Month: April 2018

Categories
Life x Culture Lifestyle

The Year Of You: Wedding Trends To Watch For In 2018

Nothing says true love quite like a photo op with an alpaca, am I right? And even though it might be a stretch to say alpacas are the new symbol of holy matrimony, they’re getting invited to a surprising amount of weddings these days.


One newly married couple shared the spotlight with an alpaca in 2015, captured by wedding photographers at The Shalom Imaginative. A year earlier, alpacas had the honor of being featured as guests in a “bohemian-inspired” wedding shoot by Blue Eyed Yonder and Our Labor of Love.
[pullquote align=”center”]“[With modern weddings,] people want something different, they want magic, and they want to celebrate in a special way.”
—Niall Kelly[/pullquote]
Lifestyle website Brit+CO is calling llamas the latest trend in weddings, but it’s hard to say if this quirky wedding feature will be as common as doves anytime soon. What stories like this do highlight, however, is one massive trend steering wedding planning in 2018: personalization.

All About You

“It’s your big day.”
How many brides have heard this phrase repeated endlessly throughout the wedding process? Whether they’re facing an opinionated in-law, stressing over the budget, or just trying to decide on their color palette, friends and family are quick to remind couples that their happiness is top priority.

Now more than ever, weddings are being planned around the unique personalities, beliefs, and convictions of the engaged couple. In The Knot’s 2017 Real Weddings Survey, 64 percent of couples planning their weddings said decisions about their day were centered around personalization.
And thanks to the role of social media in wedding planning, we get a front row seat to watch how these amazingly personalized weddings are playing out.

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“Weddings are just all about the personal touches now,” says Leah Gunn Emerick, a wedding photographer and self-proclaimed professional wedding attender. “That can lend itself to some unusual situations just off of what is personal to the couple. Think having a bacon and bourbon tasting table instead of a regular bar and appetizer situation.”

From Fairytales to Fantasy

As more couples lean toward the personal, theme weddings are becoming more inventive than ever. Couples are taking a note from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, planning royal weddings of their own.
Theme weddings aren’t exclusive to admirers of the British throne. Steampunk and Star Wars weddings are a couple of the most unusual weddings Janessa White, elopement planner at Simply Eloped, has recently planned. A future bride of hers, White says, will be bringing her cat to her small ceremony. White believes that engaged couples are becoming more aware of their options, thanks to PR efforts, viral content, and influencer marketing.


“People want something different, they want magic, and they want to celebrate in a special way,” explains Niall Kelly, a representative from Kilkea Castle, which has become a venue for fairy tale and Game of Thrones–themed weddings.

Getting Hitched for the ‘Gram

Photography has long been an integral part of weddings, with professional photographers and prop-filled photo booths helping chronicle the festivities, but in recent years, nuptial celebrations have become firmly embedded in social media.
Sixty-four percent of couples in 2017 reported creating a hashtag and asking their guest to use it to tag pictures from their big day, according to The Knot’s survey. Photo booths are changing with the times, says Maggie Lynn Hummel, an event planner with Terrace on Grand: Instead of printing the snapshots right then and there, photo booth providers are linking their booths to social media for people to tag and repost.

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One interesting new development, however, is the rise of the unplugged wedding—that is, weddings without electronics. Kristin Maxwell Cooper, the editor-in-chief of The Knot, was quoted by Brit+CO as saying this trend is experiencing an uptick, and Hummel notes this as well.


“They are usually putting up a sign and then announcing it before the ceremony,” explains Hummel, noting that phones are fair game once the ceremony comes to a close. “No one wants photos of everyone on their phones during the ceremony.”

Running Away Together

As more couples consider what they want most from their wedding day, more couples are making plans to elope. And we’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill weekend trip to Las Vegas with an officiant in a bedazzled jumpsuit, says White. Instead, she describes a highly personalized hybrid of an elopement and a destination wedding.

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Although there aren’t clear statistics on how many couples are eloping each year, The New York Times reported that the popularity of the choice can be attributed to the rising cost of weddings along with the complications that come with planning a large wedding. When you consider that The Knot found that the average wedding is setting couples back by $35,329, this choice completely makes sense.
According to White, brides and grooms aren’t making this decision on a whim. These are couples who have considered their personalities and their circumstances, sometimes years in advance, and have decided that an elopement is far superior to the stress of a traditional wedding.
https://twitter.com/flylikerobin_/status/814342059096207360
“We have people reach out to as far out as 2020,” she explains. “To be honest, rarely do the 48-hour, we-want-to get-married-this weekend [weddings] work out.”

The Small Things (That Add Up)

Not all wedding-planning decisions are about high-level stuff—being big, bold, or making a splash on social media. Make no mistake, the bulk of the decisions are grounded in the little details. For every conversation about the theme and the hashtag, there are ten more about, say, what will end up on the guest’s tables.
The most popular decor pieces and color palettes vary by the year, and 2018’s trends seem to be about returning to simpler times—and simpler parties.

“Once seen as corny and dated,” says Meghan Brumbley, owner and lead wedding planner at D.C. Engaged, “balloons are making a comeback this year.”
Indeed, balloons have expanded beyond birthday and New Year’s parties, according to Brides magazine, and they’re being implemented into weddings in creative ways. Instead of being used for for archways or on the getaway car, they’re being used by brides to create photo backdrops, table garlands, and place settings.
[pullquote align=”center”]A lot of brides are going simple. …It used to be everything needed to be very flashy, and everyone is really reeling that back now.
—Maggie Lynn Hummel[/pullquote]
For those concerned for the environment: Balloons were recently banned in Block Island, Rhode Island, after discarded, non-biodegradable balloons became an environmental nuisance in the town, reported The Boston Globe. If you want balloons in your ceremony, consider these biodegradable wedding balloons.
Color palettes are less flashy this year, too.
“A lot of brides are going simple,” says Hummel. “Ivories, light pinks, greenery, and maybe a hint of gold or rose gold. It used to be everything needed to be very flashy, and everyone is really reeling that back now.”

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Wedding favors aren’t taking priority this year, wrote Lauren Kay of The Knot. Instead of sending their guests home with a treat or gift, engaged couples are spending more money on making sure that the wedding experience is something their guests will remember fondly for long time.

An Unforgettable Experience

The desire to create a personalized, unforgettable experience is driving up the prices of weddings. Wedding are getting smaller, but engaged couples are spending more per guest than they have in years past. The average cost per wedding guest was $268 this past year, compared to $194 in 2009, according to The Knot’s survey.
“A lot of our brides are also thinking about their guests a lot more,” shares Hummel, who says that guest counts have dropped drastically at her venue in the last year. “They want good food, a good bar, and good music.”

iStock.com/Paul Bradbury

A smaller guest list allows for a more elaborate and unique experience, with musical entertainment, fireworks, sparklers, and photo booths taking the lead as the most popular experiential additions to 2018 weddings. More elaborate additions include magicians, comedians, and multiple musicians throughout the night.
“I recently attended a wedding where a man on stilts came out when everyone was dancing,” shares Kelsey Bowen, blogger at Little Things Favors. “He was dressed in all black and had an LED-light costume on. So there was this huge, light up robot looking thing dancing on the floor.”
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If a dancing robot isn’t your style, consider that some couples are blazing their own trails by booking adventure weddings. White has seen couples who’ve planned their ceremony on the summit of a mountain; they hike the mountain together and meet their family and officiants at the top.

Planning a wedding is certainly an undertaking.

For many couples, it will be the most elaborate event they plan in their lifetime. With countless decisions and ample pressure to please everyone involved, it is easy to be overcome by the stress of the planning. If there is anything to learn from the weddings so far in 2018, it’s that today’s weddings place importance on the expression of the couples’ individuality.
The freedom to plan the wedding you want, whether it’s an elopement or an elaborate event, is yours. Bring an alpaca if you want to.

Categories
Mom x Body Motherhood

Why I'm Okay With My Post-Baby Body

One evening when my daughter was 2, I pulled out a duffel bag I’d been storing under the bed since I got pregnant. It was my secret stash of clothing, the ones I’d return to when I lost the baby weight: my favorite jeans, my pre-breastfeeding-sized t-shirts, my thongs. But I wasn’t taking it out to try the clothes back on. I was taking it out to give the clothes away.
There came a moment, I don’t know exactly at what point, when I realized I just wasn’t going to return to my pre-baby weight. It dawned on me slowly and then—BAM!—it was clear as day.
I assumed I would lose all the baby weight quickly because I shed a chunk of weight early on, simply out of circumstance: I had gestational diabetes, so because of a strict diet during the last trimester of pregnancy, I gained almost no weight. If I stuck to that same diet post birth, maybe it would all be gone soon!
But then it slowed. Because I was back to my old eating habits and worse given that I was breastfeeding and sleep-deprived, chocolate at 10 a.m., burgers and fries, muffins and cookies, and more meant I never got rid of the last bit.
Now it’s been almost five years, and I’m quite sure that unless I get very strict with myself, I will never return to those pre-baby looks. But honestly? I’ve learned to not care so much.
I mean, of course I do care. Don’t we all want to look the way we did at our most fit? I was a dancer and a yoga teacher. I could eat whatever I wanted and still burn the calories off. I could have fries and wine for dinner and fit into my size 26 jeans! And I thought it was all genetics! Ha!
No longer. The problem is not that I can’t. The problem is that I’ve been told that I should: that I should be able to return to my old weight, that I should want to, that I should care about no longer looking that way.
In fact, for many women, their primary obsession once the baby comes out is losing weight. But is this really fair? Does this make us feel good about ourselves?
These days, whenever I have a negative feeling about my body, I try to stop myself from going down a rabbit hole. You grew a human, I whisper to myself. You fed her. You’ve changed. And: You’re getting older. Letting go of being my “ideal” weight is a little like letting go of the fact that I’ll never be 32 again. It isn’t sad—it’s part of growing up.
Now, I’m not saying throw in the towel! No way! I work out multiple days a week. I eat well. I want to look and feel good. But “good” (or “skinny”) is different now than it was then—and not just because of my weight, but because of all sorts of other things: lack of time, more self-confidence (regardless of what the scale says).
I could, of course, work super hard and get super skinny. But at what cost, exactly? Not enjoying my food? Not indulging once in a while? Working out when I could be writing, or spending time with my family, or—heaven forbid!—resting?
After years of obsessing about whether I’d ever lose that last 10 pounds, I’ve decided it’s not worth it to me—and this isn’t the same thing as not caring about my appearance. It means that losing the last 10 pounds cannot be the anchor around which I rule my life.
Here is my advice for dealing with your (beautiful) post-baby body:
Eat well. A fabulous nutritionist once told me to think of it in these terms: 80/20. 80 percent of the time you eat well: healthy foods in healthy proportions; 20 percent of the time, though, you indulge, so you don’t feel deprived and “act out,” eating half a box of cookies at 11 p.m. when the kids are in bed.
Exercise as much as you can. And make sure it’s something you find enjoyable, even if that means just taking a super long walk pushing the baby in the stroller.
Enjoy your kid. You’re amazing for having grown her inside your body.
And as a wise shrink once said to me, “Enjoy your life, sweetheart.”

Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

The Signs Of Ovulation: How Hormones Affect The Body

Those of us who menstruate usually know the signs of our period coming along: Before the bleeding occurs, we might experience bloating, pain, or moods swings. And yes, sometimes PMS makes sure you know your period is on its way.
Most of us are less familiar with the signs of ovulation. In fact, a recent study actually showed that most people struggle to tell whether they’re ovulating or not. Many of us might not even know that there are indeed physical signs of ovulation or why our bodies respond to ovulation the way they do.
First, a quick biology refresher: Ovulation occurs when an ova, or egg, is released from the follicle in the ovary. Once the egg leaves the ovary, it moves into the fallopian tube. It stays there for roughly 12 to 24 hours. Depending on your sexual activity, it’s during this time that sperm will reach the egg. If the egg is fertilized, it goes to the uterus. There, a fertilized egg will implant in the uterus wall, marking the beginning of pregnancy. If the egg isn’t fertilized, it degrades and menstruation will follow. Either way, ovulation is the time in your menstrual cycle when you’re fertile.

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The ovulation process also includes a great deal of hormonal changes. “Hormones called estrogen and progesterone are like yin and yang: There needs to be a balance,” says Carolyn Alexander, MD, of Southern California Reproductive Center. Alexander is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility. “Ovulation leads to a corpus luteum [a hormone-secreting structure], which produces elevated amounts of progesterone. This prevents unopposed estrogen or an imbalance of high estrogen,” she says. When this progesterone decreases a few days after ovulation, it triggers the beginning of a period.
These hormones work to prepare the body for pregnancy and it’s these preparations that can produce certain signs of ovulation you’ve probably noticed (and can learn to associate with the science behind your cycles).

How can I be sure that I’m ovulating (and why should I care)?

There are many reasons why you’d want to know whether you’re ovulating or not: You could be trying to avoid pregnancy, or you might want to get pregnant. You might also want to know whether you’re ovulating simply because you’d like to understand your body better—we’re all for understanding our bodies better.
Firstly, tracking your menstrual cycle can help you figure out when you’re ovulating. If you have a 28-day cycle and you mark the first day of your period as day one of your cycle, you’re likely to ovulate around day 14—that is, in the middle of your menstrual cycle. To keep track of ovulation, you could use a pen-and-paper calendar or you can record your period (and related symptoms) in a period tracking app, like Clue.

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Secondly, ovulation kits can test your urine to help you figure out whether you’re ovulating or not. “What kicks the ovary to get the egg out is something called luteinizing hormone (LH), which surges right before ovulation,” says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine. “This is called the LH surge, and you are actually measuring this in the urine on the ovulation predictor kits.” Minkin recommends the First Response Ovulation Calculator.
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Bear in mind, though, that neither of these methods are 100 percent effective. As with your period, many factors might affect the time you ovulate. In other words, you could ovulate a little earlier or later than expected. “Stressors, illness, change in eating, dieting particularly, but even overeating, all can affect ovulation,” says Minkin. “So it is not 100 percent repetitive.” Even ovulation predictor kits can be wrong, she adds.
Another way to figure out whether you’re fertile or not is to look out for certain signs of ovulation.

What are the signs of ovulation?

While there are many ways to find out whether you’re ovulating or not, it’s also great to pay attention to the signs and signals your body gives you.
Since ovulation causes a great deal of hormonal changes, it affects your body in multiple ways. In terms of our biological evolution, the function of ovulation is to help us reproduce, so many of the signs of ovulation involve physical changes that make pregnancy more likely.

iStock.com/Milkos

Remember that since no two uteruses are the same, everyone experiences ovulation differently—so don’t be alarmed if you don’t notice any signs of ovulation. It’s totally possible to ovulate without experiencing any signs.
If you’ve had some unexpected physical symptoms around the middle of your cycle, read on to find out if they’re signs of ovulation.

1. Your cervical mucus changes.

You might note that your vaginal discharge changes around this time. This is because your cervical mucus changes during ovulation. Studies show that there’s a significant increase in the amount of cervical mucus produced by your body. The substance often becomes sticky, clear, and thick. According to Minkin, this makes it easier for sperm to make it to your cervix, thus increasing the chances that you’ll become pregnant.

2. You’re feeling mild pelvic pain.

Ever felt a little twinge in the side of your pelvis during ovulation? That mild ache might be your follicle releasing an egg. “This pain is known as mittelschmerz, or ‘pain in the middle,’” says Kelly Kasper, MD, an OB-GYN at Indiana University Health. “When a follicle matures prior to releasing an egg, the follicle can contain a small amount of fluid like a cyst. When the egg is released, the follicle ruptures, releasing the fluid [and] causing an ache or pain.”

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Mittelschmerz usually only lasts a few hours, and it can be managed with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like Advil. Kasper warns that if the pain is too unbearable or persistent, you should see a doctor.

3. Your libido increases.

A change in your sex drive and a change in the type of sex you’d like are both signs of ovulation. There’s a strong correlation between ovulation and libido: “There is a spike up of testosterone right around the time of ovulation, which from a biological perspective is also designed to get you to want to have sex,” says Minkin.

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Ovulation might also influence the type of sex you’re interested in. A small study focusing on heterosexual women suggested that they might prefer penetrative sex over oral sex during ovulation. If you don’t notice an increase in libido, though, that doesn’t mean you’re not ovulating—Alexander notes that if you have a low libido in general, you might not notice a spike in arousal around ovulation.

4. You’re experiencing spotting or light bleeding.

If you’re ovulating and you notice some blood spots or brown discharge, don’t be alarmed. This is fairly common. “When ovulation occurs, the follicle can rupture and result in a small amount of bleeding,” says Kasper. “This blood turns brown as it gets older, hence why the vaginal discharge can be red to dark brown.”

5. Your breasts feel tender.

Since ovulation involves a lot of hormonal activity, you might notice that your breasts feel more sensitive or tender around the middle of the cycle. Studies have shown that breasts are generally more tender and more swollen during the fertile window.

6. Your sense of smell is heightened.

“You could experience a heightened sense of smell in the second half of the cycle after ovulating in order to be more attracted to androsterone, a male pheromone,” explains Kasper.

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A recent study supported the commonly held idea that ovulation increases your sense of smell. The study especially showed that ovulation makes us more sensitive to androsterone. Again, this is one of the responses to ovulation that is meant to help you get pregnant.

7. Your basal body temperature (BBT) changes.

Your basal body temperature, which is the temperature of your body when it’s resting, is affected by ovulation. Monitoring basal body temperature was once used as a method to detect ovulation. “Before we had ovulation predictor kits to measure the LH surge, we relied on basal body temperatures,” says Minkin. “If you take your temperature first thing in the morning—even before you get out of bed—and chart it, you will see a slight drop right before ovulation, and then the temperature will rise about half a degree Fahrenheit.”

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BBT isn’t one of the signs of ovulation you’ll be able to see at a glance. It must be taken with a digital thermometer designed to measure BBT. Once you have the right type of thermometer, you have to chart your temperature over time. Since the BBT can fluctuate throughout your cycle, it has to be monitored for quite some time; it could take months to identify the pattern, Kasper adds. This is why urine-based ovulation tests are favored over measuring BBT nowadays.

8. Your immune system may be weaker.

“In light of an embryo hopefully implanting in the uterus sometime soon, there are immune changes that may adapt to allow paternal proteins to be accepted by the uterus,” says Alexander. In other words, the immune system lets its guard down so that sperm can enter the body and stay there until fertilization takes place.

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Your immune system might be weaker because of these hormonal changes, so you might find yourself more prone to colds and flu. Interestingly, a 2012 study noted that people are more prone to infections during ovulation.

9. You could have a higher pain threshold.

Your menstrual cycle might also affect your pain threshold—that is, how sensitive you are to pain. According to multiple studies, higher estrogen levels cause you to have less sensitivity to pain. This suggests that your pain threshold is higher during ovulation.
This might not be the same for everyone, though. And, as studies have warned, measuring your pain threshold is subjective, so it’s possible that your bias changes depending on where you are in your cycle.

Can I get pregnant if I don’t have sex while ovulating?

If you’re trying to get pregnant, your best bet is having sex around the day you ovulate. This is why knowing the signs of ovulation and using ovulation tests can be useful.
However, you can’t always be completely sure when you’re ovulating. Even if you could predict ovulation accurately, abstaining from sex when you ovulate isn’t a foolproof method of avoiding pregnancy.
It’s important to remember that sperm can linger in the cervix and uterus for a few days, explains Minkin. If you have sex for a few days before ovulation, you might still get pregnant. If you’re trying to track ovulation to avoid pregnancy, consider using another method of contraception in addition to tracking your cycle.

What happens if I’m not ovulating?

While it’s generally true that we ovulate once a month, this isn’t the case 100 percent of the time. If you’re on hormonal birth control, you shouldn’t be ovulating at all. It’s also possible to have occasional menstrual cycles when you don’t ovulate. These are called anovulatory cycles.
However, if you continuously don’t ovulate, this could be cause for concern, even if you’re not trying to get pregnant. Ovulation is an essential part to your menstrual cycle as it influences the fluctuation of hormones in your body. These hormones aren’t only essential for fertility—they’re essential for our overall health. Anovulation can be caused by extreme stress, extreme exercise or dieting, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and other illnesses.

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“There needs to be a balance [of progesterone and estrogen] to prevent uterine cancer or pre-cancer cells,” says Alexander. This can especially be a problem if you have unopposed estrogen levels—that is, high amounts of estrogen and low amounts of progesterone. Alexander notes that it is possible to menstruate without ovulating. “This can lead to ovarian cysts as well as a thickened uterine lining that can develop pre-cancer cells,” she says. Again, you might be ovulating without displaying any signs of ovulation, so you can’t diagnose this yourself. If you think you’re not ovulating, speak to your healthcare provider.
Knowing the signs of ovulation is super useful for those of us who are hoping for (or avoiding!) pregnancy. It’s also comforting to know that some signs—like spotting and mild pelvic pain—are a part of ovulation, and (typically) not signs that something’s wrong.
Want to start tracking your cycles to get to know when you’re ovulating? Check out how free femtech apps can help you educate yourself about ovulation, fertility, safe sex, and more.
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Categories
Happy Home Lifestyle

Editor's Picks: Spring-Inspired Pieces To Freshen Up Your Home

[noads]
Hey friends!
Spring has sprung—finally! It’s the season of rebirth and brings a fresh, fun newness that I desperately need after a long, Midwest winter. And while I’m excited to finally spend time outside, I’m still a homebody at heart and I like to make sure my space is decked out for lazy weeknights in, lounging in my backyard, and dinner parties with friends.
I’ve put together a list of what I’m looking at to help get my home into the swing of spring; you’ll be happy to know most of my picks are sustainable! Throw open those windows, bring in the fresh air and sunlight, and dig in for options that’ll spruce up your whole house.
HealthyWaySenior Lifestyle Editor[/noads]

Living Room

One of my favorite ways to give my living room a seasonal facelift is with new throw pillows. (Can you ever have too many?) This season I’m especially feeling lush fabrics, touchable textures, and rich colors. Target’s newest home line, Opal House, checks all three boxes for me with this pleated velvet oversized lumbar pillow; the citron color will go especially well with my navy Chesterfield couch and is sure to be a sunny spot on a cloudy spring day.
Now let’s make like Lil Jon and head to the window, to the wall. I’m a true believer in the power of fresh air, so until the humidity of Midwest summers takes over, I keep my windows open day and night. To give my house the laid-back feeling I’m looking for this spring, I’m hanging white linen sheers on my windows. I’m excited about these linen curtains; they’re handmade in Lithuania from 100 percent organic linen, so it’s a pretty purchase you can feel good about.
If your walls are feeling a little stale, hanging new art is an easy fix. You can print out your favorite snaps from the past year and hang them in the float frame from internet fave Artifact Uprising, or go budget friendly with something from IKEA—a few of the Virserum frames are perfect for curating a gallery wall.
If you’re looking for something a little more elevated, I always recommend Society6. Everything on the site is made by independent artists and it’s great to support the little guy. I’ve got my eye on rich photography, simple line work, and abstract landscapes.
HealthyWay

Kitchen + Dining

I love having friends over when the weather gets nicer. Whether we’re sitting inside around my vintage mid-century dining table or eating out on the patio, spring dinners with my favorite people are one of the best parts of the year. Before our first get together, I’ll pick up some new tableware and glasses to get in the mood for food (as if I’m not already).
These pretty blue petite Moroccan glasses from The Little Market look perfect for warm-weather cocktails—and each purchase supports artists in Morocco.
For those al fresco nights, I’m excited to bust out these bamboo plates from Xenia Taler. They’re shatterproof, super trendy, and biodegradable. I love the bright stripes on the Marseille and Amalfi collections—at under $50 for four plates, I’m buying both sets.
HealthyWay

Bedroom

I’m staying on the linen train with new sheets—there’s no easier way to make a change to your bedroom that looks pretty and feels indulgent. This year I’m looking at Parachute’s linen sheet set, made out of 100 percent European flax. The blush color is still on trend but is muted enough to not be overwhelming.
Even the smallest spaces need upgrades; for me, that’s my makeup corner. I don’t have a dedicated dressing room (one day!) but I do have a small space for my makeup table and accessories. If you don’t have a spot like this, create one! But don’t just pick a corner and call it a day; spruce up the space with a few accessories.
No. 1 on that list is a mirror you really love. Though I always recommend getting a dedicated makeup mirror (that 10x magnification is ideal for eyebrow tweezing adventures), hanging one like the Reese mirror from World Market will help reflect light around the room and remind you that this space is all about you—just as it should be.
HealthyWay

Categories
Healthy Pregnancy Motherhood

Everything They Don't Tell You About Pregnancy

If you’ve ever walked down the aisle of a bookstore and tried to choose a pregnancy preparedness book out of the shelf after shelf of options, you may find it hard to believe there’s anything that can crop up during pregnancy that isn’t already out there for the masses to know. There are books on every part of the pregnancy journey from every perspective.
Single motherhood? Check. Conceived by IVF? Check. High-risk pregnancy? Check and check.
And yet, you can read a half dozen pregnancy books cover to cover, only to hit a stage of your pregnancy that catches you totally off guard. These are the moments the books can’t prepare you for, the moments of pregnancy that you hear about only from other folks who have been there, done that, have the stretch marks to prove it.
Wondering what could possibly be ahead that wasn’t already covered in all those books you read? We asked moms to share the one thing that they wished someone had filled them in on before they got pregnant. They were caught off guard, but they’re sharing their stories so you won’t be!

Your nose gets stuffy.

Mom of two Naomi expected her belly to swell, but she didn’t know that other tissues in the body swell too, including the membranes in your nose. “It made me feel like I had a cold for six months, even though I wasn’t sick!” she says. The reason? The changing hormones in your body can affect the mucus membranes, including those in your nose. The good news is you’ll get your inflammation-free honker back after baby shows up.

Your favorite shoes won’t fit.

Just like your nose, pregnancy hormones can cause your feet to grow, according to the scientists. Mom of one Jeana says she went up a full size, spending the latter months of her pregnancy “waddling around in cheap flip flops.”
Don’t throw out your favorites just yet, though! Jeana’s feet went back down a half size after the baby arrived, and yours may too.

Sex is…different.

No matter what the books say, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to sex during pregnancy. Some moms-to-be can’t get enough and some have no interest in ever having sex again (well, so they think at the time).
But what mom of two Lisa says no one told her was that when she did want to have sex, her enjoyment level would be off.
“Orgasms [felt] different for me—weird—like there was a plug down there,” she says.

It’s okay to say “I don’t love this.”

Some women love pregnancy. But for mom Brook, the months she spent expecting her daughter were pure misery. Looking back, she tells HealthyWay she wishes someone had told her it was okay to hate her pregnancy. It didn’t mean she wouldn’t love her child.
Mom of three Brett adds, “There’s a dark side to pregnancy. There are so many not-glowy-wonderful emotions as well as fears and anxiety and they seem to be glossed over.”

Your appetite changes.

You’ve probably heard about [linkbuilder id=”2759″ text=”pregnancy cravings”] and maybe even aversions to foods while you’re expecting. But did you know you’ll likely hit a time when you just can’t seem to fit anything else in your body? Nyssa tells us that as she entered the later months of pregnancy with her son, she felt like there was no room left in her body to fit food!

Pee happens.

You go to the bathroom during pregnancy. A lot. Sometimes it feels like baby is purposely bouncing on your bladder, and you’ll find yourself running to the bathroom. And as mom of two Terri tells HealthyWay, sometimes you just don’t make it. “You pee your pants when you cough, laugh, sneeze, and sometimes just as you walk,” she says with a laugh.

You might leak.

Urine’s not the only fluid you might find leaking out of you. Mom of three Amanda remembers being shocked to find her breasts were leaking colostrum (the precursor to breast milk) when she was just five months along. Of course it happened while she was at work—wearing a white shirt!

Not every pregnancy is the same.

Jill, a mom of one with a second on the way, thought she knew what she was up for when she decided to try for baby number two. She’d been pregnant, given birth, and had a happy, healthy son.
How could things possibly be different?
Well, about that!
“[I wish someone had told me] that just because a first pregnancy may have been a cakewalk, that a second pregnancy could be a hellacious, miserable nine months,” Jill says.

Ultrasounds go inside.

Sure, ultrasounds are part and parcel of a modern day pregnancy. Some moms will just have one or two during pregnancy, while others may have these special tests as often as monthly or even weekly in the later trimesters.
Megan, a mom of twins, tells HealthyWay she expected the process to go the way it goes on TV: A woman lies down on a table and pulls up her shirt. A sonogram tech squeezes some goo all over her belly and starts moving a little gadget (officially called a transducer, by the way) around on her belly.
It wasn’t until the tech pulled out a pointy tube and announced she’d be inserting it into Megan’s vagina that she learned things could go very, very, differently. As she jokes, “No one warned me about the stick of doom that comes with those early ultrasounds!”
Not every mom gets a transvaginal ultrasound, so you may get off scot-free during your pregnancy. On the other hand, don’t be alarmed if your doctor says they’re going inside for this ultrasound!

Categories
Health x Body Wellbeing

Want To Learn How To Get Rid Of Cellulite? We Asked The Experts Which Treatments Work (And Which Ones To Avoid)

Mattress skin. Cottage cheese thighs. Orange peel tush. There are dozens of words we’ve come up with to avoid talking directly about the cellulite that starts cropping up on our bodies when we least expect it.
The reality is cellulite is simply a part of life—a normal part of life at that. As many as 80 to 90 percent of girls and women who are past the puberty stage have at least some cellulite somewhere on their bodies.
Unfortunately, being one of the girls doesn’t necessarily make us love our lumps. We live in a society where tabloids splash paparazzi shots of celebrity women across their covers with giant headlines labeling the stars “imperfect” and using arrows to point to a few dimples on their thighs. The implication (however false it may be) is clear: Cellulite is proof your body’s falling apart.
We’ve certainly internalized those headlines. In one survey performed on behalf of a company that develops laser treatments, women with cellulite rated their own appearance on average lower than the appearance of women without cellulite. Almost all (97 percent) of the participants with cellulite said they’d change their appearance if they could.
But while there’s almost no avoiding the lumpy fat that crops up on tummies, butts, and thighs of famous models and not-so-famous moms driving minivans around the neighborhood, cellulite treatments are out there if you want them. The problem for most women is sorting through the overhyped claims of fast fixes and overpriced offers to find cellulite treatments that can help us reclaim some of that smooth, pre-puberty skin.
That’s where we come in. We talked to the experts about the most popular cellulite treatments out there and found out what works, what doesn’t, and what you can do if you’re not feeling comfortable in the skin you’re in.

Cellulite: A Female Curse?

Before we even consider treating cellulite, did you ever wonder what the heck was going on down under your skin to make all those bumps and valleys? Let’s take trip back to high school science, shall we?
The skin has three layers: The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin. The dermis is the layer right beneath the epidermis. Below that is the subcutaneous layer, which is made up of fat and connective tissue.
“Throughout the fat layer, there are connective tissue septae, or bands, that run down from the skin and divide the fat layer into compartments,” explains Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and RealSelf contributor from New York City. “Cellulite occurs when this underlying fat begins to push up against the overlying connective tissue and skin, while those septae pull down the skin, resulting in that characteristic dimpled appearance.”
Essentially, the fat that’s in our bodies sections off into little pockets deep underneath the skin, resulting in the dimples we know as cellulite. It typically begins sometime in a woman’s twenties or thirties—although it can happen earlier (some teenagers have cellulite) or later—and it’s most prevalent on the thighs, butt, and lower abdomen, although it can also appear on the arms.
While these fatty pockets can crop up on men’s bodies, it’s much rarer than it is in women. Just about 10 percent of cisgender men have cellulite, compared to more than 80 percent of cisgender women. There are a number of reasons for the gender divide, but the main thing? It’s yet another thing we can blame on our hormones, Shah says, specifically estrogen, the primary female sex hormone.
“Estrogen plays role in the development of cellulite,” Shah explains. “Women tend to have more body fat, and women’s fat is typically distributed in the thighs, hips, and buttocks, which are common areas for cellulite.”
Also at play in cellulite’s appearance is the way muscle develops in men versus women.
“In men, the connective tissue bands that connect skin and muscle are thicker, more in number, and form a crisscross pattern (unlike the vertical pattern in women), making it less likely for the fat to push through,” Shah notes.
Of course, not all women develop cellulite, and just why that happens and who it will happen to is still somewhat up in the air. Even scientists have yet to suss out exactly why some women wake up one day to cellulite while others never experience it at all.
“Because we don’t know exactly why people get cellulite, it’s not always possible to prevent it, especially since factors like genes and hormones play a role,” Shah says. But there are certain risk factors that tend to up your chances of taking a peek at your butt in the mirror and spotting some cellulite, including:

  • Genetics (both being female and having a parent who had cellulite)
  • A diet high in fat, carbohydrates, and salt, but low in fiber
  • Lifestyle factors such as smoking, being sedentary, and lack of exercise (which results in low muscle tone)
  • Poor circulation
  • Hormonal imbalances or increased sensitivity to hormones
  • Use of hormonal contraceptives
  • Aging (as we age, the skin and connective tissues naturally weaken and lose elasticity, Shah says)
  • Weight gain (but even thin people can have cellulite, Shah is quick to point out)

Of course, that all begs the question: What can you do about it?

Cellulite Treatments

If you have cellulite and it doesn’t bother you, you can stop reading right now. Okay, well hold up—not quite yet.
The truth is, cellulite is normal, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Deepak Raj Dugar, MD, says. It’s not a disease. It’s not a reason to hit the emergency room. And while some of the potential causes (such as smoking or an unhealthy diet) can adversely impact your health, cellulite in and of itself is not going to hurt you and is not considered harmful to your health by the medical community.
If you want to let it be, there’s no reason to pay it any more attention. But what if you fall in the “I want it gone” camp?
There’s good news and bad news ahead. When asked if there are any means for cellulite treatment that are legitimate and backed by science, most doctors don’t pull any punches.
“Short answer is no,” Dugar says. “There have been no studies to ever show that a device, medication, or system was able to effectively reduce cellulite across the board.”
In fact, some body-contouring plastic surgery methods, such as liposuction, have actually been shown to make the appearance of cellulite worse. Okay, case closed, right? You’re stuck with orange peel thighs and cottage cheese tushie.
Not exactly. While there’s no magic pill that will address every single person’s cellulite issues, there are some options out there.
Here’s the real deal on the most popular cellulite treatments currently available.

Retinoid or Retinol Creams

Can cellulite treatment really be as easy as rubbing a cream on every day for a few weeks? Well, no, says Shah. “It won’t directly treat the cellulite, but [it] may improve skin texture and tightness, therefore reducing the appearance of cellulite.” Be wary of just any cream that you find in the drugstore or online that claims to get rid of cellulite, though. It’s only those with the active ingredients retinoid or retinol that offer that skin-tightening benefits.

Compression Stockings

Like creams, these seem like a fast and easy fix for cellulite woes, but they’re more cosmetic than a long-term solution, Shah says. Wearing support hose can reduce excess fluid, making the cellulite less apparent on your thighs, butt, and tummy. But once you’ve spent some time without that support, the dimpling effect will just return. The same goes for dry brushing and the “wraps” popular on Instagram. The compression effect can help in the short term, but it’s not a long-term cellulite treatment.

Cellfina

The first device to ever get FDA clearance for long-term treatment of cellulite literally cuts the connective tissue bands that pull down the skin and create the dimpled appearance of cellulite, Shah says. Performed by a doctor in an outpatient setting, Cellfina treatments use a small, needle-sized device that cuts those cellulite-causing bands just beneath the skin. The device is “minimally invasive,” according to the company, and side effects are typically limited to tenderness and bruising. The results are expected to last for up to a year, Shah says, although the company boasts patients can be cellulite free for as long as three years.

Cellulaze

Another treatment that can only be done by a doctor, Cellulaze is a cellulite treatment that’s performed in an office setting in an hour or two, allowing patients to go home immediately after treatment. “This [is] a laser treatment in which the laser is inserted just underneath the skin to cut the connective tissue bands that are causing the dimpled appearance,” Shah explains. Again, side effects tend to include tenderness and bruising, and the company notes there may be some leaking from the incision. Patients may have to wear compression garments for a short period of time after the procedure and avoid strenuous activity for as much as two weeks after treatment. The company behind the procedure promises results will improve over time and should last up to a year.

Other Laser Techniques

Cellulaze is a brand name (and one of the most popular treatments), but there are other radiofrequency lasers out there that are used to address the appearance of cellulite. Dugar says these devices use suction pulsing technology to help “separate the fibrous septa from the skin to reduce the herniation fat,” but warns that the efficacy of these is still low, and results are not permanent.

Fillers

Just as some people get fillers injected into their face to address fine lines and wrinkles, it’s possible to use injections to address cellulite. “These injectable treatments can be used to mask the appearance of cellulite by filling in the dimples,” Shah explains.

Brazilian Butt Lift

One of the most invasive cellulite treatments is less of a treatment and more of a way to mask the dimples by creating a barrier between the skin and the subcutaneous tissues below, Dugar says. A Brazilian butt lift involves liposuction, pulling fat from your flanks, abdomen, arms, and legs, and re-injecting that fat into your buttocks and thighs.
“When done properly, you can effectively create a barrier between the skin and the fibrous connective issues below, thereby reducing the appearance of the cellulite,” Dugar says. But, he warns, “this may only be temporary as studies have never shown that this is an effective treatment for cellulite. I have noticed that it can temporarily decrease the appearance of it.”

Diet and Exercise

No, it won’t eliminate all your cellulite, but it can have an impact, Shah says, at least on how your cellulite appears. “Being overweight may worsen cellulite because the more subcutaneous fat you have, the more likely it is to put stress on the connective tissue and bulge,” she explains.
Of course, cellulite can also happen in thin individuals, and exercise does not necessarily get rid of cellulite completely, but it can make it appear differently beneath the skin.
“As the connective tissue underneath the skin weakens or loses elasticity, it allows the fat to bulge,” Shah explains. “Strengthening the muscles in those areas will in turn tighten the skin (and burn excess fat overall), making the skin appear smoother and cellulite less noticeable.”
Any exercise is good exercise, but if you’re looking at your workout as a cellulite treatment, you’ll want to mix up your fitness routine.
“Combining aerobic activity with strength training is key to improving the appearance cellulite, and aerobic/cardio exercise alone is unlikely make much of a difference,” Shah says.
At the end of the day, cellulite may not be something that we can beat or even need to be that concerned about. But if you’re focusing on a healthy lifestyle, from diet to exercise to water intake to avoiding smoking, you may be able to help stave of developing more and help the cellulite that’s already there be just a little bit less apparent. If nothing else, a healthier lifestyle will equal a healthier you.

Categories
Mindful Parenting Motherhood

Cosmic Kids Yoga: Jaime Amor Talks Anger, Mindfulness, And Better Ways To Teach Our Kids

Since 2012, Cosmic Kids Yoga has been a positive force in the sometimes questionable world of online children’s entertainment. The concept is simple: Teacher Jaime Amor guides kids through a series of poses using a colorful cadre of animals to make the lessons more appealing to young minds. She stands on a round yoga mat, talking directly to her audience, bringing them through “yoga adventures” that invite them to use their imaginations while moving their bodies.
If Cosmic Kids Yoga stopped there, that would be enough, but Amor has a bigger mission. In the vein of legendary television presenters like Mr. Rogers, she focuses on imparting useful lessons to her young audience, teaching them how to handle difficult emotions, confront personal challenges, and interact with their world in healthy, positive ways.
Over the last six years, Cosmic Kids Yoga has grown. Episodes like “Pedro the Penguin” quickly gained hundreds of thousands of views, and the Cosmic Kids YouTube channel now has more than 200,000 subscribers.

We spoke with Amor to discuss how yoga can help children—and to find out what’s next for Cosmic Kids Yoga.

HealthyWay: We mentioned this in our emails, but a few of our editors have kids that are big fans of yours.

Amor: Aww, that’s amazing! That’s so encouraging when we hear it. I always thought that if the kids like it, we’re doing something well.

What is it about Cosmic Kids Yoga that you think makes it such an effective form of exercise for children?

It really works on multiple levels. Firstly, because of the way that they’re physically engaged, they’ve got something physical to do. And secondly, the stories just keep them wanting to continue along on the adventure.

You’ve got quite a range of stories, too.

Yes, you’ve got everything from mermaids to space monkeys to baby seahorses. The kids are really interested in all of the cute, fun characters.

There’s a practical side—all the things that I’ve done in the videos are things that I’ve practiced and done with kids in real-life classes, so I know that they work.
And we have these practical life lessons where kids are able to take some of the techniques that they learn in the stories and then apply them to their real life, you know? If they feel like they need some headspace and calm, they’ve got their 10-down count that we learn in Lulu the Lion Cub. It’s about slowly breathing and counting down from 10 to one.
That’s a proper mindfulness technique, really. But it’s also really practical for a kid; if they ever notice that level of stress in themselves, they can just engage it. I think it’s the combination of the fun factor and the practicality of it that really makes the kids want to do it.

And yoga feels good—that’s certainly something!

Yes, it feels good! I think that moving your body, doing these yoga poses feels great. And kids love moving. They’re always moving in some way. That’s how we work out what our bodies can do.

Mindfulness isn’t really something that we focus on as a culture. We don’t really give children the tools that they need to deal with their emotions in a healthy way.

Yeah, exactly. And I think what I’ve found is that, in the stories, we can create an event—a situation—where a particular feeling or challenge will crop up.
Perhaps our brothers and sisters have been making fun of us. Well, Lulu the Lion Cub, she hasn’t learned how to roar yet. She’s feeling those same emotions, because her brothers and sisters are saying, “Wah, wah, you haven’t learned how to roar yet!”

That’s a real thing that a lot of kids will relate to. So we’ll go with Lulu on a little journey to see how she might help herself deal with that frustration in those moments. There, vicariously through a character, you’ve learned a technique, but it doesn’t feel like you’re being told what to do. It’s not being pushed on you; it’s being offered as a solution.
[related article_ids=1004887]
And in the stories, I often make the kids the heroes. They’re the ones actually giving Lulu the advice that she might take to help herself.
When you put kids in control like that, when you give them that hand of power, they say, “I know what I’m doing; I feel confident in this.” And so when they’re confronted with that situation, they really feel that those tools are at their fingertips, ready to use.

Speaking of practicality, we were wondering about some of the practical elements of the show. Who comes up with all of the creative ideas?

We have a really small team. I generally come up with the stories. I work with Martin, my husband, and we work very much as a team to decide on the message. What do we want to do in this story? What do we want kids to take away with them?
And then I’ll go away and I’ll build a plot around situations that kids might have found themselves in, then try to relate that to the animal world. What’s brilliant about the animal world is that it lends itself to yoga; obviously so many yoga poses are based in nature. It really helps to create a yoga journey that I can put together with that story.
Then we rehearse a few times. I go to schools, and I try [the story] with different groups of kids. I’ll figure out what bits are working, what bits aren’t working, and then it’s ready for the green screen studio.
We go into the studio once every four or five months. I’ll have spent three or four weeks trying to cram as many stories as I can into my head, and then I’ll try to film over a couple of days, between six and 10 stories.

Cosmic Kids Yoga uses a lot of green screen. Is that a challenge?

It is, but I’m used to it now. Initially, it was quite interesting. It was just a piece of fabric that we put up in a local village hall.
Now, [the studio] is five minutes down the road from us, and it’s a proper, full-on, wonderful, infinity curve green screen, which is absolutely amazing.
In the room, usually, there’s me, my husband Martin, and Konrad, who’s our third team member. He does all of our production, films it, and does all of our backgrounds. He’s an incredibly talented guy, so he knows how to build these wonderful worlds.
So it’s the three of us. There’s also Nick, our animator, who draws our little characters that appear sometimes at the beginning of the session. That’s it, really; it’s a very intimate affair, so I feel incredibly relaxed.
I think about the camera like it’s a group of kids I’m talking to. I think that’s another factor that helps the kids get it. They really see me talking to them—because I am talking to them. There’s a lens in the way, but I don’t think about it like that.

Was there a single experience you had, or a single factor that led to the creation of Cosmic Kids Yoga?

I used to be a children’s entertainer. I would work through the weekends as an actor, and I would dress up as a fairy, or a princess, or a pirate, and I’d go to a children’s party. I would have two hours to make it the most fun, exciting, engaging two hours they’d ever had, and really celebrate the birthday boy or birthday girl.
Quite early on, I realized that I couldn’t just sit there and tell a story in a costume. It occurred to me that if I actually got them to physicalize the story with me as I told it, they would be a lot more engaged.

Sure enough, they were. I used to tell this story—there was a witch, and in order to stop the witch from putting a curse on all of us, we had to learn these five special moves. I taught them five yoga poses, and they’d make the witch melt into a puddle on the floor. They’d all be elated, jumping around. “We did it! We did it!”

It was at that point that I realized—you can make something so much more experiential if you get kids moving. Not only that, you’ve got 25 kids in a room, and they’re very high energy. They’re excited to be at the party. But it’ll be completely pin-drop silent when you’re teaching them these moves.

That’s when I knew that there was this incredible combination of storytelling and yoga that could, in itself, be an activity.

Did you immediately start trying to build Cosmic Kids Yoga?

At that point, I was working at a school—I was running a cookery club. I talked to the headmaster and said, “Would you mind if I tried some yoga with the kids?” He was really open to it, so it started from there.
That grew. I was doing 15 classes a week at various schools all around where I lived. After doing that for about two or three years, Martin, my husband—his background is in innovation—he looked at me as I was dragging my mat somewhere after a long, long day.
He said, “I think we should try filming you and see what happens if we put it on YouTube.” That was where the Cosmic Kids online world was born.
That really made sense to me at that point, because often in my classes, you would find that if it was 3:15 on a Wednesday afternoon, not all the kids felt like doing their yoga at that prescribed time. But that’s when the after-school club is, or when they’ve been told, “You’re doing yoga.” That’s when they have to do it.
Having it available on a video on a platform like YouTube suddenly means that they can do it whenever they want. That meant the world of doing yoga for kids became so much more accessible.

How long after that did it start to become a success?

It took some time, you know. We were delighted every step of the way. When you start from nothing, when you start at zero—you get your first view, and you’re like, “Oh! Oh! We’ve had a view!”

We filmed three in the first day, and we sat on them for about three months because we thought they were ridiculous. We thought they were really odd—nobody was going to watch them.

But we put them up, and they slowly started getting views. We didn’t know anything about YouTube and how it works, so we started paying for ads. We attached ourselves [via ads] to Sesame Street.
From there, we started getting a few more views, then we stopped doing the ads, as we had our own little foothold of teachers and parents. We got feedback: “This is great!” “My kid really likes this!” “I’m going to tell my friends about it.”
Gradually, it became a more organic thing, and it grew really steadily. I mean, it took us about four years to get to 100,000 subscribers, but it’s one of those channels that isn’t really a subscriber-led thing. It’s more about the views.

Now it’s at the point where it’s 2–3 million views a month. It’s quite a bit more significant, and a lot of schools use it.

That has to feel very rewarding.

It is, relatively, yeah. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you keep learning as you’re going. That’s the thing about self-publishing, isn’t it? It’s about putting yourself out there. And you can really see the arc of someone’s journey.

What’s your mindset for growing Cosmic Kids Yoga and bringing more kids into the fold?

What’s really been great is what’s at the core of it. The yoga adventures have been so sticky for the kids—they’ve been waiting for the next video. They’re keen to keep up the practice, and they want the next story.
The variety is really important to them, as I’ve found in teaching my live classes. Every week I go in and they say, “Which story are we doing this week?” You couldn’t say that you’re doing the same one as last week. That’s my motivation for keeping it fresh, and hopefully making it more appealing to more kids.

That’s fantastic. The exercise, obviously, is at the core of that, so let’s talk about yoga in general for a moment. When did you get into yoga?

I was about 19 and I was at drama school and we had a very spiritual voice teacher. She’d run a voluntary yoga session for us, and I found it really, really opened the door, because it showed me you could find this state of relaxation.

I found that really useful when I was working as an actor as well. Being on stage, or working with the camera, if you can find a state of calmness, or steadiness, or peace in yourself, you end up producing a more open and effective performance.

It wasn’t until I got into my sort of late twenties and early thirties that I thought, “Okay, I’m going to take my training and study yoga a bit further.” So I learned how to train and teach in Ashtanga.

Who are some of your favorite people in yoga? And just generally—who inspires you as an entertainer?

There’s my teacher here in the UK—he’s amazing—he’s called Jeff Phoenix. He’s got a pretty big following. He’s been doing it for 20 years, and he just oozes all of this tremendous energy. He’s an inspiration.

Recently, I’ve really enjoyed Dylan Werner, I think he’s really cool. And Patrick Beach. They’re kind of these young bucks that are coming up through the ranks. Back to the classics, Shiva Rea is amazing.
In the showbiz world, I was mostly inspired a few stage actors. Rory Kinnear is brilliant. I know he’s done a lot of movies as well, but seeing him on stage was inspiring. I’ve always loved Helena Bonham Carter—I know she’s absolutely mad, but I just think she’s great! There’s something kind of dangerous about her, and she’s exciting to watch.

Do you have any plans for Cosmic Kids over the next year?

At the moment, we’re in that sort of stage where we just want to keep making it. We’re in a really good groove at the moment. And there’s always new ideas kind of coming up and out of the woodwork. Kids will say, “Can you do a Pokémon one?” or “Can you do one about this movie that’s about to come out?” Kids really love the movie-themed episodes.
We’ve had schools using Cosmic Kids Yoga, and that’s something we’re really excited to see. What other forms could Cosmic Kids take? Could it take the form of a game? Could it use these other technologies we have now—Xbox Kinect, motion capture, even VR? So we’re considering those types of things, anything that could create an even more engaging world that kids could take part in.

We want kids to feel closer, and feel stronger about mindfulness in their own lives. That’s really our focus, just to keep making people aware of it and help more kids discover it.

I think it’s wonderful. Especially helping kids handle emotions in a healthy way is something we really need right now.

Absolutely. The next episode we’re going to be releasing is one of my stories, Mr. Hoppit the Hare, and it was inspired actually by [writer] David Sedaris. I don’t know if you know him. He’s brilliant. I just think he’s just so funny and dry.

And he did this incredible story about animals, which was inspired by Donald Trump building a wall between the States and Mexico. I just thought, well, here’s an opportunity—how do we celebrate diversity? How do I appreciate who’s in my community, and look around and see what’s happening around me, and recognize the good in it?

It’s interesting where your journey takes you, and how exactly how we can help kids learn about their own mental health, but also show them socially where everything is and how it’s unfolding in front of them.

Categories
Wellbeing

Bug Spray And UV Rays: A Guide To A Safe, Healthy Summer

One of my kids’ favorite books is a hilariously ridiculous story we’ve read at least a hundred times since it first appeared at the library two years ago. The main character, a crocodile, begins by professing his love of watermelon, but dissolves into a full-on freak out when he realizes he’s swallowed a seed. Everything turns out okay for this anxious reptile, of course. He belches up the seed on the last page.
I have to admit, my husband and I get a kick out of this book almost as much as our kids do—him because he loves to act out the panic for our kids; me because this fear of swallowing a watermelon seed is something I connect with. As a kid, I fell for the myth that swallowing a seed was dangerous territory. I’m certain it was my older brother who started the whole thing, waiting until my mom was out of earshot before convincing me swallowing the seeds would result in a belly full of growing watermelons.

Scholastic

I learned the truth eventually. Like most adults, I know better than to believe that a watermelon plant could take root in my guts, but that doesn’t mean we’re not all buying into other summertime falsehoods.
Let’s shed some light on some of the most frequently discussed summer health issues so we can all get back to enjoying our time (and snacks) in the sun.

Food Facts

Cookouts and tailgates are some of the best parts of the summer months, but bad information about food safety can turn a great party upside down. Next time you load up your coolers with your favorite grillable meats and a pack of LaCroix, consider whether or not you’re doing enough to protect yourself and your guests from foodborne illness.

During the summer months, we actually see a rise in foodborne illnesses, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). We can blame warmer temperatures and the questionable practices that often come with outdoor food prep for this. Food that should be refrigerated often isn’t, and the people in charge of food prep are less careful about spreading germs with unwashed hands.
“Make sure you keep lots of superchilled ice and gel packs,” advises Julie Joffrion, fitness nutrition specialist and owner of All Inclusion Health. This will ensure that your food stays around the ideal refrigerator temperature, she says, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists as 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Additionally, the USDA suggests keeping food and drinks in separate coolers because drink coolers are opened more frequently, causing the inside temperature of the cooler to drop. Make sure you are cooking meats to their recommended temperatures and keeping your hands clean by having hand sanitizer nearby when you can’t make it to a sink.


While we’re talking about summer food, are you still waiting to swim for at least 30 minutes after you eat? This is a summer safety guideline that may be nothing more than and old wives’ tale. According to Duke Health, there isn’t scientific evidence to back up the belief it’s dangerous to swim on a full stomach. As this resource points out, it actually makes a lot of sense to fuel yourself before you engage in rigorous exercise.

“Swimming is a very heavy exercise, and you’ll need good protein and carbs in your system before you dive in,” says Joffrion. Her recommendation for fueling your swim? A turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Skin Deep

When it comes to summer health tips, skincare and sun protection shine through most—and have the most fiction among the fact. Is it okay to get a base tan? Is sunscreen protecting you from cancer risk, or is it actually a part of the problem?
It’s important to understand that all burning of the skin, or even tanning, is skin damage on some level. The idea of a base tan being safe or protecting you from further burning is completely unfounded, according to Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, FAAD, a skincare specialist.

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“If your skin gets tanned, it means that it has been assaulted by UV radiation and damaged,” she explains. “Your skin puts down this ‘base tan’ in an attempt to protect itself from burning and further damage, but it means that it has already been damaged.”

So, sunscreen—we all should wear it, right?

The answer is yes.
But in 2014, multiple publications reported on a study published in the journal Nature—the study found that sunscreen “only provided partial protection” against melanoma, and one study author told the Daily Mail that sunscreen should still be used—just in conjunction with other preventative measures, like “wearing hats and loose fitting clothing, and seeking shade when the sun is at its strongest.”


The Melanoma Research Foundation cites numerous studies which state that sunscreen reduces the incidences (not increases, as some online publications claim) of melanoma. The organization recommends generously applying high-SPF (30 or above) sunscreen year-round, no matter the weather, but they also recommend wearing protective clothing, seeking shade when sun rays are the strongest, and refraining from tanning. To avoid a deficiency, people should consume ample amounts of vitamin D, particularly if they live in areas with low sun exposure.

“Everyone should try to avoid direct UV exposure from tanning beds and during peak sun hours (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen … which covers both UVA and UVB rays, and wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and wide-brimmed hats when outdoors,” says Shainhouse.
There aren’t really any exceptions to this rule. So if you’re still hanging on to the idea that you can’t get a burn on a cloudy day or you believe you’re protected from the damaging effects of overexposure to the sun because your skin is dark, think again. Everyone needs to wear sunscreen if they’re spending time in the sun. And, when it comes to makeups with added SPF, they’re probably not enough to protect your skin.

Bug (Spray) Bites

Protecting yourself from bug bites is about so much more than avoiding annoying itching and scratching. Some bug bites are associated with a risk of illness or disease.
We know that tick bites, specifically from ticks native to the northeastern region of the United States, are related to an increased risk for Lyme Disease, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mosquito bites are also associated with risks of disease and infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. In both cases, prevention is the best defense.

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Even so, there are fears surrounding the use of bug spray containing DEET. Several years ago, there were reports of DEET exposure causing seizures. Although these reports were true, the National Pesticide Information Center, an organization that works to provide “objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics,” reports that these instances were associated with improper use of the product, including ingestion.


The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends foregoing insect repellants on children younger than two months.
Not only is it true that DEET is safe when used as directed, it is also the best way to repel ticks while outdoors. Dermatologic surgeon Sejal Shah, MD, says that, ultimately, the risks of a bug bite–related infection or disease are much worse than any potential risks associated with DEET.

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Stick with the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Wear long sleeves and pants while hanging out in heavily wooded areas, and use bug spray containing at least 20 percent DEET (the AAP recommends not using any product with more than 30 percent DEET on children).
When selecting a bug spray, Shah encourages consumers to pay close attention to the ingredients in their bug spray and double check how effective it will be at protecting you from specific insects in your area.

More Than a Fashion Statement

Many people falsely believe that their skin is the only organ in their body that needs a little extra protection from the sun, according to Ryan Parker, doctor of optometry and director of professional services at Essilor.
“[Most] people don’t realize the sun can be as harmful to their eyes as it is to their skin,” he says. “Repeated exposure can increase your chances of developing eyelid skin cancer, cataracts, or experiencing temporary blindness.”

Repeated exposure can add up over time, causing serious damage to your eyes. To protect your eyes from sun damage, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends wearing sunglasses that protect your eyes from UV rays all year long as well as wide-brimmed hats. Avoid looking at the sun directly, and don’t forget to wear your shades on cloudy days, too.
According to Joel Schlessinger, MD, a dermatologic surgeon, many people are unaware or ill-informed about how the sun can damage their scalp. They may be vigilant about keeping their skin protected but forget to cover their heads. He recommends hats as the simplest protection, but also points out that sunscreen powders do exist for use on the scalp.

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A healthy summer is a fun summer, so take care of your body during the hottest months of the year. Getting the facts straight on sun protection, bug bite prevention, and food safety is a good first step toward being an informed advocate for your own health.

Categories
Nosh

Tomato, Tornado: The Grind Behind Your Favorite Farmers Market

If you want the best produce anywhere—along with humanely-raised meats, local honey, and the occasional cool art trinket—visit your local farmers market. You’ve probably got one nearby; according to a 2014 survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are over 8,400 of the markets throughout the United States, and demand continues to grow.
We regularly visit our weekly farmers market, but we wondered what goes on behind the scenes. How much time do vendors spend at their booths? How does the weather affect their operations? (Both a lot and a little, it turns out.) Are we annoying them when we try to haggle?

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We reached out to a few vendors to learn the ins and outs of the trade (and hopefully get some good tips for endearing ourselves to our favorite farmers). It turns out that…

The work starts long before customers stroll in.

To some degree, this isn’t a surprise. However, if you’re thinking about joining your local farmers market, we can’t stress it enough: Make sure you’re aware of the work you’ll be putting in.
“For me, preparation can vary from the day before to a couple weeks before, depending on what time of year it is and if I have other events planned,” says Lisa Graham of YYC Beeswax in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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“At the beginning of market season, it takes a bit longer to prepare/update display pieces and make sure inventory is up to date. I sell handmade products, and the time it takes to make each item varies, so I usually start preparing a few weeks in advance of my first market of the season and at least three days before a market in the middle of the season.”
Many of the vendors at farmers markets are—surprise, surprise—actual farmers. They live in rural areas, so commuting can take some time.
“I grow all my own product,” says Stan Caliper of Caliper Farm to Market in Royse City, Texas. “It takes at least two hours to pick and at least an hour to drive to a market from my rural location. It takes a minimum of one hour to set up and to stock the tent. The shortest markets are four hours.”

“[I plan for] at least one drive back and one or two hours to sort and restock,” he says. “That’s about 10 hours to do a four-hour market, not including any production time.”
If you’re thinking about getting into the farmers market trade, Caliper warns that you’ll never have a Saturday free. You’ll be spending that time outdoors in a pretty pleasant environment, of course, but hey, it’s still a sacrifice.

Your profits depend on the weather, which can be frustrating.

“It’s all weather related,” Caliper says. “On the best days, I can’t take the money in fast enough. [On] rainy and cold days, I sit in a chair, exposed to the elements, and see no one.”
If you’re a full-time vendor, that’s a big problem. However, once you’ve opened your booth, you’re in it for the long haul.

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“We are out at the markets rain, shine, or near-tornado,” says Stephanie Peace of Ludwig Farmstead Creamery in Missouri.
Wait…tornado?
“A couple of years ago, there was a bad storm coming in—we all had the option to stay or go. I was already set up along with a lot of other vendors, so we opted to stay. We could see the dark, ominous clouds rolling in fast, and we all tried to help the other vendors get their tents up as quickly as possible.”


“Even with weights to hold the tents down, a couple of tents flew up in the air and ended up forcibly crashing and getting twisted and broken. It was definitely an exciting afternoon. Thankfully, no one was hurt. After all of that, some of our die-hard customers came to the market and helped to salvage a hard beginning to the day.”
Our sources seemed to agree on that point; a bad day can quickly become salvageable, so the seasoned veterans don’t start packing up until the market’s officially over.

It’s something of a fraternity.

One of the big perks of being a vendor? You get to interact with a lot of really cool people, and, if you’re lucky, you’ll walk away with a few free tomatoes.
“The other vendors and I barter with our products through the market season,” says Merilyn Konnert, founder of Utopia Bath, Ltd. in New York. “I get so spoiled with the freshest vegetables, the freshest fish, it’s fantastic.”

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Konnert says that she feels a strong personal connection with the other vendors. A two-time breast cancer survivor, she runs a survivorship coalition at her local hospital, and people often stop by her booth to ask for advice.
“If I miss a Saturday morning, the following Saturday, they’ll stop at my table and check on me,” she says. “It’s marvelous.”
Other sellers told us that farmers markets are tremendous places for networking. For farmers, a connection with a local restaurant can prove extremely valuable.
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“Farmers markets were our main source of income when we first started out,” says Peace. “But now, they are mostly for exposure and to meet some chefs in the area.”
Of course, some vendors don’t have much time for networking.
“During the open hours of the market, I stay at my booth as much as possible to interact with shoppers,” says Graham. “When it slows down, it’s nice to learn a bit more about fellow vendors nearby. All of the markets I attend have great communities, and we get to know each other well as we run across each other at other markets.”

No, you’re not supposed to haggle.

We’ll admit it: When we visited our first farmers market, we tried to negotiate for a packet of artisanal beef jerky. As it turns out, that was a bit of a faux pas.
“I have had a few people try to haggle on price, and I do not appreciate it,” says Graham. “This is my livelihood, and I spend a lot of time evaluating my prices to give what I feel is a fair price to my customers.”
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“Occasionally, we have people who try to haggle,” says Peace. “It is generally not an accepted practice with any of the markets. Some vendors may offer some things on sale for that week, but haggling is not something we do.”
“[Haggling policies] depend on the location,” explains Caliper, “but it rarely happens to me. I don’t appreciate hagglers, personally.”

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When you run a booth at a farmers market, you interact with customers one-on-one. Sometimes, that means being assertive when they’re being unintentionally rude.
“I’ve had parents allow their children to touch all of the soaps—ruining the packaging with their sticky-bun or pickle-juice fingers,” Konnerth says. “But I’ve learned to just speak up.”

To succeed, you need to offer something different, and you need to be flexible.

“At any market where you want to be a vendor, make sure you have something different to offer,” suggests Peace. “You can still have some similar items as other vendors, but you will stand out and make more if you have a different product available. We are vendors at multiple markets that have another cheese vendor, but they sell goat’s milk cheese, and we are raw cow’s milk cheese, so that we don’t compete too much.”
Full-time vendors typically attend multiple markets, so schedules can be somewhat hectic.
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“I have my favorite markets I frequent as often as possible,” Graham says. “They usually change from week to week. Markets that run all summer, I try to book one, two times per month. I am reaching the point now where I will be at multiple markets on the same day, which means I have to prepare double the inventory and hire help. In addition to farmers markets, I also attend handmade markets geared toward hand-crafted products and community events.”
Different markets appeal to different types of consumers, and experienced vendors understand how those differences can drive sales. Peace says that first timers should look for markets that can guarantee decent attendance, even if registration prices are somewhat expensive.

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“Before becoming a market vendor, ask some of the vendors who are there how the market is,” Graham says. “It’s even better if you know the vendors well. It’s also helpful to learn the demographics of the market and the marketing strategy. There are sometimes opportunities to take advantage of marketing opportunities for your business, such as in the market newsletter or via donations to a local event.”

Mind your manners (or move on).

“The average customer may not realize that the person behind the stand actually produced the product,” says Caliper. “Know your farmer. I’m standing right here. I don’t want to poison you, or me for that matter. I know the history of the product.”
If you make comments about quality, make sure to stay respectful. Otherwise, don’t be surprised when your favorite farmer turns you away.
“If you insult me or diminish my product, I will take it personally,” Caliper says. “I don’t even want you to have it, at any price.”

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Ultimately, the people who set up booths in farmers markets don’t do it for the money; they’re passionate about their work, and they enjoy building personal relationships with their customers. That’s why farmers markets are such awesome places to visit—you get the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly where your food comes from.
“This is my passion and my livelihood,” Konnerth says. “I’ve learned a great deal. None of this makes a 5 a.m. Saturday morning wake-up easy, but it does make it rewarding, and I love it.”

Categories
More Than Mom Motherhood

I Let Go Of My Guilt And Need For Perfection (And I'm A Better Mom Because Of It)

Long before a become a mom, I was a nanny, and let me tell you, no one knew how to raise other people’s children quite as well as I did.
I had an opinion on when (and where) kids should nap, how to get them to eat healthy foods, and what bedtime routines should look like. Surprisingly, I was able to stick to my ideals when it came to child rearing, due in no small part to the fact that I was only with the kids for a few hours every day.
I thought—no, I knew—that I had it all figured out. I was a great nanny, so naturally I would be a great mom. When I was pregnant with my first child I knew exactly what her infancy would look like: She would be exclusively breastfed, she would sleep in her own room, she would have a strict schedule, and, of course, she’d be potty trained by age 2 at the latest.
Here is where all the experienced moms are probably laughing (and for good reason). It turns out that children like to disrupt our well-laid plans. As a nanny it was easy to stay on track; I had the energy to constantly correct the kids and push back when they were breaking the rules since I got to go home at the end of the day, eat an uninterrupted dinner, and sleep for eight glorious hours. As an exhausted new mom, on the other hand, I realized that as long as I was keeping the baby alive, that was good enough. I was too tired to be that perfect parent I had always envisioned myself being.
Still, I felt the pressure to be the mom I always planned to be (and the mom that Facebook mommy groups told me I should be). I worried that my daughter was watching too much television, spending too much time at her grandmother’s, or playing too often on her own.
“Look at how happy she is,” my husband would say when I expressed concern. Still, I couldn’t let go. I often found myself feeling jealous about his laid back approach to “good enough” parenting, while I scrambled for perfection.
It all came to a head the summer that my daughter was 3. I had a miscarriage, a family dog died, and my aunt passed away—all within five weeks. Work was madness, and my marriage was stressful. I was in survival mode like never before.
All of a sudden self-care via embracing imperfection didn’t feel indulgent, it felt absolutely necessary. Sending my daughter for a night away wasn’t a luxury, it was my only chance for critical time to relax and catch up on sleep. My child ate more takeout and watched more television than I would have liked. And through it all she thrived. She grew even more confident in her relationships with other caregivers, engaged with new concepts (thanks, TV), and developed skills and interests that allow her to entertain herself.
Finally, I felt like I was able to see what my husband had known since day one: that taking time to rejuvenate and recharge as a parent is essential to raising well-adjusted kids. Allowing some things to be imperfect didn’t make me any less of a good mom.
I want my daughter to know that she doesn’t have to be perfect, and one way to show her that is to embrace imperfection in myself. Now I take guilt-free time to myself, let my parenting ideals slide a bit, and refuse to get caught up on how I “should” be parenting.
And you know what? Since I’ve embraced imperfection, I’m a better mom—which was the whole point in the first place.