been living by these rules, you might have been doing it wrong your entire life. While using a grater vertically is sure to give you a nice arm workout while you’re making your keto dinner, it doesn’t seem to be the most effective way to get the job done. A video recently posted on the Tastemade UK Instagram account showed an alternate option: the horizontal method, in which you lie it down on on your cutting board and grate side to side versus up and down. Evidently it makes the process a easy breezy…or, uhh, cheesy? View this post on Instagram Horizontal or Vertical: how do YOU grate your cheese? A post shared by Tastemade UK (@tastemadeuk) on Oct 16, 2018 at 7:06am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js Not only does this simple hack prevent the grater from sliding around (and causing a potential injury!), but it also doesn’t require Hulk-like muscles to get the job done. And as an extra bonus, it’s also pretty mess-free: The cheese collects neatly in the canister and once you’re finished, you simply dump it into your bowl and call it a day. Yep, cauliflower pizza night
Combat ultra-tight legs with this yoga flow for runners
October 17, 2018 at 06:27AM For so many people, running is movement gold. It’s a way to clear the mind, amp up the endorphins, and cross off a sweat sesh all in one go; yet, as weekly mileage creeps upwards, and muscles get tighter, however, incorporating a stretch day or two into your routine is just the ticket. Or in other words, yoga for runners is good way to balance out that trendy treadmill class to be able to run farther, go faster, and all around kick more booty. As someone who runs about five times a week, I can sympathize. Real talk: My gams can feel as heavy as cement, feet can feel the pain, and the various muscles throughout them can easily become tight—all making it decidedly difficult to get back out there. While a simple stretch is always helpful, yoga in particular can really open up your body so that you feel relaxed and ready to jog it out again. At the Well+Good Cedar Lakes Retreat a few months ago, yoga instructor superstar Beth Cooke—who teaches at New York’s Sky Ting studio as well as private clients like Lena Dunham—revealed a yoga sequence that’s particularly magical for runners. The secret? It’s all about opening up the legs, stretching out the hips, and—one that people often forget about—tending to the feet. While the flow definitely gets you warmed up in all the right spots for a kickass run, it’s also equally beneficial for cooling you down after you log your miles. So namaste
How to create long-lasting happiness (without even trying)
October 17, 2018 at 03:30AM The world of wellness is a big one—as Susie Ellis, the chairwoman and CEO of Global Wellness Institute, knows full well. Through her work with some of the field’s leading experts, she retains a bird’s-eye view on emerging ideas and trends. Here, the member of the Well+Good Council, explores the latest research in happiness. The good news? Putting yourself in a near-permanent good mood is easier than you might imagine. Many people interested in wellness are now aware of Dan Buettner’s work on the Blue Zones, those rare longevity hotspots around the world. In his first book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who Have Lived the Longest, he and a team of medical researchers and anthropologists pinpointed five places that have a remarkable number of centenarians: people living healthily, and seemingly effortlessly, into their hundreds. The Blue Zone Five are the island of Sardinia in Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; the Nikoya region in Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, CA. What a brilliant idea it was to analyze these populations to un-riddle what behaviors actually keep people thriving to 100. After exploring where people live the longest, Dan turned his attention to those world hotspots where people report being the very happiest. In his latest book, The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World’s Happiest People, he traveled to happiness havens like Denmark, Costa Rica, Singapore, and Boulder, CO. Photo: Lauren Naefe/Stocksy Again he distilled their happiness secrets down
Here’s how to tell the difference between sweaty armpits and something more serious
October 06, 2018 at 04:00AM You know that feeling of having wet pits after a stressful commute? Or trying to hold hands with your date only to have them get too moist after a moment or two? Yeah. So then you’re probably also familiar with the consequential rabbit hole that you can go down when trying to diagnose your sweaty situation on the internet. And if you wind up on the same pages that I do, one condition undoubtedly pops up is likely hyperhidrosis. “Primary hyperhidrosis is the medical term for excessive and uncontrollable sweating, which appears to be due to overactivity of the thermoregulatory center in the brain and is transmitted via the sympathetic nervous system to the sweat glands,” says Kim Nichols, MD, a Connecticut-based dermatologist. “Hyperhidrosis typically starts in childhood or adolescence, and can improve with age with reduced symptoms at night during sleep.” Since hyperhidrosis involves being extra sweaty, and you may feel like you’re already a really sweaty person (which, by the way, I feel you), how can you tell if it’s a symptom of a more serious condition? It’s easy to get confused—especially if you’re prone to pit stains on your clothing or excessively sweaty extremities. As Dr. Nichols explains: “Sweating when in hot weather, doing physical activity, or in a stressful situation is a normal response. Hyperhidrosis differs in that it interferes with daily activities and quality of life, and excessive sweating occurs.” One such example? If your clothing actually becomes damp or
The $8 trick to making any necklace the perfect length
October 05, 2018 at 10:42AM Layering season has officially begun. But it’s not just your skin care and clothes that are better worn together this time of year. The same holds true for the dainty necklaces you never take off. With so many covetable pieces of tiny jewelry to choose from right now, it’s hard to pick favorites. This could be why so many women who wear it don’t—choosing instead to adorn their décolletage with several delicate chains at once. On their own, each is so subtle, it might go unnoticed. Together, though, they create a statement. The only catch is that most necklaces sold today come in the same lengths—typically a 16- or 18-inch chain. So, how do you create the right amount of distance between more than one worn at a time? The easiest (and cheapest) answer is to buy necklace extenders. (This hack is great for layering necklaces, but it’s also a quick fix when you find one you love that doesn’t hit you in the right place and getting a longer chain isn’t an option.) You can get extenders online at sites like Etsy, Amazon, Bloomingdale’s, and Shopbop. They come in different materials to match the metal of your necklace. My personal recommendation, especially for anyone with allergies, is to stick to either sterling silver or gold fill. Each costs about $8 and is hypoallergenic. And for those of you who put your dainty pieces back in your jewelry box in favor of channeling this season’s big
Why popping bubble wrap is so. darn. satisfying, according to experts
October 05, 2018 at 10:34AM Yesterday, the Internet got hyped about a bubble wrap case that’s basically designed to make the back of your iPhone even more addicting than the actual screen. Akin to watching hours upon hours of beauty ASMR, feeling a plastic bubble pop beneath your fingertip is just so strangely satisfying—but why? To find out, I asked a few experts to burst the, er, bubble of mystery around this particular phenomena. “Popping bubble wrap is about pressure and release, very similar to a build-up of stress and then immediate relief from it,’ says Tampa therapist Stephanie Sarkis, PhD, EdS. “Whenever we have a release from pressure, real or simulated, our brain receives a boost of ‘feel-good’ chemicals—dopamine and norepinephrine.” She adds that since puncturing the plastic spheres requires focus and repetition, it also lulls your brain into a meditative state. “Popping bubble wrap is about pressure and release, very similar to a build-up of stress and then immediate relief from it,” — Stephanie Sarkis, PhD, EdS While the delightfulness of this post-package receiving pastime has yet to be widely studied (for reasons I, for one, cannot understand), Nick Hobson, PhD, a research psychologist at PsychologyCompass, says some research does exist. “A study from the 90s found that people who had the opportunity to pop bubble wrap were more calm and focused afterwards compared to those who didn’t. The explanation is that little finger and hand movements is a natural anxiolytic [anxiety reducer] that brings about a sense of personal orderliness,”
Not to stress you out or anything, but this is most-Googled symptom in a *lot* of states
October 05, 2018 at 10:11AM What would the world do without Google? With just a quick search, you can easily learn so many varied things, like how often to water your Monstera and how to get some much-needed relief from a painful sunburn. And of course, there’s the opportunity to do some recon on your health-related symptoms. As it turns out, a lot of people are Googling the exact same thing. After analyzing the most-searched symptoms of the past year on Google Trends and seeing which had the highest search volumes in each state, MedicareHealthPlans.com found the most common in a fifth of the states to be stress. It’s really no surprise, either: Whether due to politics, career, relationships, or something else entirely, stress is on the rise—it’s even causing hair loss in women. While other top searches include issues with digestion and sleep, nothing came close to being on the same level as stress. Whether due to politics, career, relationships, or something else entirely, stress is on the rise—it’s even causing hair loss in women. So, what can you do to stay less stressed and keep those Google searches to a minimum? Basically, take the time to focus on self-care, even if that means clearing your schedule of other responsibilities. “Focus on a healthy diet, exercise, good sleep, and relationships,” says stress specialist Amit Sood, MD. “Consider yoga, meditation, or other relaxation techniques, like music, massage, coloring, gardening, or reading.” Of course, if these strategies don’t work for you, see a doctor. Armed with expert advice and intervention, you’ll be fully
Oatmeal season is back: Here are 8 reasons to revive your love for the OG healthy breakfast
October 05, 2018 at 09:05AM Summer may have you happily sipping on smoothies in the A.M., but cooler months call for something a bit cozier. Sure, oatmeal fits the bill (or, er, bowl), but let’s face it: it does have a reputation for being a bit…dull. For the record, the rep is undeserved as there are plenty of ways to spice up your oatmeal bowl—including with yes, actual spices. “There are so many flavor combinations you can enjoy,” says RSP Nutrition consultant Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD. You can make it savory, sweet, or both—depending on what you mix in. (There’s some killer ideas coming up, so keep reading.) And, of course, yes, it’s loaded with benefits. Rounded up here are eight big ones, so keep reading to see what exactly makes oatmeal a healthy breakfast win, plus tips on making a yum-inducing bowl. Scroll down to see the health benefits of oatmeal. Photo: Twenty20/ @dasha_veselovskaya 8 health benefits of oatmeal 1. Keeps things moving, digestively speaking: You probably already know that fiber is essential for keeping your gut health in check. But the benefits don’t stop at keeping things, er, moving. The nutrient can also help lower inflammation, rev your metabolism, and contribute to overall good health. “Oatmeal has a decent amount of fiber, about four grams per one cup cooked.” Moreno says, adding that four grams is solid, considering that according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 20 to 25 grams per fiber a day is what your body wants. “It also has
5 times Lady Gaga proved her healthy star was born a *long* ago
October 05, 2018 at 09:05AM Tonight is the night pop icon Lady Gaga adds “big-deal actress” to her list of credits. In fact, she’s already the subject of Oscar buzz for her debut lead film role in A Star Is Born, alongside Bradley Cooper. So, yeah, it’s a pretty big deal. Especially since, for this particular film’s fourth adaptation, she’s filling in the shoes of some iconic former leading ladies, including Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. While she’s just now starting to make waves in the film industry, Lady Gaga’s healthy star rose a long time ago: Over the years, she’s mastered the art of keeping her well-being in check while traveling, getting real about her personal struggles with chronic pain, and even ordering the perfect Starbucks drink. So, in honor of her star rising higher, here are five award-winning habits on Lady Gaga’s wellness résumé. Check out 5 times Lady Gaga’s healthy star rose long before the premiere of A Star Is Born. View this post on Instagram Shallow is out now! Watch the music video featuring scenes from the film, link in bio! Both the film and the soundtrack are out on 10/5. #AStarIsBorn A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) on Sep 27, 2018 at 11:17am PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js 1. She has SoulCycle bikes in her tour bus When it comes to working out on the road, the boutique studio sweat seshes come to the Grammy winner rather than the other way around. Lady Gaga has two custom SoulCycle bikes on her tour bus so she can get