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8 Rules For Making Friends With Benefits Work

Post author By Joni Sweet
Post date June 22, 2020

Great sex is one of the best parts of being in a relationship. Sharing passionate, pleasurable moments with someone you find attractive is part of the human experience. But what if you haven’t found that special someone yet, or you aren’t interested in a full-blown commitment right now? Are you confined to just having solo pleasure? Not in the world of friends with benefits.
Imagine calling someone hot—who you also like and trust—when you’re in the mood to play but not in the mood for the excess baggage of more traditional romantic relationships. It can be a breath of fresh air.
But as liberating as it is to have commitment-free sex, friends-with-benefits relationships can be tricky to navigate. Are you exclusive friends with benefits, or are you both okay with hooking up with other people? What if your friend with benefits starts to want more from the relationship? And if you stop feeling it, how do you end it? The blurry boundaries can make even the most satisfying friends-with-benefits arrangements nosedive straight into “it’s complicated” territory.
Friends with benefits means something a little bit different to everyone. And finding some common ground (beyond the bedroom) will help keep the experience steamy. To learn what works—and what doesn’t—we asked four women for the tips and ground rules they learned in friends-with-benefits relationships.
Read on before you decide whether to boink a buddy.

What does “friends with benefits” mean, anyway?

A friends-with-benefits relationship is often regarded as ideal for someone who wants to have sex on the reg but isn’t in a committed partnership. And although there’s some truth to that, this kind of relationship can play out in a million different ways. Maybe two co-workers occasionally escape for quickies on their lunch breaks. Perhaps former lovers decide to rekindle that sexual spark without the emotional investment. Or it could be a couple of college friends who just like to Netflix and chill on the weekends.
The setups vary so widely that you might begin to wonder: “What exactly is friends with benefits?”
“Friends with benefits is a type of relationship where, ideally, two people have a platonic connection and use each other for sex. There’s no romance, there are no dates, and there is no commitment. Hanging out usually consists of hooking up,” explains Meagan Drillinger, founder of women’s retreat company Vaera Journeys and writer of travel, sex, and dating content.
Friends with benefits is a mixed bag. Some women revel in hooking up with someone then going on their merry way.
“Sometimes separating sex and romance can be fun, helpful, and life-affirming,” says Katherine Clover, who had a friends-with-benefits relationship that gave her “an outlet to explore sexually in a safe and consensual way.”
But there’s also the potential to feel unfulfilled or even used in a sexual relationship that doesn’t have a deep emotional component. Drillinger, who was friends with benefits with a guy she met at the gym, discovered that this kind of relationship left her feeling down.
“All he wanted was for me to take an Uber to his apartment after work at 2 a.m., have sex with him, and go home. I felt taken advantage of and as though I was doing all the work. [I learned] that I can’t have a relationship that’s just about sex—I’m looking for connection,” she says.
It all depends on what would make you feel happy and fulfilled. If that’s a friends-with-benefits relationship, more power to you! Ignore any naysayers who think it’s promiscuous or inappropriate—they’re missing out. Sex is personal, and as long as you’re being true to yourself and your partner, you should feel open to exploring one of the most fundamental aspects of being human in whatever way is most thrilling to you.

Becoming Friends With Benefits

Turned on by the idea of crawling in bed with a friend? That’s cool. But where do you find that sexy someone who’s just as excited about it as you are?
Often, a friends-with-benefits sitch kicks off naturally—maybe as a random hookup that happens to go on for a few months. But if that’s not happening (and you want it to!), there are some ways you can speed up the process.
“Ask yourself what you’re looking for in friends with benefits. If it’s sex, then look on platforms more explicitly about hookups. If it’s just a casual partner to see once every few months, or for certain kinds of socializing or experience, then maybe it’s someone already involved in that scene,” says Louisa Knight, a sex worker in the UK who has friends-with-benefits relationships outside of her profession. “As someone who’s polyamorous, I’ll say that people who practice ethical non-monogamy are often far more open to alternative types of connections, so look into poly Facebook groups or go to some relevant social events.”
Dating apps and sites such as Tinder and OkCupid are filled with people looking for all kinds of relationships. Make it clear in your profile what you want, then start reaching out to potential friends-with-benefits matches.
Of course, you can always go traditional and seek out someone in person.
“Pick any guy you think there might be chemistry with, and ask him out for a drink,” says Drillinger.
But you don’t need to jump in bed with the first person who’s open to being friends with benefits. New York–based writer Lindsey Stager (name has been changed for privacy), who was friends with benefits with a colleague for seven months, says that a personality match is just as important as a physical attraction.
“The ‘friend’ part of friends with benefits should not be forgotten. Find a person who respects you—someone who treats you as a friend and a person, not a ‘hit-it-and-quit-it’ whose feelings don’t matter. Also, find someone who’s interesting and can have a good conversation. The mind needs stimulation, too!” she says.

Rules of Friends With Benefits

Friends with benefits don’t have the same clearly defined roles as a spouse, partner, or someone you’re seriously dating. No two friends-with-benefits relationships are exactly alike, but there are some rules that can help lay the groundwork for a fun time in bed with a friend.
Here Knight, Drillinger, Stager, and Clover dive deeper into the framework every friends-with-benefits relationship should consider.

Rule 1: Everyone must always ask for consent.

Consent is so important when you’re fooling around with anyone, whether it’s a one-time hookup, an ongoing friends-with-benefits relationship, or even a spouse. You and your partner need to be clear about each other’s boundaries.
“Consent is crucial, and it operates on several levels, not just sexual,” says Knight. “You can get and give consent around social things as well, like whether or not it’s okay to tell someone information about your friends-with-benefits relationship or if you can leave things at their apartment. And with sex, never assume consent. Just because you did something once doesn’t mean your partner will want to do it again.”
Rule 2: Friends with benefits must always use protection.

Nothing sucks the fun out of sex quite as quickly as getting an infection or having a pregnancy scare. Whenever you’re talking about sexual relationships, you have to consider using protection.
“The whole idea behind friends with benefits is that there’s no commitment, meaning either partner is free to have as many friends with benefits as they want. In that case, using protection is paramount,” says Drillinger.
Consistent use of protection will help keep you and your partner healthy. But when you have an active sex life, it’s never a bad idea to see your doctor for regular STD screenings.
Rule 3: Friends with benefits must communicate.

If you really want your friends with benefits to work, you’ve got to keep the lines of communication open—and that means listening to your partner and expressing your own desires.
“The most important thing is to be honest about why you’re both there and what you hope to get out of friends with benefits,” says Clover. “If those feelings change, you have to let them know.”
Knight credits the success of one of her friends-with-benefits relationships to her partner’s willingness to be open.
“He was really clear from the beginning about what he wanted and where he was at. That set the tone for the whole thing and lifted this weight of expectation and progress off both our shoulders. We had a really fun sexual dynamic,” she says.
There’s a lot that swirls around any friends-with-benefits relationship. Assert what you’re looking for, both sexually and socially, even if it’s uncomfortable at first. Open lines of communication increase your chances of a smooth ride.
Rule 4: Friends with benefits should have fun exploring.

Friends with benefits gives you the chance to embrace your sensual side and experience sexuality in fresh ways. Take advantage of the opportunity by exploring your desires and ultimately having fun with it.
Clover says her friends-with-benefits relationship took away the pressure of losing her virginity.
“I wanted to get my first time over with, so my friend and I calmly and rationally decided we would ‘practice’ having sex together. There was no pressure—we could just talk about what worked, what didn’t, and what we wanted. It helped me get more comfortable with myself, plus it was really fun,” she says.
Even the most experienced hedonists can discover new pleasures during a friends-with-benefits relationship. For Knight, hooking up with a friend might involve trying out a new kinky kit or just fooling around.
“Friends with benefits is a great way of getting your sexual needs met, and it can be productive in challenging you to think about different ways of being with someone,” she says. “There’s still so much stigma attached to women prioritizing their own pleasure, and it can be a radical thing to bring your sexuality to the foreground in your life.”
Rule 5: Friends with benefits don’t get jealous.

The whole philosophy behind friends with benefits is that it’s a fun experience for two people without the added requirements that typically come with a full-blown romantic relationship. But with the lack of a commitment comes the potential for your friend to have multiple partners.
Jealousy can creep up unexpectedly if you find out your friend is hooking up with someone else. Why does this negative emotion arise, even when you’ve made no commitment to exclusivity?
“Monogamy teaches us that sex and love are characterized by exclusive commitments, but it’s always worth questioning that, especially in more casual setups. Often, we misunderstand a lover’s desire for someone else as taking away from their desire for us. But the truth is, many of us have a range of social connections in life, each meeting different needs,” says Knight.
It’s counterintuitive, but getting to know who else your friend with benefits is sleeping with can help dissipate feelings of jealousy, says Knight.
“You get to know them as another person, not a threat, and take them off that big jealous pedestal you might have put them on,” she says.
If you or your partner feel resentment about outside hookups, the friends-with-benefits relationship might not be a great fit for your lives.
“Jealousy is a horrible and consuming feeling—and friends with benefits is supposed to be fun. If you’re jealous, ask yourself if this is really working for you,” advises Stager.
Rule 6: Friends with benefits shouldn’t try to be more.

Although you might start out as friends with benefits, there’s always a chance that you or your partner could find you want more out of the arrangement. Is it possible to turn it into a committed relationship?
Speak up about your feelings. Your friend with benefits might even want the same thing! But if that’s not in the cards right now, you need to call it quits on the hookups.
“It’s really hard to hang out with someone you have a crush on knowing that it’ll never blossom into the romance you want. And it’s even harder when you’re seeing that person naked,” says Drillinger.
Rule 7: Friends with benefits should go after what they’re looking for.

The beauty of friends with benefits is that it gives you an outlet for sexual pleasure even if you’re not in a relationship. But your wants and needs can change over time. You should always strive to be honest about what you’re looking for—and go after it.
Stager admits that things would have gone better in her last friends-with-benefits relationship if she and her co-worker were more open about the type of connection they wanted.
“Having a conversation that solidified what we were looking for would have been best, but sometimes what you want changes. For me, it’s a vicious cycle—if I like you enough to sleep with you, then I probably want to be with you because I’m attracted to you as a person. It’s not the case for all women, but that’s how it is for me,” says Stager.
Regularly reflect on what you’re looking for in a relationship—whether that’s a long-term commitment, steady fling, or casual sex—and make sure your friend with benefits is still meeting your desires.
Rule 8: Friends with benefits should know when it’s time to move on.

No friends-with-benefits relationship lasts forever. Knowing when it’s time to move on will help things end on a high note.
“Friends with benefits are really similar to non-sexual friendships—some friends come and go in your life, and that’s natural,” says Knight. “Not everything needs to last forever, or even for the long term, to be worthwhile and exciting.”
Keep it going as long as it’s fun. And when the sexual chemistry has run its course, end your friends-with-benefits relationship and move on to something (or someone) bigger.

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Healthy Pregnancy Motherhood

Pregnancy Week By Week: Here’s What To Expect In Every Trimester

Post author By Katie Martin
Post date July 31, 2019

Just found out you’re pregnant? Congratulations! You’ve probably already subscribed to a dozen week-by-week pregnancy guides and purchased all the pregnancy books in your local bookstore lest you miss some crucial piece of pregnancy-related information.
But if you’re overwhelmed by all that and you’re just looking for a brief breakdown of each trimester, we’ve got you covered. If you’re looking for an incredibly detailed week-by-week pregnancy guide, this isn’t it; instead, you can tape this to your fridge so you know what’s coming up as you grow your little bean.
Here’s a handy overview of what you can expect for the next 40(ish) weeks.

Pregnancy Week by Week: The First Trimester

Remember the iconic scene in Saved By The Bell when Jessie Spano takes all the caffeine pills and she’s so excited, until all of a sudden, she’s really sick and a little scared? That’s sort of what the first trimester is like. Here’s what the first 13 weeks have in store.

Weeks 1 and 2 of Pregnancy

“Your due date is calculated by adding 40 weeks (roughly 280 days) from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP), which is why you’re technically pregnant before you conceive,” explains Tami Prince, MD, an OB-GYN, occupational medicine physician, and author practicing in Georgia. (This crazy math is the reason that I had to patiently explain to my extremely conservative grandmother that no, I was not pregnant at my wedding.)

Pregnancy Symptoms in Weeks 1 and 2

The first two weeks of pregnancy are technically the first 14 days of your cycle, from the first day of your period through ovulation. While you won’t be experiencing pregnancy symptoms quite yet, it is completely normal for some women to experience pelvic pain during ovulation.

Things to Keep in Mind in Weeks 1 and 2

“Take prenatal vitamins while attempting to conceive as well as throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding or until your physician tells you to stop,” says Prince. “The idea behind taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy is to prevent neural tube defects. By the time most women realize they are pregnant, the neural tube has already formed so the vitamins are less effective to prevent defects. Even so, the vitamins also contain other important nutrients such as iron, calcium, and vitamin D so they are still important to complement a healthy diet.”

Week 3 of Pregnancy

After ovulation, your fertilized egg is growing and soon will attach itself to the wall of your uterus. Implantation of the egg to the uterus signals pregnancy hormones to begin secreting.

Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 3

Although you won’t be getting your period (because you’re pregnant, even if you technically don’t know it yet), you’re probably feeling symptoms similar to PMS this week, as your pregnancy hormones surge.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 3

Keep taking those horse pills—er, prenatal vitamins!

Week 4 of Pregnancy

This week, you may have officially peed on a stick and found out you’re pregnant. Yippee! It’s hard to believe, but the little clump of cells that has recently made your uterus its home will eventually become a baby. For now, though, it’s known as an embryo.

Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 4

“Nausea, vomiting, intolerance to smells or certain foods, breast tenderness, abnormal bleeding or spotting are all common early pregnancy symptoms,” says Mercy Medical Center’s Janelle Cooper, MD, FACOG.
This week you may be experiencing the dreaded nausea that often accompanies the first trimester. Prince advises eating small, frequent meals and bland foods to keep nausea at bay. Just know that somewhere around week 12 to 13, the nausea will start to subside. Until then, hang in there, mama!

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 4

You’ll want to call your OB-GYN this week and let them know you got a positive pregnancy test. They’ll probably want you to come in sometime between six and 10 weeks to confirm the pregnancy and update your medical information.

Week 5 of Pregnancy

Hooray! You’re officially one month in! At this stage, that cute little embryo is about the size of a jellybean and has a heartbeat, though it’s probably not detectable on an ultrasound yet.

New Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 5

Early in pregnancy, blood flow to your kidneys actually increases by up to 60 percent! All that extra pressure means you’ll have to pee more than usual. Like a lot. Especially in the middle of the night. The good news is that this typically peaks early in the second trimester. Unfortunately, you’re probably still feeling nausea, fatigue, and bloating during week five.

Pro Pregnancy Tip

Even though you’re making five bajillion trips to the bathroom a day, don’t forget to drink extra water, which is how key nutrients (you know, the ones you’re taking daily in your prenatal vitamins) are delivered to the embryo.

Week 6 of Pregnancy

At six weeks, the embryo is going through rapid development. The heart and brain are now complex organs, and a little heartbeat can probably now be heard through an ultrasound.

New Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 6

Nausea, fatigue, and bloating are probably still in full swing, and you may add one more symptom to the mix: constipation. You may experience constipation as you struggle to adjust to the pregnancy hormones that are surging through your body. Do you love being pregnant yet?
For constipation relief, Cooper says, “I recommended starting with natural remedies such as increased water intake, increasing fiber in the diet (fruits and vegetables), prune juice. If that’s not successful, then a mild laxative such as Miralax daily, or in severe cases a laxative suppository.”

What’s New in Week 6?

Sometimes during pregnancy, you have to talk about scary stuff. While most of it is unlikely to happen, it’s still good to know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Deep vein thrombosis is a rare but serious condition in which a blood clot forms deep within a vein, usually in the calf. You’re most likely to clot in the first trimester, and if a clot is released it can travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. Luckily, there are some telltale signs you may have DVT.
Prince says that compression stockings (yes, like your grandma wears) can decrease the risk of DVT by increasing circulation. But if you notice that your calf is red or swollen and extremely warm to the touch, call your OB-GYN to get checked out.

Week 7 of Pregnancy

During week seven, your baby probably looks like a little black-and-white blob on an ultrasound screen. In reality, your little embryo looks a little bit like Lord Voldemort when he’s that gross man-baby; the embryo has developed little slits where a cute nose will eventually form, eyes (which won’t open for quite some time), and even has little limb buds!

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 7

Even though you may not have gained weight yet, during the first trimester, the bloat is real. If none of your clothes fit due to pregnancy bloat, it’s okay to bust out maternity clothes already. No judgment! Just remember that your belly is going to get much, much larger, so buy clothes that will fit your currently barely there bump and when you’re 40 weeks preggo.

Week 8 of Pregnancy

By week eight, even though the embryo is just about a half inch long, all the most important body parts have formed. Baby’s heart beats at around 150 to 160 beats per minute, which is almost twice that of the average adult.

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 8

The term morning sickness is such a lie! Pregnancy nausea can strike anytime, day or night. But there is good news! Morning sickness is actually nature’s way of protecting you from eating things that could harm the baby. While you’re in the worst of it now, it won’t be long before the nausea subsides for good.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 8

One thing people forget to tell you about pregnancy? This early in the first trimester, ultrasounds are typically done vaginally to calculate the most accurate due date, Prince explains. It’s a bit uncomfortable, sure, but I like to think of a transvaginal ultrasound as your initiation into pregnancy. I won’t spoil the surprise, but compared to some pregnancy-related procedures, a transvaginal ultrasound is a total breeze.

Week 9 of Pregnancy

If you could see a close-up image of the embryo during week 9, you’d clearly see a teeny-tiny bobblehead of a baby with a disproportionately enormous head, about half the length of the entire body at this point! Don’t worry, your baby’s head-to-length ratio will even out a little over halfway through pregnancy.

New Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 9

There’s a reason your breasts have been sore and tender; they’re preparing for their starring role as milkmaids 1 and 2! You’ll also notice that your breasts have grown substantially larger over the past few weeks. By the end of the second trimester, your breasts will be completely ready to produce milk.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 9

Now that you’re nearing the end of the first trimester, you can start thinking about how you’d like to tell friends and family you’re expecting, if you haven’t already. Here are some great ideas for cute photo announcements.

Week 10 of Pregnancy

We’re in double digits, people! At 10 weeks, the placenta is forming, taking the place of the yolk sac. Once the placenta is fully formed, it will supply the nutritional needs of your baby until birth.

New Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 10

“As the uterus begins to grow during the transition to the second trimester, the round ligaments which hold the uterus in place are stretched and can cause pelvic and or vaginal pains,” Cooper says.
That’s why toward the end of the first trimester, you might experience achy pelvic pain, especially if this isn’t your first pregnancy. To alleviate pelvic pain you can do some stretches, take a pain reliever (ask your doctor which ones are safe!), or soak in a warm bath.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 10

Sometime between weeks 6 and 10, you’ll probably have your first OB appointment. During the appointment, you can expect to give a urine sample, get your blood drawn, and get a pelvic exam. Your weight and blood pressure will be checked, a Doppler ultrasound will be used to check the baby’s heartbeat, and you’ll meet with the doctor to discuss any questions you may have.

Week 11 of Pregnancy

Your baby is currently weighing in at a hefty quarter ounce, but by the end of the second trimester, he or she will weigh about two pounds!

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 11

People mean well when they urge you to “eat for two,” but Prince explains that “excessive weight gain too early in the pregnancy can lead to adverse outcomes such as macrosomia (larger than average babies) and diabetes mellitus. Ideally, weight gain is determined by pre-pregnancy weight.”
While every pregnancy is different, Prince says pregnancy weight gain should go something like this:

Women with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 19.8 (underweight) should aim to gain 26 to 40 pounds.
Women with a BMI of 19.8 to 26 (normal BMI) should aim to gain 24 to 35 pounds.
Women with a BMI of 26 to 29 (overweight) should aim to gain 15 to 24 pounds.
Women with a BMI greater than 29 (severely overweight) should aim to gain 15 pounds or less.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 11

If you are considered a high-risk pregnancy, your doctor may recommend cell-free DNA testing to check for chromosomal abnormalities that indicate an increased risk of certain conditions.

Week 12 of Pregnancy

Your baby is officially a little fetus! And even though you can’t feel it, baby will wiggle and squirm if you press on your belly.

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 12

As promised, your nausea should start subsiding around week 12. That is unless you have hyperemesis gravidarum.
“Hyperemesis gravidarum is due to extremely elevated hCG levels and may also be associated with hyperthyroidism,” says Prince. “Signs and symptoms of hyperemesis include severe nausea and vomiting where women may not be able to hold down water, causing weight loss, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.” If you have hyperemesis gravidarum, your doctor will likely recommend lots of fluids to keep you hydrated.”

Week 13 of Pregnancy

You made it, mama! You officially reached the end of the first trimester! Woo hoo! At the end of the first trimester, the risk of miscarriage is less than 1 percent, so it’s the time when most people feel comfortable sharing news of their pregnancy. Still, you can share (or not share) any time you want—your baby, your body, your business!

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 13

You should be feeling pretty good right about now. The nausea and fatigue of the first trimester should be abating, and you’ll soon be getting a brief reprieve from the water retention that’s causing bloating.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 13

By week 13, your doctor will probably have already done genetic testing to screen for certain chromosomal abnormalities; your blood will be tested for abnormalities that could indicate conditions like Down syndrome.

Pregnancy Week by Week: The Second Trimester

A few pro tips for the second trimester: From now on, do NOT look at the scale during weekly weigh-ins at the OB’s office, and definitely do not weigh yourself at home (unless your doctor advises you otherwise, of course). On a related note, enjoy looking at your manicured toes while you still can. Also, teach your partner to paint your toenails. It’s a skill they’re definitely going to need.

Week 14 of Pregnancy

Your baby is roughly the size of a lemon, an avocado, or a single scoop of ice cream if you’re into food comparisons. Your doctor, though, does not measure your baby’s growth by digging through their refrigerator. During the first and second trimester, baby’s growth is measured from “crown to rump” using advanced ultrasound imaging.

New Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 14

Sometime during the second trimester, you may notice melasma, a darkening of certain parts of your body like the nipples, face, and abdomen, says Prince. She goes on to explain that “this darkening is due to the increased production of melanin by the placenta.” While there’s not much you can do to prevent melasma, you can mitigate the effects by always wearing sunscreen, which you should be doing anyway!

Week 15 of Pregnancy

Feeling little flutters down low? It might be gas brewing (pregnancy farts are nothing to mess around with, ladies), but it’s probably your baby swimming around! Those little flutters that sort of feel like a bubble popping inside you aren’t visible to the naked eye yet, but they’re signs your baby is happy and healthy.

What’s New in Week 15?

By week 15 or 16, your uterus as expanded up and out of your pelvis, and while co-workers and friends may not notice, you will probably see a very visible (if small) baby bump!

Week 16 of Pregnancy

By week 16, your little fetus can swallow and might even get the occasional case of hiccups (which, by the way, is totally adorable the first time you notice it—but not so much at 40 weeks when you’re trying to sleep).

What’s New in Week 16?

You might start to feel suddenly sexy again in the second trimester as your pregnancy symptoms begin to subside, which is why the second trimester is commonly called the “honeymoon trimester.” Sex during pregnancy is not only totally okay, it’s encouraged. So throw on some John Legend (or whatever floats your sexy boat) and get to it!

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 16

Now is also the time to start planning a babymoon if you want to take one. The second trimester is the best time to plan a trip before baby arrives: You feel great, you’re not huge and uncomfortable yet, and air travel isn’t off limits.

Week 17 of Pregnancy

At week 17, baby is measuring around 5 inches long and weighs about 3 ounces. Around this time, baby also learns to suck his or her thumb (adorable!) in utero.

Things to Keep in Mind in Week 17

Somewhere between 15 and 20 weeks, you’ll have another screening to test for chromosomal abnormalities as well as neural tube defects like spina bifida. A blood panel is usually taken in your doctor’s office and sent to a lab for analysis.

Week 18 of Pregnancy

You’re officially four months pregnant and almost at the halfway point of your pregnancy! Your uterus is roughly the size of a honeydew melon and is sitting just below your belly button.

What’s New in Week 18?

While the sex of your baby was determined at conception by the presence (or lack of) a Y chromosome, that’s now easily identified on an ultrasound scan! But, Prince cautions, “While baby’s [sex] may be identified between 18 and 20 weeks, it does depend on the positioning of the baby, and an ultrasound at this time is not performed solely to find out the baby’s sex but to assess fetal growth and well-being.”

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 18

How do you want to find out the sex of your baby? Do you want to stay #TeamGreen and keep it a secret? Do you want to find out with family and friends at a party? Or would you rather it’s just you, your partner, and the ultrasound tech? Decide how you want to find out before you schedule an anatomy scan so there are no mishaps!

Week 19 of Pregnancy

Baby is slowly morphing from Voldemort into a more human-looking little being, but they’re still very skinny at this stage. Baby won’t start storing fat until the end of the second trimester, so he or she still looks like a tiny (but cute!) Skeletor.

What’s New in Week 19?

Hip and back pain may become your constant companions during the second and third trimester because your center of gravity shifts as you carry increasing weight in the front. Luckily, your doctor can most likely prescribe physical therapy to help alleviate some of the strain, and in between visits you can try these pregnancy stretches to soothe an achy back.

Week 20 of Pregnancy

Most pregnancy apps and books will tell you that at 20 weeks, baby is as big as a banana, even though in week 19, baby was as big as a mango or an heirloom tomato. One of those things is long and skinny whereas the others are round and plump, so what gives? Well, right now, baby is more on the banana side of the scale: long, skinny, and still weighing in at under a pound.

What’s New in Week 20

You’re probably feeling like it’s impossible to get comfortable enough to sleep, and when you do, you may be waking up with terrible leg cramps, which can be caused by poor circulation, not drinking enough water, or even magnesium and potassium deficiencies.
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“To ease leg cramps,” Prince advises, “add magnesium to your diet by eating nuts and add potassium by eating a banana, as well as staying hydrated with water.”

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 20

What’s in a name? Oh, everything! Now that you (probably) know the sex of the baby, you can start trying out baby names. My advice? Try yelling possible names out loud as if you were calling your kid down from across a crowded park. If you can’t say your kid’s name with a straight face, then mark that name off the list ASAP.

Week 21 of Pregnancy

Remember those cute little flutters back in week 15? Well, now it probably feels like your baby is doing interpretive dance in your uterus.
“You may notice fetal movement more at night due to nocturnal nature of the fetus, as well as the fact you also have decreased movement at bedtime, making baby’s movements more noticeable,” Prince explains.

What’s New in Week 21?

During your mid-pregnancy anatomy scan ultrasound (the one in which you usually find out the sex) your doctor will also check the location of the placenta. If your placenta is lying too close to the cervix or covering the cervix completely, you may be diagnosed with a condition known as placenta previa.
Placenta previa is pretty rare (roughly 1 out of every 200 pregnancies), and most women diagnosed with placenta previa early go on to have completely uneventful pregnancies, with the condition correcting itself before the third trimester. If the previa persists in the third trimester, your doctor will likely put you on bed rest, and you may need a c-section when it’s time to deliver to reduce the risk of postpartum complications.

Week 22 of Pregnancy

Finally! Baby’s starting to look like a baby instead of an alien creature using your body as a host. Even though the fetus still weighs less than a pound, baby basically looks like a teeny-tiny newborn with clear facial features and well-formed limbs.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 22

Now’s a good time to start your baby registry. Talk to veteran moms to get the scoop on which items to purchase and which ones to skip.

Week 23 of Pregnancy

Want to know a secret? Television “newborns” are covered in grape jelly and cream cheese to simulate just being born. In reality, your baby may be born covered in a white, waxy substance called vernix caseosa, which already coats your baby’s skin in the womb. At this point, the vernix is almost completely developed. Vernix protects your baby’s skin and may even have antibacterial properties, which is why most doctors advise delaying bathing newborns for at least 24 hours.

What’s New in Week 23?

You got a brief reprieve from having to pee every five minutes, but now that the weight of your uterus is right above your bladder, you’ll probably have to pee frequently again. Or, you might (okay, probably will) pee on yourself. More than once. Ah, the joys of pregnancy.

Week 24 of Pregnancy

Week 24 is a milestone week. Going forward from this point, if baby were born prematurely, they would have a 50 percent chance of survival, which increases with each passing week.

New Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 24

Did you know there’s such a thing as fake contractions? They’re called Braxton Hicks contractions, and they’re essentially practice contractions to help your body prepare for real labor. Braxton Hicks are typically painless, irregular, and don’t increase in intensity.

Things to Consider During Week 24

Sometime between weeks 24 and 28, you’ll have a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes, a condition that causes high blood sugar in pregnant women. Gestational diabetes can be managed during pregnancy and usually goes away after birth.

Week 25 of Pregnancy

Baby is growing, growing, growing! Baby has regular waking and sleeping hours and is as big as a head of iceberg lettuce.

New Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 25

Your other organs, like your stomach, get squashed to make room as your uterus expands. All this smushing means one thing: heartburn. If you get occasional heartburn during pregnancy, try to avoid trigger foods like spicy dishes. If you get daily heartburn, talk to your doctor to see if certain medications may work for you.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 25

Now is a good time to schedule a pregnancy and childbirth class if you haven’t already. Most local YMCAs and hospitals offer these classes free or at a minimal cost. You’ll learn the basics of caring for baby as well as what to expect during labor and delivery.

Week 26 of Pregnancy

By week 26, baby can hear you and your partner’s voices. Don’t feel silly if you want to talk out loud, sing, or read to your baby while he or she is still in the womb. It’s how they’ll recognize your voice when they’re born!

What’s New in Week 26?

So, another scary topic: pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes extremely high blood pressure in pregnant women. If your blood pressure has been normal throughout your pregnancy but suddenly skyrockets or you experience headaches and swelling in your extremities, call your OB-GYN to get checked out. Pre-eclampsia is a serious but manageable condition, but if it isn’t addressed early, it can lead to other more, severe conditions, like HELLP syndrome.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 26

Now is a great time to pre-register at the hospital where you’ll be delivering. You’ll fill out all the registration information (that you will definitely not want to fill out when you’re trying to breathe through contractions) and get a tour of the rooms where you’ll be delivering.

Week 27 of Pregnancy

You’re six months pregnant, and you’ve probably gained about 15 to 20 pounds. But it’s all worth it for that little stinker who’s currently using your bladder as a recliner.

Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 27

So, we covered constipation early on, but we didn’t talk about constipation’s best friend, hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can be ultra painful and can be exacerbated by labor and delivery. If you have hemorrhoids, do NOT be embarrassed to speak to your doctor about treatment. In most cases, hemorrhoids can be treated with a simple cream.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 27

Now’s a great time to choose your pediatrician, since baby will need to be seen a day or two after hospital discharge. Overwhelmed by the thought of choosing your child’s doctor for the next 18 years? Here are the key questions you need to ask to find a pediatrician you and your baby will love.

Week 28 of Pregnancy

It’s officially the end of the second trimester! Baby currently weighs about 2.5 or 3 pounds and can now see light as it’s filtered through your body.

What’s New in Week 28?

From now on you will have office visits starting every two weeks, instead of just once per month. Additionally, as you enter the third trimester, you can start doing kick counts to monitor your baby’s activity. To do a kick count, lie on your side in a quiet room during a time when your baby is likely to be active. You’ll want to count baby’s movements and record 10 movements within one hour. If baby doesn’t move, try drinking a small glass of juice and try again. If you still don’t feel movement, there’s no need to panic, but you should still let your doctor know so you can get checked out.

Pregnancy Week by Week: The Third Trimester

Here we go! Home stretch! Less than three months to go! You’ll need this wave of enthusiasm to give you a boost when you’re feeling super tired and uncomfortable as your baby and belly continue to grow. During the third trimester, all the focus will be on preparing for labor and delivery as the big day approaches, but don’t forget to take time for self-care.

Week 29 of Pregnancy

By week 29 or 30, your baby is likely in a head-down, birth position and is not likely to flip right side up at this point. Sometimes though, a baby will be breech, or head up.

What’s New in Week 29

Your doctor can tell whether baby is breech by doing an ultrasound or a physical examination. If baby is currently breech, don’t panic! Baby is still relatively small and may spontaneously turn head down on his or her own. Or there are many techniques you can try (with your doctor’s approval, of course!) to coax baby to turn.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 29

Now that you’re in the third trimester, it is probably a good idea to write down your birth plan if you choose to have one. Having a birth plan can help you work through any pre-birth anxieties you might be having as you plan for all the what-ifs.

Week 30 of Pregnancy

Roughly 10 weeks to go! Baby weighs about 3 pounds, and his or her brain is rapidly developing every day.

Pregnancy Symptoms in Week 30

Remember how your organs are being squashed by your growing uterus? This includes your lungs, which is why you’re probably short of breath after walking up a flight of stairs. Don’t push yourself, and take a break anytime you feel like you need one.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 30

Week 30 is a good time to start putting together your nursery. Things are stressful enough when bringing home a new baby, so you definitely want to make sure all your essentials (crib, changing table, etc.) are set up well before baby arrives!

Week 31 of Pregnancy

Baby is rapidly developing at week 31 and still has a lot of growing to do over the next nine weeks!

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 31

Remember all those pregnancy symptoms you thought you left behind in the first trimester? Well, many of them, like frequent urination and fatigue, are back! If you’re feeling tired and just plain down, take a few minutes to yourself and try to meditate. Even just a minute or two can be enough to help!

Week 32 of Pregnancy

Baby is still surrounded by quite a bit of amniotic fluid (about 2 pints), but the amount of amniotic fluid will decrease as baby gets bigger.

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 32

Did you pee yourself or are you leaking amniotic fluid? Usually amniotic fluid is colorless and odorless and may come out in a trickle or a gush. On the other hand, urine usually smells, well, like urine and is not usually colorless. If you suspect you’re leaking amniotic fluid, call your doctor immediately. This could be a sign of preterm labor.

Pro Pregnancy Tip

“If you suspect that you’re leaking amniotic fluid,” says Prince, “use a pad. If the pad is soaked within one hour, call your OB-GYN.”

Week 33 of Pregnancy

In week 33, baby is putting on his or her finishing touches. You might notice baby is less active these days; that’s because there’s a lot less room in the womb. But you should still be doing daily kick counts to monitor baby’s activity levels.

What’s New in Week 33?

Let’s talk about stretch marks. Some women get them, some don’t, but most doctors agree that there’s little you can do about stretch marks. Still, staying hydrated and keeping your skin extra moisturized may reduce their appearance.

Things To Keep in Mind During Week 33

If you haven’t done so yet, it’s time to pack your hospital bag! Bring along shower supplies, a robe that opens easily for frequent feedings, and a plush towel (because hospital towels are the worst).

Week 34 of Pregnancy

It’s the final countdown! You have six weeks (or less) to go, sister! Baby is rapidly gaining weight and settling deeper into your pelvis to get ready for birth.

What’s New in Week 34?

Braxton Hicks contractions may be occurring more frequently by week 34. As you get closer to your due date, you may even experience false labor contractions, which are a more intense type of Braxton Hicks. With false labor, your contractions may be painful and come regularly but will not increase in intensity and may subside without warning. If you’re experiencing contractions this close to your due date, it’s always a good idea to let your OB know what’s going on.

Week 35 of Pregnancy

Baby’s still growing! You’re still pregnant! Hang in there!

What’s New In Week 35?

“Group B strep is a type of bacteria that can lead to a fatal infection in the baby soon after birth,” Cooper explains. That’s why at around week 35, you’ll probably get a vaginal swab to check for Group B strep. Group B strep is is a bacteria that is found in the vaginas of about a quarter of all healthy women. If you have Group B strep, you’ll be given antibiotics during delivery.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 35

Your doctor will soon have you come in for weekly cervix checks now that you’re just a few short weeks away from delivery. During a cervix check, your doctor is looking at two things: how much the cervix is dilated and how effaced the cervical membranes are. These checks aren’t usually painful, but they’re not all that pleasant either.

Week 36 of Pregnancy

At this point, your baby is putting on the final pounds to reach his or her birth weight, their brain is still developing like crazy, and they’re typically perfectly content to continue residence in utero.

What’s New in Week 36?

Have you been keeping up with your vaginal discharge during pregnancy? If not, now’s the time to do so. As we mentioned earlier, if you notice a watery discharge, you could be leaking amniotic fluid. But if you notice a mucousy/blood-tinged discharge, that could the be the mucus plug, which protects the opening of the cervix from bacteria. Labor is on the horizon when you lose your mucus plug, though it could still be days or weeks away.

Week 37 of Pregnancy

Baby would probably not have to spend time in the NICU if he or she were born during week 37, but it would still be considered an early term birth.

What’s New in Week 37?

Your doctor may offer to do a membrane sweep in the upcoming weeks to get the labor process started. Membrane stripping isn’t the most pleasant procedure, but you can read more about the risks and benefits here to decide if it’s a good option for you.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 37

Now’s the time to brush up on what you learned in childbirth class. Practice your breathing and other coping techniques with your birthing partner, and try to relax as you wait for labor to begin. After all, it could be tomorrow—or it could be three to four more weeks!

Week 38 of Pregnancy

Baby’s probably reached his or her birth weight and would officially be considered full-term if born between 38 and 40 weeks.

What’s New in Week 38

You know how Braxton Hicks contractions feel, but do you know what real contractions feel like? Real contractions feel more like intense period cramps that become more frequent and intense as they progress. If you’re having real contractions, start timing their duration and frequency. Typically, you’ll follow a 5-1-1 rule: head to the hospital when contractions are five minutes apart, last one minute each, and continue for at least one hour.

Week 39 of Pregnancy

It’s two weeks until your official due date, and you were probably officially over being pregnant weeks ago. But hang in there, mama: The end is in sight and it won’t be long until you’re soaking up all the baby snuggles you can stand.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 39

One thing I recommend? Make homemade padsicles to put in your mesh hospital undies when you get home, because they feel heavenly on stitched-up, swollen lady parts post-delivery. To make a padsicle, take a heavy, overnight pad, and saturate it with aloe and witch hazel. Fold it neatly back up, place back in its packaging, and stick in your freezer.

Week 40 of Pregnancy

Pregnancy Symptoms During Week 40

Totally. Over. It. That’s it.

Things to Keep in Mind During Week 40

Pregnancy is a marathon, and you’re at the finish line! You got this, mama!

Weeks 41 and 42 of Pregnancy

What’s New in Weeks 41 and 42?

Oh, did we forget to mention that your baby most likely won’t be born on his or her due date? In fact, in a 2013 study, 41 percent of the women surveyed said their doctors recommended induction since they had gone past their due date. And if you’re a first-time mom, chances are even more likely you’ll still be pregnant past 40 weeks.
Now, while most babies do tend to make their appearance around week 41 if they haven’t already, some like the womb a little too much, and those babies need to GET OUT.
According to Prince, “After 40 weeks, an ultrasound, as well as a non-stress test is likely to be performed to assess fetal well being. Your physician may also begin the discussion about inducing labor if labor is not spontaneous or the ultrasound and non-stress test show decreased fetal well-being and decreased amniotic fluid levels. The good news? Delivery of your baby will definitely be prior to 42 weeks!”

Tags 9/31/18, Publishupdate, search

Health x Body Wellbeing

Why Herbalism, And What It’s Like To Work With A Registered Herbalist

Post author By Linsey Stevens
Post date July 5, 2019

Herbalism popped up on my radar a few months back, when I was considering visiting a chiropractor or acupuncturist to address some ongoing health-related issues. I’m all for eating, drinking, and working my way toward my own personal definition of wellness, but until recently I hadn’t considered herbal medicine as an approach to managing chronic headaches, allergies, or reproductive health issues.
If you’ve ever found yourself in Whole Foods feeling completely overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar herbs and supplements you could stock up on, or if you’ve wondered what it’s like to take tinctures or use herbal teas medicinally, here’s my tell-all, plus a Q+A with Zoe Kissam of Traditional Medicinals—whose products you’ll enjoy even more once you know how they’re made and who they’re supporting.

How Herbalism Found Me

Last fall I reconnected with Charis Boke, a Cornell PhD candidate I met eight years ago at Cornell’s Intensive Nepali Language Program. I was immediately enamored with Boke. Her Nepali was awe inspiring; she was well read, well traveled, and well spoken (in the this-is-social-justice-in-action kind of way); and she taught me how to pour a beer.
Boke’s research interests have changed since we last saw each other. She studies and writes about herbalism and self-identifies as “a scholar–practitioner, an environmental and medical anthropologist who takes plant medicine and its practitioners seriously and practices herbalism herself.” In addition to her research and teaching—and leading student groups in the Himalayas—she was willing to talk herbalism with me when we reconnected.

Why Herbalism Piqued My Interest

We covered a lot of ground during our Skype session, from herbal teas and infusions to fermented foods and digestive aids. The way Boke speaks about plants and food on the level of metaphor—Roses are beautiful, but they have thorns. They have boundaries, right?—is exciting.
I also appreciated the judgment-free space she created, which wound up carrying over into my initial consultation with Kristine Brown, an American Herbalists Guild registered herbalist who practices over the river on the Illinois side of the Saint Louis metro area, where I live.
Like Boke, Brown was completely unperturbed by my self-disclosure of not-so-fun female health issues and having participated in intense group therapy sessions in 2017. (We’re talking everything from anger- and shame-release techniques involving boxing gloves and punching bags to practicing guided meditation.)
Meeting with Brown, I got to see how and where an herbalist works, which wound up being an important part of my introduction to herbal medicine. She welcomed me into her study—the front room of a saged-out farmhouse piled high with books and adorned with eclectic artwork and animal bones—and we settled in for a most interesting (and thorough) intake visit.

Interested in seeing a registered herbalist? Here are my recommendations based on my initial consultation.

Dear Curious, meet the American Herbalists Guild.

Boke told me in our Skype session that she recommended I see an herbalist in person, given the extent of my health concerns. She pointed me to the American Herbalists Guild (AHG), a non-profit organization that “promotes clinical herbalism as a viable profession rooted in ethics, competency, diversity, and freedom of practice” and “supports access to herbal medicine for all and advocates excellence in herbal education.”

Poking around the Herbalists Guild site took the edge off my concern that herbalism might just be the kind of woo-woo that deserves the cynic’s raised eyebrow. It should be noted that in many states, anyone can call themselves an herbalist as an extension of their free speech, but becoming a registered herbalist (or RH) through the AHG involves years of study, casework, and mentorship.
It was through the Guild’s site that I found Brown, who runs Luna Farm, Luna Herb Co., and Herbal Roots Zine (meaning she is a farmer, writer, and educator in addition to being a practicing herbalist). Brown has trained under Leslie Alexander, PhD, a registered herbalist with a background in laboratory science and environmental epidemiology (all of which sounds decidedly less woo than my background in the humanities).
Long story short: If you’re ready to graduate from curious about herbalism to consulting with an herbalist, visit the AHG’s list of practitioners.

Set aside some time to complete the intake paperwork.

After scheduling my initial appointment, I printed out Brown’s 15 pages of intake paperwork, which included information about her relationship with the American Herbalists Guild and dozens of questions about my family history, physical health, childhood, dietary habits, the state of my emotions and feelings, and my impetus for seeking out an herbal consultation.
One Saturday afternoon I curled up with my lapdesk and a trusty pen and got to work. I answered the questions as honestly as possible and was impressed by how effortlessly they guided my thoughts on my experience of health. I was able to really get a sense of how herbal medicine approaches the mind–body connection, which prepared me for a raw and real discussion.
I suggest giving yourself a chunk of alone time to complete your herbalist’s paperwork because it will require concentration and a great deal of self-honesty about your relationships (both with your body and the other people in your life). For me, it was akin to a journaling experience—not something you want to be doing over breakfast with your SO, while paying bills, or when you’re responsible for supervising kiddos’ playtime.

Invest in a snazzy calendar or notebook.

Or prepare to get cozy with Google Calendar or a favorite diet-tracking app. I’ve always shied away from this exercise because it seems so nitpicky, but Brown’s intake paperwork featured a lot of questions about diet, and I wish I’d started tracking my eats prior to scheduling my first appointment.
If you’re considering seeing an herbalist but haven’t set something up yet, start logging your snacks and meals today; it’ll make the intake paperwork and initial consultation that much easier. If you’re off to see an herbalist tomorrow, know that they will likely encourage you to log your diet in addition to whatever herbal teas and other herbal supplements you wind up incorporating into your self-care routine.

Forget palm reading: Prepare to have your tongue read.

Yes, you read that right. One of the ways an herbalist might evaluate your overall health is by having a good look at your tongue—and diagramming it. “Stick out your tongue” is something most of us have heard since the days of pediatricians with popsicle sticks, but when it came time for my tongue reading (which I was expecting after reviewing Brown’s consultations page), I realized I shouldn’t have sipped mint tea during the drive from the office to her place. I wanted to have fresh breath for the appointment but wound up muddling things a bit.
[pullquote align=”center”]Herbal medicine emphasizes emotional well-being just as much as it does the use of herbal remedies for physical ailments.[/pullquote]
Among other things, Brown noted a green film on the underside of my tongue, which she told me could be from the tea or an indication of certain nutritional deficiencies. My takeaway: Stick to water the day of your appointment.

It’s not the therapist’s couch, but…

Get ready to answer some questions you haven’t been asked by your GP and to explore some unexpected ideas. I was surprised by many of Brown’s questions and my own responses, and I learned that herbal medicine emphasizes emotional well-being just as much as it does the use of herbal remedies for physical ailments.
Going into your initial consultation, you can take heart in the American Herbalists Guild code of ethics, which features a confidentiality statement:
“Personal information gathered in the herbalist/client relationship will be held in strict confidence by the AHG member unless specifically allowed by the client.”
Brown’s paperwork went so far as to reference HIPAA privacy regulations, so between that and the professionalism and open mindedness she exuded, I felt comfortable telling her anything I would share with a doctor or even a shrink. And ultimately my openness with her led to creative and insightful recommendations that went far beyond herbal supplementation.

Know that herbalism isn’t either/or.

While herbalism might seem super crunchy or “far out,” herbalists aren’t anti-MD or against allopathic medicine. According to a peer-reviewed study that included 479 naturopaths and Western herbalists, 99 percent consider documented, traditional evidence to be essential or important. The study’s conclusion: “Naturopaths and [Western herbal medicine] practitioners accept the importance of scientific evidence whilst maintaining the importance and use of traditional evidence.”
Anecdotally, during my initial visit, Brown discussed how helpful it can be to have the results from recent bloodwork, and her intake paperwork makes it clear that she’s supportive of clients having an MD in addition to working with an herbalist. Also, I did not turn to herbalism for a diagnosis.
[pullquote align=”center”]I see herbalism as a new way to approach my body that allows me to move from asking “What’s wrong with me?” to “What more can I know about myself?”[/pullquote]
I understand my symptomatology in light of diagnoses from healthcare providers including an allergist, a geneticist, and a wonderful women’s health nurse practitioner and see herbalism as a new way to approach my body that allows me to move from asking “What’s wrong with me?” to “What more can I know about myself?”

Starting the Herbal Regimen

Herbal medicine isn’t a quick fix. I would love to say I’m less hustle and more flow, but I tend toward a third descriptor: the less-sexy antsy. It takes time for an herbalist to put their recommended protocol together, but I’m used to a world where I can swerve through the pharmacy’s drive-through and have a prescription in my hands 30 minutes after leaving the doctor’s office.
When I received Brown’s recommendations via email—six days after we met—I felt like a long-distance lover pining for an emotionally charged airport reunion. It was go time!
Or not…because incorporating herbal medicine into your routine is predicated on having herbs, which in many cases means ordering them, waiting for them, and preparing them (sometimes overnight or throughout the day), all of which makes herbalism just as much ritual as it is remedy.
In between receiving my protocol from Brown and getting the herbs to put the plans into action, I had plenty of time to think about her recommendations, which fell into four categories: herbal, supplement, dietary, and lifestyle. I’ll share the basics to give you a taste, but note that dosage information is omitted since it will differ significantly depending on a person’s needs, symptoms, size, and sensitivities.

Herbal Suggestions

Herbal Extracts

Also known as tinctures (such a cool word, right?) extracts are essentially herbs in alcohol or another solvent that are dispensed from a little dropper bottle. Brown recommended a vitex, aka chasteberry, tincture for rebalancing my never-sure-how-it’s-feeling female reproductive system, and she suggested New England aster drops for addressing my allergies and asthma.
While there’s plenty of research on the use of vitex for female reproductive health (it’s formally approved for the treatment of PMS in Germany), New England aster is a more obscure treatment that’s being revived by herbalists including Brown and jim mcdonald, who both have wonderful articles on their experiences with the strong, flowering plant.
I purchased my herbal tinctures directly from Brown, who makes them herself, and they’re the first thing I got my hands on because they were available locally. I picked them up one morning before work and excitedly hauled them into the office.
Brown told me some people squirt tinctures directly into their mouths, and I’m a fan of sour, bitter, and bold flavors. So seated comfortably in a bathroom stall thinking Go hard or go home, I leaned my head back and took the dropperful of vitex straight—no chaser. It was potent, but not unbearable. Next up was the New England aster tincture, and whoa mama, I don’t recommend that.
My eyes were watering, my throat burned, and I was worried that my co-workers would think I’d had a two-martini breakfast. I learned then and there to dilute my herbal tinctures in a splash of water or the end of a cup of herbal tea.
In addition to diluting tinctures, I also recommend keeping dropper bottles of them easily accessible wherever you’ll be taking them to cut down on the hauling back and forth. For example, I take them first thing in the morning, after lunch, and before bed, so I have dropper bottles of both herbal tinctures at home and on my desk at the office, which has made following the regimen significantly less stressful.

Herbal Infusions

I wouldn’t call myself Tincture Girl (though following the regimen has gotten easier), so I was pretty excited to see if the infusions were more my jam.
What’s an infusion? Think an overnight or all-day tea. Instead of steeping a bag or infuser of loose leaf for a few minutes before sipping, you let larger quantities of dry ingredients—for example, a cup of dry herbs in four cups of water—soak while you sleep. In the morning, you have an herbal infusion you can drink throughout the day.
Brown recommended I rotate infusions of linden, milky oat tops, and nettle: one infusion a day each day of the week. According to her protocol, “Milky oats is nourishing to the nervous system; nettle is full of vitamins and minerals, gives energy, and can decrease allergic reaction to various types of allergies over time; linden is another nervine and also supportive of the heart, both physically and emotionally, and increases circulation,” all of which sounded excellent, especially considering I have a cold constitution (think perpetually chilly hands and feet).
[pullquote align=”center”]I went from pouring myself a cup to panicking that I wasn’t going to be able to follow the infusion regimen.[/pullquote]
The pound of linden—leaves and flowers from the linden or lime tree—arrived first. The night the package came I boiled a kettle full of water before bed, dumped the goods in a trusty thermos, and let ’er steep. In the morning, I went from pouring myself a cup to panicking that I wasn’t going to be able to follow the infusion regimen. I’m not a fan of the term mouthfeel, and the linden infusion did not have a good mouthfeel. Thick and gelatinous sums it up, and I was pretty much choking it down.
The oat top infusion was pleasant (and tea like), but on day three, I found the nettle infusion disturbingly strong, like straining the liquid off of sauteed spinach and slurping it down.
I felt like a failure. Had I messed up the ratios? Did I just have a weak stomach that would forever get in the way of my healing?
I texted Brown, who encouraged me to try diluting the linden infusion and turning to another herb, peppermint, to mask the “green” flavor of the nettles. The next time I made the linden tea, I used a third of the amount of dry herb she’d initially recommended; a bag of peppermint tea per cup of nettle infusion has made it my favorite-tasting herbal remedy so far.
Planning on incorporating herbal infusions? You’ll want to have plenty of mason jars on hand, and get yourself a wide-mouth funnel and a strainer set to ensure your infusions make it from vessel to vessel seamlessly.

Supplement Suggestions

I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency years ago and take a vitamin D supplement daily. Brown recommended I stay on that and add a magnesium supplement, which she said helps with vitamin D absorption.
Although she noted that powdered magnesium, which you’d mix with water and drink, is the most bioavailable form, I asked her to recommend a capsule. Between the tinctures and infusions, I wasn’t excited about adding one more liquid (that wasn’t coffee or LaCroix) to my routine.

Dietary Suggestions

Bone broth, cinnamon, and lentils were among Brown’s dietary suggestions, though I was pleased to get her overall stamp of approval on my flexitarian approach to eating.
I’ve definitely noticed that I’m drinking more water and fewer sugary beverages since incorporating the herbal infusions into my everyday, and I do put cinnamon in my overnight oats regularly since receiving the protocol. At this point, bone broth is still on my to-try list, and I see myself continuing to turn to various curries for the boost of turmeric associated with the lentil dish Brown recommended for weekday lunches.

Lifestyle Suggestions

Ecotherapy

I’m not a cold-weather person, and I’m not going to lie: The dreary winter months meant many nights on the couch with Carrie, Mr. Big, and the ladies of Sex and the City. During my intake visit, I told Brown I take a walk to the grocery store or around a park or my neighborhood about once a week, but that may have been fudging a bit. Her recommendation: more time outdoors for the sake of my mental health.
“Start by doubling what you do now. Instead of one walk a week around the block or in the park, try twice a week. Even a walk around the block at lunchtime is good. Make a point to seek out natural environments during the walk: Focus on birdsongs, plants emerging, flowers blooming, trees leafing out. Gradually work on increasing this until you are walking four to five times a week.”

Alone Time

This recommendation was the clincher. After hearing about my home life and routines that mean I’m out of the house a lot while my husband works from home, she suggested I “work out a schedule for alone time in the house” while my husband is gone, “so you have time to just be with yourself.”
As a married person who struggles with codependent tendencies, this was a tall order, but it wound up leading to a fruitful conversation and more of what I need. (Not sure where to start when it comes to prioritizing self-love and alone time when you’re in a relationship? Check out these tips.)

Concerned about cost? Here’s what you can expect to invest in herbal products and consultations.

According to a University of Minnesota Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing resource, initial herbal consultation fees range from $30 to $60, and a monthly supply of herbs can cost between $30 and $60.
These numbers echo the investment I’ve made so far, and unlike chiropractic care and acupuncture, which are sometimes covered by insurance, consulting with an herbalist and purchasing bulk herbs and extracts based on their recommendations likely involves an out-of-pocket expense.
That said, the American Herbalists Guild’s code of ethics espouses humanitarian service, stating that members should not make monetary compensation their primary consideration. In addition to individual consultations, many herbalists offer more affordable group workshops that might put herbalism within reach regardless of your current financial situation.

Unsure about diving head first into working with an herbalist? How about a nice cup of (herbal) tea instead?

While following an herbalist’s recommendations has been an interesting and high-impact experience for me (nice to meet you, noticeably gentler monthly cycles and fewer headache days), when Boke and I first chatted herbs, she pointed out that many people incorporate herbalism into their daily routine without even knowing it. If you’ve ever sipped on a lemony brew when you’ve had a sore throat or peppermint tea for an upset stomach, you’ve treated yourself to a mugful of herbal medicine.
As my exploration of herbalism unfolded, I reached out to Traditional Medicinals—the most popular seller of wellness teas in the States and an American Herbalists Guild member institution—and was treated to a Q+A with Zoe Kissam, Traditional Medicinals herbalist and marketing manager of innovation.
Despite there being many barriers to herbalism and other complementary approaches to health, Kissam points out that “tea is a really accessible and unintimidating way of introducing people to herbs.”
I also appreciate and want to note that:

Regardless of your locale, odds are you can find quality herbal teas at your go-to grocery store.
If cost is a barrier, herbal teas may be more accessible than supplements, tinctures, and infusions. They require a modest initial investment—typically less than $10 for a box or tin of about 20 servings.
While items that have “a Supplement Facts label [are] considered a supplement and [are] not eligible for SNAP purchase,” some herbal teas, including certain Traditional Medicinals products, can be purchased using SNAP/food stamps.
You can take teas on the go. By throwing a few bags of your favorite herbal teas in your purse, diaper bag, or coat pocket, you can enjoy an impromptu tea time whenever you have a moment for yourself and access to hot water.

Herbal Tea Q+A

Kissam is a Sonoma County, California, native who first started incorporating herbs into her wellness routine as a teenager. She worked at a health food store, grew her understanding of what it meant to live a holistic lifestyle, and went on to earn her certification in herbalism and her clinical certification. As of 2018, she’s worked at Traditional Medicinals for 11 years (and counting).
Publisher’s note: This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

HealthyWay: Who were you educated under and what traditions inform your approach to herbs?

Kissam: I studied at the California School of Herbal Studies, which focuses on Western herbal medicine but touches on a myriad of traditional herbal medicine practices like Chinese medicine and Ayurveda and even Native American herbal medicine.

What is Traditional Medicinals’ process for determining its herbal tea blends?

New products come to our innovation team in a number of ways. Our herbalists consider the need state or benefit that the tea should provide and then look at traditional formulations or modern phytotherapy that will support the best and most rational herbal formula to meet those needs. All formulas are reviewed through our [research and development] team for safety, as well as through our supply chain to make sure we can find enough high-quality herbs to meet demand.

What are Traditional Medicinals’ most popular blends and why?

Smooth Move is our best-selling laxative tea for occasional constipation. It is loved by tea drinkers and non-tea drinkers alike because of both its reliability and its gentle action in the way it works.
Throat Coat is one of our original formulas, featuring soothing slippery elm, licorice, and marshmallow root promote throat health.

Turmeric With Meadowsweet and Ginger is one of our new kids on the block but is quickly becoming a top seller because of its unique combination of well-known turmeric and herbalist-loved meadowsweet and ginger. This tea is an herbal trifecta of ancient wisdom and soothing relief that promotes healthy digestion and supports a healthy response to inflammation associated with exercise.

What different types of professionals does Traditional Medicinals have on staff, and what is it like working with these different people—and learning from them—to make and market herbal products?

Traditional Medicinals employs over 180 people that support our mission-driven different company in so many ways.
We have eight herbal experts that span the company from [research and development] and marketing to quality control. Collectively, they have over 100 years of combined experience during which they have authored more than 25 books, led a wide variety of industry groups and panels, and helped a vast number of people improve their health and wellness with plant medicine.
But we have a belief that the plants call people to work in this company, and all 180 of those employees are herb nerds in some way or another. It is this group of impassioned people that truly believe in serving our mission that embraces sustainability, ingredient purity, and social and environmental activism.

Why do you think people are comfortable with teas, and what role do you see Traditional Medicinals playing in making herbal medicine accessible?

Well tea itself, referring to the Camellia sinensis plant which produces green and black tea, is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. For me, it’s a personal connection—my mom drank a cup of tea every night after dinner and my grandmother and her friends always served tea with dessert.
Many people have rituals around drinking a cup of hot tea and may not even think about it. Many associate herbal tea with relaxation, which is an obvious reason why some of our teas for tension and stress are so popular and why chamomile tea itself, for all brands, is the number one selling herbal tea in the health and natural foods channel.
Tea, as a form, is warm, comforting, and inviting. The fact that it can also have a benefit is icing on the cake. This is why we believe tea is a really accessible and unintimidating way of introducing people to herbs.

Are your teas as potent as tinctures or infusions?

All of our teas are formulated to provide benefits and support the claims we make. There are some herbs that are more beneficial in capsule or tincture form because they are not water soluble. However, all of our blends use herbs that are quite appropriate in tea—digestive teas getting right where they need to go, Throat Coat tea coating the throat as it is consumed, and so on. Anyone drinking these teas should feel very confident that they are getting an appropriate dose of the herbs that we blend with.

What types of teas, if any, do you recommend for pregnancy, anxiety, and depression, and why?

For pregnancy, depending on the stage of pregnancy you are in, there are many herbs that can be supportive.

Ginger can help with morning sickness.
Raspberry leaf can help in the second trimester and beyond to tone the uterus and get the body prepared for labor.

For occasional anxiety we have several formulas that are great to take, and honestly just sitting down and slowing down and having a cup of tea can be really helpful.

Our Chamomile With Lavender tea settles your nervous system and relaxes your digestive system, [so it’s] especially good when stressed or tense.
Our Stress Ease Cinnamon tea features a favorite herb of herbalists, skullcap, which relieves stress and irritability and promotes relaxation, plus it’s really tasty! I love drinking it in the late afternoon on a hectic day or right before my cycle starts and I’m feeling a little, let’s say, “edgy”?

Do you have any recommended regimens for regular consumption or drinking during an illness, PMS, or menstruation?

Our teas support various functions of the body and aid in conditions like occasional constipation, getting a good night’s sleep, or heart health. We have over 60 that are supportive for digestion, relaxation, seasonal care, women’s health, et cetera.
For PMS and menstruation we have a range of teas that can offer support during different phases of a woman’s life.

Healthy Cycle is a blend of herbs that can help regulate the menstrual cycle and can even help with cramping.
Weightless tea is helpful for water retention.
Raspberry Leaf tea also helps support regular menstrual cycles.
Stress Ease Cinnamon can help support irritability and promote relaxation and can be really helpful during PMS.

Is it safe to combine Traditional Medicinals’ teas with other medications? Are there any specific teas that should be approached with caution?

Everyone should check with their doctor or healthcare practitioner before using herbs in combination with other medications. All of our teas include cautions and warnings on the box that are different depending on the products and should be referenced.

Are there any teas women should avoid while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Because every pregnancy is different, always check with your healthcare practitioner prior to using herbs while pregnant or breastfeeding. We find that some moms commonly enjoy the following teas during pregnancy or breastfeeding. For use of other teas during these times, please speak with your healthcare practitioner.
Pregnancy: Ginger tea, Pregnancy tea, Raspberry Leaf tea, Lemon Balm tea
Nursing: Mother’s Milk, Mother’s Milk Shatavari

Are all your teas organic? How does Traditional Medicinals decide where to source ingredients from?

95 percent of our teas are organic. We source our organic and high-quality herbs from the environments where they can be grown at a medicinal grade. This helps to ensure that the active constituents are in the right amounts so that you get a consistent benefit from our teas, cup after cup.

Traditional Medicinals is making a Throat Coat “Just for Kids.” How does it differ from Throat Coat, and do you recommend any other teas for children?

Just for Kids Cold Care is formulated specifically for children featuring lower doses of herbs and a [sweetener-free, 100 percent herbal] taste kids enjoy. Currently this item is only available for purchase online, via Amazon or other retailers. For other teas, always read the side panel. Teas not suitable for children will indicate they are for adults only and may list age restrictions.

Any tips for preparing and enjoying herbal teas?

First, check the back of your Traditional Medicinals tea box and read the instructions to see if there are any unique suggestions, such as adding milk or sugar. Each of our teas will also have a suggested steeping time, which depends greatly on the herbs inside. These practices often improve the taste of the tea and effectiveness of the herbs.
Boil water and pour into your teacup with the tea bag placed inside.
Cover your teacup and allow the herbs to steep. After a few minutes, it’s not just water that is acting on the herbs. The water itself changes as the herbs infuse into it. Depending on what compounds are first released, the water can become a mild acid or base, which in turn affects the release of other compounds in the herbs.
The act of covering your tea ensures warmth, a full extraction, and that the essential oils of the herbs, which are very beneficial, stay in your cup. This is why the recommended steeping times on our tea boxes range from five to 15 minutes for full potency.

I’ve been poking around Plant Power Journal and noticed that Traditional Medicinals has a number of other outreach and educational efforts.

Traditional Medicinals is committed to social development projects funded in sourcing communities—and women and girls are some of the greatest beneficiaries.
One of Traditional Medicinals’ programs is the Revive Project, which focuses on water security interventions in the senna-growing villages of Rajasthan, India. In 2009, Traditional Medicinals, Traditional Medicinals Foundation, and WomenServe launched the project in the Thar Desert, one of the driest places on earth, where temperatures can reach as high as 122° F. Women and girls must walk miles for hours each day in search of water for their families, crops, and livestock.
In an effort to overcome these challenges, the Revive Project’s initiatives have so far benefitted six communities with around 12,000 villagers. The project has desilted and expanded six large community ponds, dug and rebuilt 145 agricultural rainwater catchment systems, and constructed 510 taankas (underground rainwater catchments) for families in need. These taankas provide year-round water security, eliminating the need for women and girls to walk thousands of miles each year and providing them with the opportunity to attend school and trainings, engage in income-generating activities, and become empowered village leaders.

Anything else you’d like readers to know?

While tea is an accessible and familiar way to introduce people to the power of plants, sometimes people need something more portable. That is why we are very excited to debut our new line of products for new moms and moms-to-be that are convenient, on-the-go versions of our well-loved teas: Morning Ease Lemon Ginger Lozenges, Mommy to Be Raspberry Leaf Chews, Mother’s Milk Chocolate, Fruit, and Nut Bars, and Mother’s Milk Lemon Chews.
Want to learn more about Clue, the app I’ve used to keep track of my cycles, energy, and activity since implementing Brown’s recommendations? Check out “6 Femtech Apps That Are Changing How Women Handle Their Health.” Interested in adaptogens? Read up on reishi, ginseng, ashwagandha, and where to get high-quality herbs here.

Tags 9/5/18, Commerce, Publishupdate, search

Favorite Finds Sweat

Traveling While Yogi: The Best Travel Yoga Mats For Your Adventures

Post author By Anna Cherry
Post date August 30, 2018

I took up Ashtanga yoga in 2013 in Madrid, Spain. The year before, I had run a half marathon in a stupidly beautiful wine region of Portugal, but I’d trained poorly, without proper form or shoes or nutrition, and—one by one—all my toenails fell off. This time, I decided I would take up something gentler on my body.
I started by going to yoga classes at a studio that felt like church (not the kind I grew up in). It had high ceilings, white walls, tall french doors, several plants, and a cat that roamed where it wanted. Whenever I entered, the lights were dim and incense burned. The instructor, who walked around monitoring people’s form, spoke only in whispers. Sometimes they hosted vegetarian potlucks.
After I could no longer afford the classes on my income as an English teacher, I took Ashtanga home with me to the apartment that I shared with three Spanish men. They were all nice to me, but I still felt like an outsider borrowing their space, so I was most comfortable practicing alone in my small room.
About four days a week, I went through the same movements again and again, breathing loudly (Ashtanga is all about the breath) while James Blake’s Overgrown album played on YouTube. (The whole point, probably, was that I was supposed to be doing the practice in meditative silence, concentrating only on the flow of the sequence, but I became bored easily.)
In the end, I screwed up my knees. Maybe because I was hyperextending, maybe because I still ran, or maybe because of the extra weight I carried on my frame after many cervezas and the previous year’s half-marathon training, during which I stress-gained a surprising amount. I left Ashtanga behind.
Half a decade later, I missed the flow that once bored me. I recently started powerlifting, and I wanted to find a way to maintain my flexibility as I gain strength. Since I’ve stopped running, and my knees no longer pop when I kneel down, yoga seemed like a good option for me.

There’s something, too, about the repetitiveness and the mobility of Ashtanga that calls me back—the way it lulls me into a different state of mind, and the fact that, once memorized, I can do it pretty much anywhere, whether I’m at home, on a trip, or at any wonderfully scented studio in the world. (Though I’m now landlocked in the American Midwest, I recently began a full-time job that will allow me to go on more weekend getaways than my freelance-writer budget and NYC rent allowed.)
But, to practice anywhere and at any time, you need a yoga mat suited to travel. Below I’ll compare three popular options that I personally tested for weeks, paying special attention to 1) ease of transport, 2) comfort, and 3) functionality. Multipurpose mats got bonus points. (I’ll explain later.)

My Process for Testing Travel Yoga Mats

To compare these popular travel yoga mats, I tried to keep conditions as similar as possible during testing. With each yoga mat, I completed the same Ashtanga fundamentals session on a hardwood floor, wearing the same clothes and stopping midway to sample each mat as a topper over my at-home yoga mat.
Though I’m a very sweaty person generally, I didn’t sweat much (if at all) during these sessions, as I practiced in air-conditioned rooms and at a slower speed. (This, of course, had everything to do with the type of yoga I chose. Hot yoga would’ve changed everything.)
Since all the mats made claims about their grippiness, I emulated sweaty palms by running my hands under water about halfway through my flows so that they would be damp for the remainder of the practice, which included positions you might easily slip during if on a bad mat: Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana), and Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I).
Whether I actually traveled with a mat was a game of survival of the smallest. Mats that fit inside my 21.7” × 14.8” × 10.2” carry-on took trips, while the others (or, in this case, other—only one was too big) were left behind.

Travel Yoga Mats Tested

[sol title=”CleverYoga’s YogiOnTheGo Travel Mat” subheader=”Mat Dimensions: 71” L × 24” W × 1 mm | Weight ~2 lbs”]

Pros

This floppy, super-soft mat reminded me of a fancy cowhide rug. In reality, it’s probably the furthest you could get from a home accessory made of animal flesh. The CleverYoga YogiOnTheGo Travel Mat, according to the box it comes in, is eco-friendly, created “from all-natural tree rubber” “with a soft fabric surface” that is certainly not the dried-out skin of a mammal.
This in no way discouraged me from making myself at home on my cross-country flight to Los Angeles by using the mat as a blanket. My four-hour trip from St. Louis Lambert International Airport to LAX was not terribly long, but it was a struggle. After a full night’s rest of two hours, I boarded at 5:15 a.m. and immediately wanted to lie down. Luckily, it wasn’t a full flight, so I could. Unluckily, it was cold, and blankets weren’t provided.

So I got creative. I balled up my jean jacket to use as a pillow and pulled out the Clever mat, which I’d fit easily into the small carrying pouch of my weekender bag, which is roughly the size of a folded sweatshirt. I faced the soft side of the mat, letting the rubber exterior shield me from the blasting AC, and I was surprisingly warm and comfy, likely because of the mat’s flexibility and weight.
The packaging claims it’s no heavier than about two pounds, with weight varying up to 0.3 pounds due to “the uniqueness of the natural rubber.” For the record, mine measured in on my kitchen scale as 2.48 pounds. All that said, I didn’t sleep like a baby, but I did sleep—like an adult woman, which is just okay.
In additions to its luxe look, ease of transport, and multifunctionality, the cost of this mat is just under $45, which is an investment but won’t break the bank.

Cons

The only yoga I did in L.A. was a sun salutation or two the last morning of my trip, on the hard kitchen tile of the Airbnb. My notes: “not the most cushiony, doesn’t provide the best grip (but, according to the makers, it becomes grippier the more you sweat)—unrelated: realized how inflexible I’ve become, perhaps bc powerlifting?”
During the more controlled Ashtanga test, I confirmed that the mat itself stays put on the floor, but its soft-side grip isn’t great, though, as promised, it does create more friction the sweatier (or waterier) your hands become, which is a neat twist. Even more curious was this instruction: “Lightly sprinkle mat with water where hands and feet normally land for superior grip.” So I did, like a priest blessing someone with holy water, and it helped. Still, not ideal.
Neither is cushioning. Do you enjoy the sensation of sitting cross-legged, skin bare, on a hardwood floor? If so, you will probably find this mat comfortable. I, however, bruise like a peach, and I and my pale skin did not love it. At 1 mm thick, this material is not very forgiving. (When paired with another yoga mat as a topper, that discomfort goes away. So, if you’re a YogiOnTheGo who is more likely to attend a class with mats provided, it shouldn’t be an issue.)

Considerations

Another fun and unexpected feature of the CleverYoga travel mat is that it can be laundered like a towel or any other piece of clothing. The extent of my yoga mat cleaning ritual has only ever been to occasionally—OCCASIONALLY—wipe it down with one of those antibacterial hand wipes. But I am a messy person. (“With you, the messiness is part of the art,” an editor once told me, for whatever that’s worth.) So the idea of being able to throw my yoga mat in the washer (and dryer!) after a particularly foul romp through an airplane, or wherever, seems both foreign and luxurious.
After testing this out—normal wash on cold, dry on medium heat—I can say that it comes out looking basically as good as new. (For those of you wondering, there is an upper limit to the “wetter is better” feature. I tried to Downward Dog in the apartment building’s concrete laundry room floors on a soaking-wet, just-washed Clever mat, and it was kind of slick, as you might imagine.)
[link-button href=”https://amzn.to/2O6Sq3V”]Get it from Amazon here[/link-button]
[sol title=”lululemon Reversible (Un) Mat Lightweight Travel” subheader=”Dimensions: 71” L × 26” W × 1.5 mm | Weight ~2 lbs”]

Pros

I see what they did here with branding. The first thing I thought of when I read “(Un) Mat” was (un)chicken—so, veganism. Veganism evokes eco-friendliness, and a certain cultural elitism, which, hey, doesn’t miss the mark. Still, I took the (Un) Mat with me from St. Louis to Little Rock—via a decidedly (un) vegan flight, as a few of the passengers ate fried chicken, making my pretzels seem very sad.
During my Ashtanga testing session with the (Un) Mat, I learned that the grip on this yoga mat is for real, with and without wet hands. A clear plus.

Cleaning was straightforward, though I didn’t follow the rules. The instructions say to “clean this mat after practice with warm, soapy water,” and “after a heavy sweat session, fully submerge it in water and hang it to dry.”
I’ve learned enough about myself as a person to know that I won’t be hand-washing items, unless those items are expensive lingerie or all of my dishes for the past seven years, because that’s how long I lived without a dishwasher. Instead, I used a Wet Ones hand wipe for sensitive skin to do a quick once-over. They were not kidding around about how the top layer “absorbs moisture.” The mat seemed to instantly evaporate any wetness (where? how?), and it even showed imprints from the oil on my nose, like some kind of massive blotting paper.

Cons

As it turns out, 1.5 mm thickness is still not thick enough to feel like you aren’t pressing your ankle bones directly into the cold, hard floor. (Though I feel the need to mention that the discomfort did disappear when the mat was turned into a topper.)
Another bummer: This mat only barely fit in my carry-on bag. At 2.32 pounds, it’s lighter than the Clever mat, but it was inflexible enough that it had to be ungracefully fruit roll-upped and crammed between clothes, which left it looking crumpled.
Visiting family for a long weekend, I got the chance to do some yoga with my mom, who used the Clever mat while I used the (Un) Mat. The practice was for “complete beginners” and we did it in our carpeted living room, so the mats’ thickness and grippiness didn’t come into consideration.
Mainly we were in tune with the sensory experience. (“I wish this was a class where they came and massaged you!” my mom said before starting. She is not a huge fan of yoga, per se.) Both of us were distracted by the strong, almost fishy smell of the (Un) Mat. The Clever mat did have a slightly unpleasant tire-y odor, which has lessened with time and a wash, but the stench was much more invasive when it came to the (Un) Mat.
To be fair, the packaging advises rolling it out to air before practicing with it, which I didn’t read until later. Perhaps the odor is from the natural rubber base, the polyurethane top layer that “absorbs moisture to help you get a grip during sweaty practices,” or the antimicrobial additive that apparently prevents the growth of mold and mildew—all great features! But something stinks until the mat has been aired out for a couple days.

Considerations

At $48.00–$58.00 on the lululemon website, this is slightly more expensive than the CleverYoga option.
[link-button href=”https://fave.co/2I1uVq7″]Get it from lululemon here[/link-button]
[sol title=”Liforme Travel Mat” subheader=”Dimensions: 70.8” L × 25.6” W × 2 mm | Weight 3.5 lbs”]

Pros

This mat delivers in some important ways, as evidenced by being the top performer in my Ashtanga-on-hardwood-floor-with-wet-hands test.
First, it looks cool. The design is neat enough on its own, but it’s also functional. The mat’s creator, James Armitage, said the Liforme Travel Mat came into being after a five-year process of research and development, including seven trips to the “Far East.”
The markings on the yoga mat make up the AlignForMe system, which is supposed to help yogis and their teachers track positioning of the hands and feet, or any other strategically placed body parts. (James experienced a turning point in his yoga practice when he started regularly attending a guided Ashtanga primary series class, so perhaps the system was made specifically with those poses in mind.)
Second, the mat felt like the grippiest of all three I tried, with what the makers refer to as a “Warrior-like Grip.” A little booklet that comes attached to the travel bag says: “We believe our revolutionary ‘GripForMe’ material is the grippiest Yoga mat material currently available on earth. And it stays grippy even when ‘sweaty wet.’” Can’t argue with that.

Third, Liforme seems to have hit the sweet spot of travel-mat thickness at 2 mm. When used alone, the other two mats, at 1 mm and 1.5 mm, respectively, felt almost like having nothing between my body and the floor, while this one felt like enough of a barrier to not hurt my joints during my practice.
Another notable feature, according to the attached booklet, is the mat’s “planet friendly, body kind” makeup: “sustainable natural rubber, topped with a specifically engineered eco-friendly material” that is “responsibly manufactured and biodegradable.”
I appreciate that the mat came with its own zip-up travel bag, which includes an over-the-shoulder strap. The sturdy case will likely keep this yoga mat from getting beaten up over extended use. The Liforme website also provides detailed instructions on how to keep your mat in good condition and clean. (Again, I just wiped it down with a Wet One. But being a responsible adult, and considering that this mat is the most expensive of all—$125—perhaps you will feel more inclined to follow the recommended protocol.)

Cons

Even given all its wins, Liforme was the only mat that didn’t make it on an excursion. At nearly 26 inches rolled up, there was no way it was fitting in my carry-on. Though it came with its own travel case, I was worried that it would count as my personal item and the airline would charge me for my purse. Aside from this, adding any extra over-the-shoulder item is cumbersome when traveling, especially when said item is relatively heavy (about 3.5 pounds) and oddly shaped.
Did I mention that this mat is over one hundred dollars? Because it is. For most of us (myself included), that’s a lot!

Considerations

Like lululemon’s (Un) Mat, this one has an unsavory fishy smell, so you’ll probably want to air out this mat for a few days before your first practice.
[link-button href=”https://amzn.to/2O9dJ5h”]Get it from Amazon here[/link-button]

Overall Winner

This may come as a surprise, but my top pick for a travel yoga mat is CleverYoga’s YogiOnTheGo Travel Mat, because it shines in the two areas that a yoga mat of its kind should: being multifunctional and easy to transport.
The runner-up would be the Liforme Travel Mat, for those who prioritize having a mat that’s supportive and super grippy during practice over having space in your luggage or fewer things to carry. It misses first place, in my book, because it doesn’t seem different enough in size or ease of transport from a regular yoga mat.
When I was 21 years old, I went backpacking through Europe for nearly a month, bringing with me only what could fit in a relatively small backpack (think “back to school,” not Wild). If I were to take up precious packing real estate for a yoga mat, it would have to be smashable and it couldn’t be just a yoga mat.
One of those nights I spent in a cold, closed train station in Nice where there were only homeless people and travelers like me with budgets too small to splurge on a hostel. It was among one of my most miserable travel memories and involved me curling up near a New Zealander couple I’d just met, using a pair of my damp, dirty jeans as a blanket. Here a yoga mat that served as a cushion would’ve been greatly appreciated, but realistically I probably wouldn’t have taken the extra space required by a more traditional, roll-up mat.
On the other hand, a yoga mat that doubled as a blanket and took up much less room in my bag would’ve been worth it, since it would’ve been something I used again and again. (I was frequently cold on transportation and could’ve used it as a stand-in beach towel, picnic blanket, or hostel comforter, then washed it when it got too gnarly.)
On top of all that, it’s the least expensive of the bunch. And what traveler can’t use more money?
[link-button href=”https://amzn.to/2O6Sq3V”]Get it from Amazon here[/link-button]

Tags Commerce, search

Nosh Nutrition x Advice

What Is Greenwashing, And How Can You Fight Against It In Your Daily Life?

Post author By Meagan Drillinger
Post date August 28, 2018

It always feels good to make a healthy decision, whether that’s going to the gym, cutting out negative energy, or doing your part to help better the environment. We all try to be conscious of the planet and taking care of the world around us. Every little step helps and should (theoretically) count. But what if you found out that those allegedly “sustainable,” “eco-friendly” products and practices you were adopting were not as socially responsible as they seemed?
Welcome to the world of greenwashing. In case you aren’t familiar with this term, greenwashing is a company’s attempt to make its products appear environmentally sound, when in fact the products themselves are not green at all. Unfortunately, this practice is prevalent in many industries, from textiles and cleaning supplies to beauty products and food.
“Greenwashing is the … attempt to make something appear environmentally sound when indeed it is quite possibly not,” says Kevin Dixon, founder and president of Alterra Pure textiles. “Some are unintentional, some aren’t. Some are malicious, or others are from lack of understanding. It takes a few different forms. For many, it’s difficult to spend the time to gain the knowledge to know the difference between them.”
[pullquote align=”center”]“When you know what you’re looking for, it’s not easy for … businesses to pull the wool over your eyes.”
—Shannon Dunn of EcoBeautyEditor[/pullquote]
Examples of greenwashing include companies trying to leverage certain buzzwords in advertisements and on product labels, such as “sustainable,” “eco-friendly,” and “natural.”
“When you know what you’re looking for, it’s not easy for such businesses to pull the wool over your eyes. But in most cases, the general public doesn’t know what to look for on the labels, so they trust what they are being told by clever marketing,” says Shannon Dunn, founder of EcoBeautyEditor.
The sad news is that this is only detrimental to the company if consumers know to dig a little deeper and discover the truth, which does not happen as often as we might think. The only way to discern the reality behind the claims is to get educated about how greenwashing is used and how to see beyond the hype.

The Seven Sins of Greenwashing Companies

The way greenwashing works is often referred to as the Seven Sins of Greenwashing.
The first sin is the Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off, which is the claim that a product is “green” based on certain attributes—without giving deeper thought to the meaning behind them. For example, paper isn’t necessarily environmentally friendly if the wood it’s made from came from a sustainably harvested forest. The production of paper typically results in greenhouse gas emissions and/or chlorine use in the bleaching process, so deeper research is needed to determine which paper products are actually sustainable.
The Sin of No Proof is a claim that can’t be proven. There is no trace of these claims ever being substantiated, nor is there evidence of a credible third-party certification.
The Sin of Vagueness is an eco assertion that is so unclear that it is easy to misunderstand what it means. The most common example is the use of the term “all natural.” Mercury, arsenic, and formaldehyde are naturally occurring, but would you want those on your skin or in your body?
The Sin of Worshipping False Labels is exactly that: fake labels. They are meant to give consumers the idea that the product has been endorsed by a third party when no such endorsement (or third party) actually exists.
The Sin of Irrelevance is a claim that might technically be true, but it doesn’t actually have anything to do with a product being environmentally friendly. For example, a product that says “CFC-free” might intrigue consumers, when the fact of the matter is that CFCs are banned from all products by U.S. law.
[pullquote align=”center”]The Sin of Fibbing is an environmental claim that is a downright lie. And it happens more than you think.[/pullquote]
The Sin of Lesser of Two Evils is a claim that may be true within the product category but that doesn’t truly address the issue overall. Organic cigarettes, for example, are certainly the lesser of two evils, but is one option really that much better?
Finally, the Sin of Fibbing is an environmental claim that is a downright lie. And it happens more than you think.
“The intentional cases of greenwashing clearly benefit companies wanting to take a shortcut to appear sustainable or ethical, when in fact they haven’t taken all steps to reach that marketing claim,” says Danielle Jezienicki, director of corporate social responsibility for Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “This enhances their brand reputation or image with customers but runs a major risk of being discovered with negative long-term consequences as customers are more educated and interested in transparency than ever before.”

How do you know if a company is using greenwashing tactics?

There are a lot of great companies that are committed to making this planet a better place and that are getting their message across beautifully. Still, there are companies out there that are doing their best to deceive us by giving the impression that it’s environmentally sound to use or consume their products, when it’s really not.
“This is part of the issue—it can be difficult to spot a company that is greenwashing unless you do some research,” says Dunn. “I always like to know who is behind the company, what its history is, the mission, and, of course, why they choose to use the ingredients they do. If this information is not available or not clear, then it’s always a sign to me that some deeper digging is needed.”
According to the Greenwashing Index, one of the best ways to see if a company is greenwashing is to look at an ad and then look at the company as a whole. It’s a good practice to look on their website for information on their sustainable business practices. If you can find this easily or can find something else to back up their claims on the ad, that’s a good sign.
Another way to tell if a company is greenwashing is to google the company along with the word environment and see what kind of results you get. “This is far from scientific, but if consumers or environmental advocates have a beef with the company’s track record, something’s bound to pop up,” the Greenwashing Index reports.

How to Become More Aware of Greenwashing Tactics

The best way is to educate yourself. Sadly it’s not as easy as glancing at a label these days. It requires a bit more time and investment on your part to do your homework. That said, there are advocacy and environmental groups out there working tirelessly to bridge the gap so that going green won’t have to be a conscious choice anymore. It will be the only choice.
The Environmental Protection Agency, for example, works with a variety of private sector standards developers to create programs for eco-preferred goods and services, such as the ENERGY STAR, WaterSense, and Safer Choice labels.
Greener Choices is another organization working in the food space to educate consumers about which products support a sustainable food system. Its goal is to empower the consumer with information so that they can decide which practices to support. Labels include Fair Trade Certified, Certified Pesticide Residue Free, American Humane Certified, Rainforest Alliance Certified, etc.

How to Make Your Daily Life More Eco-Friendly

The first step is always to educate yourself. “Read the ingredients label,” says Sheridan Howie, coordinator of sustainability for Lulu. “Pretty packaging may mask a product’s negative effects.”
Howie gives the example of sunscreen, which may claim to be biodegradable but still includes harmful chemicals like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and methyl paragon. Howie recommends DoneGood as a great resource for finding environmentally responsible companies. They have a Chrome extension that recommends ethical, sustainable brands as you shop online. It even includes discount codes! (Ecolabel Index is also helpful to find environmental certifications.)
Still, there are practical everyday things that we can be doing to reduce our carbon footprint overall. “The easiest way to be more eco-friendly or waste-free at home is to avoid what I call NSU products, or non-single use,” says Josh Wadinski, founder of Plantioxidants, a line of beauty products that bridge the gap between luxury, health, and sustainability.
As Wadinski points out, “each time you order carry-out food, you typically receive plastic utensils, some form of carton, and a bag.” He recommends asking yourself how much of that you’re recycling and how much will you just throw away. Then prior to purchasing, consider asking the restaurant not to provide a bag or the plastic utensils.
He also recommends looking for products that indicate they are not from virgin materials and that they are entirely recyclable and/or biodegradable. “Our shipping boxes at Plantioxidants are made from entirely recycled cardboard and are biodegradable. Even our label is made from completely recycled materials and our adhesive for it is vegetable-based.” This means that even if you throw away the packaging, no harm is being done to the environment.
Other easy life hacks include turning off the faucet when you’re not actively using it (e.g., when you’re brushing your teeth), turning off lights in rooms you’re not using, setting air conditioning temperatures a little higher, and looking for every way possible to use fresh produce.
“Lastly,” Wadinski says, “use your dollar to make it clear that you work towards a waste-free life. If you love a product but you only see an abundance of wasteful packaging, don’t simply buy it. Email them, let them know your concern, and see what they can do.”
Identifying greenwashing tactics isn’t always easy, but there are steps you can take to educate yourself as a consumer and call out unethical marketing tactics while making the world a cleaner, greener place.

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Happy Home Lifestyle

Turn Your Bedroom Into A Feng Shui Sanctuary

Post author By Katie Martin
Post date August 26, 2018

Once upon a time, back when I was a single gal, my bedroom was my private oasis; it was my getaway from lousy jobs, roommates, and sometimes just life in general. From the paint color I meticulously chose in the aisle at Sherwin-Williams to the bedding I scored during a Pottery Barn clearance sale, I designed my bedroom to be an inviting, calming space.
Even though I had no idea what it was back then, I was trying to create a feng shui bedroom: a place of positive energy where I could recharge. The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui goes way deeper than picking out paint colors, though. Here’s how to get a feng shui bedroom, according to the experts.

What is feng shui?

The term feng shui gets thrown around a lot to describe things that have a soothing effect, but the practice of feng shui goes so much deeper. It’s actually the ancient Chinese version of geomancy, the practice of using the earth’s energy to place structures and buildings to promote good fortune.

“Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art of moving energy, or chi, in order to create harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang energy both within a person and their surroundings,” explains feng shui expert Michelle Cromer.
Western feng shui has evolved over the centuries, Cromer says. Four thousand years ago, she explains, “the classical practice of feng shui was an outward-to-in approach emphasizing environmental aesthetics like geography and topography. But Western feng shui has simplified the process into tangible results.”

How to Create a Feng Shui Bedroom

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend almost 10 hours per day on personal care, including sleep. That’s at least one-third of your day! Between snoozing, getting busy, and relaxing, though, we probably spend much more than a third of the day in our sleeping space, which is why creating a feng shui bedroom is so worthwhile, even if you can’t feng shui your whole home.
“In feng shui, chi, or energy, enters and exits through all of the windows and doors of any space,” says Cromer. Before designing any feng shui bedroom layout, you’ll want to take note of where your bedroom doors and windows are located. Their location will make a big difference in how you position your bed, which is the most important aspect of a feng shui bedroom.
[pullquote align=”center”]How you position your bed is the most important aspect of a feng shui bedroom.[/pullquote]

Place your bed in a commanding position.

For the best flow of energy, place your bed in a commanding position—a powerful spot where you can clearly see, but are not in front of, the door. Put simply, the feng shui commanding position is all about putting you in a position of power, regardless of what room you’re arranging.
For example, in your office, you don’t face your desk away from the door toward the wall. Instead, your desk should face out, looking toward the door, putting you in charge when people enter your office. In a nutshell, that’s what you want in your bedroom. So what does this look like exactly?

Place your bed against a wall.

Ideally, position your bed against a solid wall that will provide a strong background to ground the room’s energy, diagonal to the entryway. The perfectionist in you might cringe, but in a feng shui bedroom layout, your bed doesn’t need to be centered on the wall. In fact, you want as much space between you and the door as possible.

Try to avoid placing your bed on a wall with windows, says Cromer, as windows allow the flow of energy into the room that could create a feeling of vulnerability. In a commanding position, you want to ground as much of the energy into your bed as possible.

Less is more.

Once you’ve found the commanding position for your bed, continue to ground the room with the rest of your bedroom furniture, and remember: Less is more. Place large furniture, like a dresser or chest, directly opposite the bed if possible to counterbalance the strong, grounded energy of the bed.

Choose a bed with space underneath.

This will allow energy to flow through the room. “We are intimately connected to the energy of our bed,” Cromer tells HealthyWay. “The energy needs to circulate around your body when you sleep, which is not possible if the bed goes all the way to the floor or if there are objects under the bed.”

Don’t place a mirror in front of your bed.

“Mirrors in feng shui have unique abilities. They can double or reflect energy, and they can be used as a water feature since they have reflective properties,” says Cromer. “Mirrors that face a bed can cause restless sleep.” Keep in mind that according to Cromer, TVs are also considered mirrors “since they have the same reflective properties.”
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If you must have a mirror in your room—if it is attached to an existing piece of furniture, for example—Cromer suggests covering it at night with a pashmina so as to keep that energy out of the room as you sleep.

Anchor your bed to the floor with a rug.

“Feng shui really reminds us about the importance of a balance in life,” says Laura Benko, author of The Holistic Home: Feng Shui for Mind, Body, Spirit, Space. “The softness of a rug balances out the cold, hard floors.”

Aim for symmetry.

“Symmetry is a simple way to achieve visual balance and harmony. Since the bedroom can be a reflection of the partnerships between the people living in the home, its symmetry is critical,” Cromer emphasizes.
To achieve symmetry in the bedroom, Cromer says that both sides of the bed should look identical. If you have a nightstand on one side, you should have one on the other. Likewise with lamps, candles, chairs, and other objects in the room.

Don’t let your room get cluttered.

“Staying organized and having a clutter-free home is crucial and one of the major principles in feng shui,” says Cromer. “Clutter robs the inhabitants of vitality and slows down opportunities and creates health issues. Clutter stops the flow of energy and this has an impact on our internal energetic flow.”
To cut down on clutter in your bedroom, give Swedish death cleaning a try (it isn’t as ominous as it sounds, I promise).

Remove EMF pollution.

Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are invisible fields of energy emitted by electronic devices, like microwaves and cell phones, and they can negatively impact your chi in a big way, says Cromer.
To keep EMF pollution at a minimum, try to keep devices—like your phone and other screens—out of the bedroom. If that’s not possible, then charge your device as far away from your bed as possible, Cromer advises.

Feng Shui Colors

In feng shui, different colors are associated with the five feng shui elements: earth, water, wood, fire, and metal. Colors, then, are ultra important in setting the feng shui tone for your bedroom. But if you’re waiting for a feng shui expert to tell you exactly what color to paint your room, you’re out of luck; there are no right or wrong feng shui bedroom colors!
Essentially, you want your room to feel safe, secure, and serene. For me, that color is a pale, beachy blue. But for you, that color might be a warm, earth-toned terra cotta.

The only color you don’t want in your feng shui bedroom? Too much red, says Benko. “Fiery tones of red and orange are too stimulating for rest and relaxation. Keeping the bedroom in white, creams, pastels, or muted colors [is] more conducive to a good night’s sleep.”
But that doesn’t mean red is completely off limits in your feng shui bedroom. According to Cromer, if your room needs more passion, pops of fiery reds, like in your rug or decor, can add just the right amount of emotional energy.
As for decorating, feng shui is all about simplicity, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your own style. “Feng shui of today is not about a banal palette of neutrals; it’s not about using zen-like decor, nor is it about filling your home with culturally rich tchotchkes of Foo dogs and dragons,” says Benko.
Instead, for feng shui decorating, think about what moves and inspires you. Don’t clutter the walls, but place a few carefully chosen pieces of art that represent positivity, creativity, and good energy.

Feng Shui on a Budget

“Feng shui is never about spending a lot of money,” Benko tells HealthyWay.
“Because feng shui is the art of placement, repurposing items a person already has is normally all it takes,” Cromer adds. “Painting a room or a wall is oftentimes the only expense a person may have when incorporating feng shui into their space.”
If you don’t want to spend a ton of money, but you still want an in-home oasis, here are Benko’s favorite tips for getting a feng shui bedroom (and they don’t cost a dime!):

Declutter, pare down, and surround yourself with only the items you absolutely love and use regularly. Get rid of items that are broken, in disrepair, or that you feel obligated to keep.
Get fresh air circulating. Let the sunshine in and keep your surfaces clean and clear.
Make your bed every day. It sets the tone for a prepared day and will give you a mental health boost.

Picking and Choosing Feng Shui Principles

“Good feng shui starts from the inside out. The changes you make in your space will support the changes inside of you and vice versa,” says Cromer. “So I don’t believe in bad energy, only misplaced energy.”
Cromer says you shouldn’t worry if you can’t go all the way with a feng shui bedroom because you rent or your bedroom doesn’t have a lot of options for rearranging furniture because you won’t be creating “bad” energy within your home. You can still create a feng shui oasis in your bedroom with these simple tips:

If you rent, you don’t have to be stuck with the bland, beige paint your landlord chose. Use peel and stick paint (I like TemPAINT) to get the feng shui bedroom color of your dreams.
If your bed can only be positioned against a wall with a window, or if your bed cannot be placed flush against a solid wall, recreate one by placing a folding screen or decorative room divider behind your headboard to help anchor the bed.
Get organized to keep clutter at bay behind closet doors. Invest in inexpensive closet organization so you’re not tempted to throw all your clothes on the chair (you know what I’m talking about, ladies).

[pullquote align=”center”]“Good feng shui starts from the inside out. The changes you make in your space will support the changes inside of you and vice versa.”[/pullquote]

Benefits of a Feng Shui Bedroom

Not a whole lot of scientific research has been done to prove whether feng shui actually does have health benefits. But it would seem that many of the individual tenets of feng shui actually are beneficial to your health.
For starters, feng shui eschews clutter and disorganization. While it didn’t involve feng shui specifically, a study conducted by researchers at Indiana University found that individuals with tidy, clutter-free homes were more active and healthier overall than messier individuals.

Feng shui principles hold that blues, greens, and earth tones are more conducive to calming environments—and they may make you more productive as well. Another study, conducted by Nancy Stone at Missouri University of Science and Technology, found that students who studied in rooms painted red performed poorly on assigned tasks compared to students who studied in blue carrels.
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Additionally, a study out of UCLA found that women who live in cluttered homes have higher cortisol levels, which Stanford University reported led to a decline in self-esteem. (On the other hand, the UCLA study showed that the women who had a home they described as “restorative” actually lowered their stress levels.) People with higher self-esteem, according to one study, tend to have more satisfying romantic relationships. So it’s not too much of a stretch to say that a feng shui bedroom may even help improve intimacy between you and your partner.
Cromer says that the practice of feng shui works because it can help make sense of our energy flows. The bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the home, so creating a space where you can momentarily block out life’s stressors and soak up all the positive energy your feng shui bedroom oasis has to offer is critical self-care.

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Health x Body Wellbeing

Female Viagra Is Here—Kind Of

Post author By Katie Martin
Post date August 25, 2018

You can’t turn on the television without seeing a Viagra commercial. You know the ones: An older man and a woman who is noticeably younger end up in the bedroom after a date, all thanks to Viagra. Or maybe you recognize the commercials for Cialis: two older adults holding hands…while sitting in separate bathtubs. Every time one of those commercials comes on, I wonder when we’ll see a commercial for female Viagra.
I’m still waiting on the commercial, but it turns out that the future is now: Female Viagra is a real thing. Well, kind of.
Surprised? Me too. I had no idea that a female libido enhancer had been on the market, let alone for almost three years. But does it work? Here’s what I found out.

What is “female Viagra”?

Viagra is the trade name of the drug sildenafil citrate, which treats erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis so that a man can get and maintain an erection during sex.
Recently, Addyi (the brand name of the drug flibanserin), has been nicknamed “female Viagra,” because it’s the first-ever pharmaceutical treatment for women’s sexual dysfunction.
[pullquote align=”center”]“The days of marginalizing women’s sexual dysfunction are numbered.”[/pullquote]
But as it turns out, Addyi has little in common with Viagra. While Viagra treats a physical problem by stimulating blood flow, Addyi treats women’s sexual dysfunction by actually altering your brain chemistry.
According to a clinical review of flibanserin, women’s sexual desire is affected by many things: hormonal changes, psychological factors like stress, and comorbidity of other medical conditions, to name a few. (But we already knew that…)
Originally, flibanserin was created to increase serotonin levels in patients with major depressive disorder, but during clinical trials, female patients reported increased libido as a side effect. Based on further clinical trials specifically testing the drug’s effect on women’s libido, flibanserin was approved by the FDA in 2015 under the trade name Addyi to treat women’s sexual dysfunction.
Addyi, which is created and manufactured by Sprout Pharmaceuticals, is now marketed and prescribed for pre-menopausal women who suffer from hypoactive sexual dysfunction disorder (HSDD). HSDD is classified as a chronic lack of interest in sex, and it affects as many as one in 10 women.
Sexual desire isn’t just governed by hormones or stress levels; our libido is also impacted by the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which increase sexual desire, and serotonin, which inhibits desire. It’s not yet fully understood, but when your brain transmits too much serotonin, your libido can drastically drop.
Addyi works as a serotonin modulator to increase the flow of dopamine and norepinephrine while reducing serotonin levels to increase libido and sexual desire in women.

Sildenafil, aka Lady Era

There’s another drug on the market that you may come across if you google “ladies Viagra,” “female Viagra,” or a similar search term, and this one actually is female Viagra.
It’s called Lady Era, and it’s the trade name of the women’s version of sildenafil. Sildenafil treats women’s sexual dysfunction in a way that’s similar to what Viagra does for men: It increases blood flow to the genital area. In men, this results in an erection, and in women, sildenafil may help increase lubrication and sensation during sex.
Before you buy Lady Era, though, you should know that it’s not FDA approved. Addyi is the only drug currently approved by the FDA to treat female sexual dysfunction.

Does Addyi work?

“In the face of scientific evidence, the days of marginalizing women’s sexual dysfunction are numbered,” Cindy Eckert, CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals and founder of The Pink Ceiling, tells HealthyWay. “Addyi will be a key factor to leveling the playing field by cutting through that unscientific societal narrative to a data-driven discussion.”
But exactly what does the science say?
According to preliminary drug trials (which were annoyingly named after flowers, because you know, we’re women) that were conducted in 2012, Addyi increased the number of satisfying sexual events (SSE) participants had and decreased their distress caused by sexual dysfunction.
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But when you break down those numbers, the little pink pill may not be the cure-all for women’s sexual dysfunction it claims to be. A more recent 2016 study found that while, technically, women do report more SSEs per month while taking Addyi, the number of SSEs participants experienced only increased by an average of 1.5 times per month—while also increasing associated side effects like dizziness, nausea, and fatigue.

Side Effects of Flibanserin

Since flibanserin was initially created as a drug for major depressive disorder, it’s not surprising that women taking flibanserin for sexual dysfunction experience many of the side effects associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Those include dizziness, nausea, somnolence (excessive sleepiness), fatigue, and dry mouth.
But women taking flibanserin can also experience more serious side effects, most notably hypotension and syncope, especially if flibanserin is combined with alcohol or some antifungal medications. In fact, Addyi comes with a black label that warns women to avoid all contact with alcohol while taking the drug. For a drug that is supposed to be taken every day, that’s a pretty tough pill to swallow (excuse the pun).
Because Addyi has only been FDA approved for three years, perhaps the biggest risk of taking flibanserin daily is that the long-term side effects on your brain and body aren’t yet known. But research is promising that Addyi, while incompatible with alcohol, may be safe to take in combination with other serotonin modulators.

Why Addyi Is Important (Despite Efficacy Rates)

HSDD is now grouped under Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (FSIAD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) that mental health professionals use to help diagnose patients. And that’s a big deal for a couple of reasons.
[pullquote align=”center”]“Ultimately, Addyi is giving women the same access to medication that men have had for decades to treat their sexual dysfunctions.”[/pullquote]
Even though HSDD and subsequently FSIAD were introduced in the DSM three decades ago, little progress has been made toward actually treating the condition. That’s why a drug like Addyi is so important, says Eckert.
“Addyi is a groundbreaking first. For the millions of premenopausal women who have distressing low sexual desire, finally there is an FDA-approved treatment option,” says Eckert. “Addyi has opened the doors to a conversation on what’s happening for women in the bedroom biologically that, until now, has been loaded with myth and misconception. Ultimately, Addyi is giving women the same access to medication that men have had for decades to treat their sexual dysfunctions.”
And despite concerns over efficacy, Eckert says that the number of satisfying sexual events women have while taking Addyi is an average, and that the number of satisfying sexual events many women who responded positively to Addyi was much higher. “Many responders had four to six more [satisfying sexual] events,” Eckert asserts. “Regardless of that nuance, and this I want to say empathically, it’s HER CALL. For a woman who is struggling with the life impact of HSDD, just one more event can be profoundly meaningful. Women all over the country have shared their stories with me, and it’s their inspiration that fuels me to keep fighting for Addyi to be accessible to any woman who needs it.”
Eckert is right; the pink pill may not be right for every woman struggling with sexual dysfunction. But Addyi has not only started a conversation about women’s sexual health that should have begun decades ago, but it has also given women a choice when it comes to their own sexual desire (or lack thereof). And that is something every woman can get behind.
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No Gym Required Sweat

Yes, Goat Yoga’s A Real Thing—And I Tried It

Post author By Joni Sweet
Post date August 23, 2018

Goat yoga—no doubt you’ve seen photos of people doing plank pose with happy baby goats on their backs as you’ve scrolled through your Instagram feed, but it’s hard to imagine the reality of this fitness craze. Do the goats bounce off the backs of yogis? Are they trained to join you in Downward Dog? Do the goats poop on your yoga mat? (C’mon, I know you’ve wondered.)
As a novelty workout enthusiast, I had to learn more about goat yoga. Those baby goat yoga pictures were just too cute (and delightfully ridiculous). So when the staff at the new DoubleTree hotel in Vail, Colorado, recommended I try the local goat yoga class during a recent visit (they had a free shuttle to take me there, after all), I signed up without a moment of hesitation—and with a ton of anticipation.

Goat Yoga: Too Cute or Carried Away?

The four-legged yogis were relaxing in their pen when I rolled up to Vail Stables on a sunny day in the mountains. Snuggled up in groups of five or six, they looked at ease, having just finished up another baby goat yoga class a half hour earlier. Of course, it was just about time for the goats to hit the mat again—this time with me.
Six other students and I spread out our mats and waited as the yoga instructor opened the gates. With a bit of encouragement from the teacher, more than a dozen goats ran into the outdoor yoga studio and started coming right up to us. They sniffed our water bottles, chewed our hair, and even nestled their heads in our laps as we gushed, snapping pics of every adorable moment.

The goats began to settle down, mostly in big piles around one or two students, just as the “workout” kicked off. As with a typical class, goat yoga started with lots of steady breathing (yes, it did smell a bit like a farm—though not necessarily worse than the foot smell at some studios) and gentle stretching. After some light breathwork, I was seriously ready to get my yoga on with these goats.
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To be frank, the workout didn’t get much harder than that. Sure, we did a bit of planking and the occasional Downward Dog (with a gentle pet of a goat as you entered the pose). But I quickly realized that goat yoga’s really about one thing—the animals—and the teacher encouraged us to embrace every minute of that. During my goat yoga class, it was clearly 100 percent fine to spend the entire session cuddling up next to the goats just enjoying their presence if that’s what a yogi wanted to do.
And it was pure bliss.
About halfway through the class, it hit me: Goat yoga’s not about poses and moving your body—it’s a valid reason for grown-ups to go to a petting zoo. Why do we need an excuse to hang out with goats? Simply petting animals has been proven to elevate our moods, lower anxiety, boost relaxation, reduce loneliness, and provide a happy distraction from the stresses of everyday life. If goat yoga’s the best way for the average person to get some animal therapy, so be it.

Toward the end of the goat yoga class, most of us gave up the facade of being serious on our mats. Pretending to practice yoga for the camera with the docile goats in our arms or on our backs was simply more fun. And we were all okay with that.
Would I try goat yoga again? It’s possible, but I wouldn’t actively seek it out. Usually offered for between $30 and $50 per class, goat yoga is too expensive for repeat visits in my opinion—but priced acceptably for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Plus, I rely on yoga to work up a sweat, and I’d rather not always do so while goats are doing their usual goat things (running, chewing, licking, and yes…sometimes pooping) around me.
With that being said, if you want to play with a bunch of adorable animals and laugh until your belly hurts, it’s definitely worth trying goat yoga at least once. You’re guaranteed to leave class with a smile, and with memories that last forever. And you can even pretend you actually exercised—we won’t tell.
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Want to try goat yoga for yourself?

Those baby goat yoga pictures keep popping up in your social media feed, and you can’t take it anymore: You need this experience. Where can you try goat yoga?
Well, if you happen to be in Vail during the warmer months, you can’t go wrong with a class at Vail Stables. The helpful instructor was totally in tune with creating a fun-filled goat yoga experience, and I highly recommend checking it out.

If you aren’t near Vail, there are also goat yoga classes all around the country. Depending on your locale, here are a few places that might be right for you:

The Original Goat Yoga

This is where it all began. Give the original goat yoga class a try in Oregon—if you can score a spot at their frequently sold-out events.

Tagalong Farms Boutique & Gifts

This boutique, just south of Indianapolis, hosts goat yoga every Saturday from April to October. On certain Saturdays, the owner brings in other animals including rabbits, chickens, and a pot-belly pig for farm animal yoga classes.

Yoga Love

Located in Highland, Maryland, Yoga Love kicks off its 75-minute goat yoga classes with hayrides in the pasture of a local farm.

Iowa Goat Yoga at Coco’s Ranch

A herd of precious Nigerian Dwarf goats will join you for some vinyasa at this goat yoga class just outside Cedar Rapids.

Arizona Goat Yoga

In case the goats weren’t enough of a guarantee for giggles, Arizona Goat Yoga has hired a yoga instructor who moonlights as an amateur improv comedian to lead its classes. Get ready for lots of awws…and chuckles.

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Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

No, You Should Not Use Coconut Oil On Your Face

Post author By Katie Martin
Post date August 22, 2018

This past Christmas, my aunt gifted each of her sisters a jumbo jar of coconut oil because she loves it so much. She keeps a jar in the kitchen (it’s her favorite way to make light and airy stovetop popcorn) and a jar in the bathroom, where she slathers the coconut oil on her skin instead of regular lotion.
Despite my aunt’s enthusiasm, my mom—who has notoriously sensitive skin—was skeptical about using coconut oil, especially when I told her I used it to treat my dog’s seasonal eczema with mixed success. Still, she tried it one night instead of her favorite nighttime facial moisturizer. The next morning, my mother woke up with a rash of angry, red bumps all over the lower part of her face and neck.
My mom is far from the only one to suffer this same fate, which is why, to put it bluntly, I’m completely flummoxed by the fact that coconut oil continues to be touted as a great natural facial skincare solution.
We talked to dermatologists to find out why you shouldn’t use coconut oil on your face. Here’s what they had to say.

Coconut oil is comedogenic.

“Coconut oil has one of the highest comedogenic ratings, which means that it could be a big problem for sensitive or blemish-prone skin,” explains dermatologist Paul Dean, MD, creator of Skin Resource.MD. “This means coconut oil can’t penetrate the pores and actually can suffocate your skin and will clog your pores because it sits on top of the skin.”
What is a comedogenic rating? Essentially, beauty products are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 based on their pore-clogging potential, with 1 being the least likely to clog your pores, and 5 being reserved for the worst offenders.
The scale doesn’t mean that every single product that’s considered highly comedogenic will clog your pores and cause breakouts, though. A lot of factors—like pore size and how oily or dry your skin is—also affect how your face will react to comedogenic products.
But a higher rating does increase the likelihood that a comedogenic ingredient, like coconut oil (which scores a whopping 4 out of 5 on the scale!) will cause a negative reaction.

Coconut Oil for Your Face: Debunking the Myths

A quick Google search reveals that many people believe coconut oil is basically facial skincare magic. Even dermatologists (skincare experts, no less!) have hopped on the coconut-oil-for-your-face bandwagon.
So do these purported claims have any merit? Here’s what our experts have to say.

Coconut Oil for Face Acne

Myth: Coconut oil can get rid of acne.
Reality: “While coconut oil is soothing and contains lauric acid, it is never a good idea to put any oil on broken skin. It can clog the pores and irritate the skin and make the condition worse,” says Berenice Rothenberg, a certified clinical electrologist (CCE) and licensed cosmetologist practicing in New York.
[pullquote align=”center”]According to dermatologists, few topical collagen skin supplements live up to the hype, and coconut oil is no exception.[/pullquote]
Rothenberg is right; coconut oil does contain high levels of lauric acid, a saturated fatty acid with antimicrobial properties. And lauric acid has been shown to reduce inflammation from acne, hence the claims that the lauric acid in coconut oil will result in clearer skin.
It’s also true that coconut oil is a good antibacterial agent. In addition to being full of vitamin E, it also contains other proteins and caprylic acids that are known for their antifungal properties, says Dean. And since bacteria causes acne, coconut oil should be great for getting rid of bumps…right?
Sadly, Dean says coconut oil “will actually act as a barrier and can cause or worsen acne-prone skin.”
Alternative solutions for face acne: If you’ve turned to coconut oil for face acne, there are better ways to treat your acne. The best thing you can do to prevent acne according to Rothenberg? “Never go to sleep with your makeup on!”
We love a good double cleanse, but for that first oil cleanse, avoid the coconut oil. Instead, Dean recommends grapeseed oil or hemp seed oil to remove makeup at the end of the day because, despite being oils, both have a low comedogenic rating. Rather avoid oils altogether? Another alternative is micellar water, a French skincare product that can be used as an all-in-one cleanser and makeup remover. (It really is a skincare miracle!) You can even make your own micellar water at home if you use herbalist Rebekah Epling’s recipe.
After removing makeup with a makeup remover, you still need to cleanse your skin with a face wash that’s right for your skin type. For acne-prone skin, choose a face wash that contains benzoyl peroxide, an antibacterial agent that helps dry the skin to treat pimples. Or if you’re looking for an all-natural facial cleanser, try a face wash that contains witch hazel or lavender, both of which inhibit bacterial growth, according to Epling.

Coconut Oil as Facial Moisturizer

Myth: Coconut oil is a great facial moisturizer.
Reality: “Coconut oil is primarily made up of saturated fats. This is great for repairing your skin’s natural barrier and trapping in moisture. Because of these properties it soothes rashes, combats dry, flaky skin, and speeds up the healing process,” says Dean.
Sounds great, right? Well, from the neck down, coconut oil is a great moisturizer. But on your face? Not so much, says Dean.
In fact, the very properties that make coconut oil work so well on your ashy elbows and cracked heels are the same properties that make it less than ideal for your face. Though it’ll make quick work of those areas where your skin is thicker, it’s just too heavy for most skin types, leading to clogged pores.
Alternatives to using coconut oil for facial moisturizer: Ideally, facial moisturizers should keep your skin hydrated while remaining light enough that they don’t clog your pores.
Aloe vera gel is a great all-natural moisturizer for all skin types. Like coconut oil, it can help soothe skin irritation and help wounds heal faster, but unlike coconut oil, it won’t clog your pores. Just make sure you look for aloe vera gel products that actually contain aloe vera—many of the aloe products sold by big-box retailers have been found to contain little or no aloe vera!
And, says Rothenberg, don’t forget the power of drinking the daily recommended amount of water to keep your skin hydrated and healthy.

Coconut Oil for Face Wrinkles

Myth: Coconut oil can turn back time and minimize face wrinkles.
Reality: Our bodies’ store of collagen, the protein that helps skin maintain elasticity, naturally depletes as we age. Because of its moisturizing properties, coconut oil is purported to be a great collagen-boosting supplement to improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles.
But according to dermatologists, few topical collagen skin supplements live up to the hype, and coconut oil is no exception. “All oils, when applied to the skin, give the appearance of smoothing out lines,” says Rothenberg. “But these oils do not penetrate the basic layer and cannot produce collagen.”
Alternatives to coconut oil for face wrinkles: While coconut oil won’t work to get rid of wrinkles, there are several things that do work to reverse early signs of aging—no expensive creams or serums required.
For one, it’s no secret that UV rays can cause serious damage to your skin, so stay out of the sun as much as possible. I know how hard that can be for some of you sun goddesses, so if you must get your tan on, always wear a sunscreen with at least 30 SPF (even if it’s overcast).
And, if you’re a smoker (even if it’s just the occasional cigarette), kicking the habit is key if you want to maintain a youthful glow. Plus, going smoke-free is just plain good for your overall health.
[pullquote align=”center”]“Look for coconut oil as an added ingredient in various skincare products so you can reap the benefits and use a product that can be used on most skin types.”
—Paul Dean, MD[/pullquote]
Finally, your daily cardio may be doing more than keeping your booty toned; according to recent studies, daily exercise may actually help reverse the signs of aging.
In addition to these lifestyle changes, getting more of certain antioxidants in your diet may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. In particular, vitamin C may help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your face.

Coconut Oil on Your Face Overnight

Myth: Coconut oil is a good overnight emollient.
Reality: If you can’t even use coconut oil as a reliable daytime moisturizer because of its comedogenic properties, you sure as heck can’t leave coconut oil on your face overnight for eight hours. (Okay, who am I kidding? I get a full 10.)
Using coconut oil overnight is a great way to get clogged pores and wake up to a breakout. Good morning, sunshine, indeed.
Alternatives to coconut oil on your face overnight: Not all oils are bad for your face. Grapeseed oil and hemp seed oil aren’t just great makeup removers; they’re also wonderful as overnight emollients to soften skin as you sleep. “Jojoba oil has a low comedogenic rating as well,” says Epling, “It’s ideal as a carrier for other essential essences, like lavender or tea tree oil, to use overnight.”

Coconut oil can help other skin conditions.

I know I’ve been giving coconut oil a bad rap so far, but coconut oil actually is great for a variety of skin conditions (that aren’t on your face).
In particular, coconut oil was shown to alleviate physical symptoms of atopic dermatitis—a skin condition that causes an itchy red rash—in pediatric patients. Another study found that in addition to reducing the appearance of atopic dermatitis, coconut oil was effective at combating colonization of Staphylococcus aureus, which produces a certain toxin that causes the immune system to react by breaking out in dry, scaly patches.
Another study found that coconut oil was as effective as mineral oil in treating xerosis, a condition similar to atopic dermatitis that also causes dry, scaly skin.
Finally, a 2010 study of animal subjects also should that wounds treated with virgin coconut oil healed much faster than those that were not treated with coconut oil. So, if you have a scrape or cut and don’t have Neosporin handy, a dab of coconut oil (and a cute bandage) may help your wound heal faster.

The Bottom Line on Coconut Oil

So here’s the deal: For a very, very small number of people, coconut oil may help skin conditions. As Dean puts it, “Using coconut oil directly on your skin can be extremely beneficial, but not good for everyone.”
For instance, he says that for people with severely dry skin, coconut oil may help restore moisture content.
But for most of us, using coconut oil on our faces will likely result in more breakouts and clogged pores.
All is not lost, however. If you absolutely must have coconut oil as part of your facial skincare routine, Dean says to “look for coconut oil as an added ingredient in various skincare products so you can reap the benefits and use a product that can be used on most skin types.”
The bottom line on coconut oil? Skip using coconut oil on your face, and stick to using coconut oil as a delicious addition to stovetop popcorn instead.

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Gym x Studio Sweat

I Tried A Cold Workout At The Brrrn…And I Still Worked Up A Sweat

Post author By Joni Sweet
Post date August 21, 2018

You know those people who love to sweat and exercise in humid, heated rooms? Yeah, I’m not one of them. Even just sweating during regular exercise grosses me out—don’t even get me started on hot yoga. So when the Brrrn started offering cold workouts at its boutique studio in New York City, I knew I had to try it.
Yes, cold workouts—not just in an air-conditioned room, but in a space that’s chilled down almost as low as a refrigerator. The novel concept seemed like the perfect alternative to those 100+ degree classes that seem to be everywhere.

cold workouts brrrn nyc — Cedric Terrell

The Brrrn offers three types of cold workout classes: 1st° (a yoga-inspired mobility and strength class in 60 degree temps), 2nd° (a core and cardio slide board series at 55 degrees), and 3rd° (high-intensity interval training with battle ropes at 45 degrees). The varying degree of classes provides plenty of options for exercise novices and athletes alike.
Would cold workouts be the answer to my hot exercise woes during New York’s steamy summers? I put the concept to the test during a 2nd° class at the Brrrn. Here’s what happened.

Trying a Cold Workout at the Brrrn

One step into the Brrrn’s lodge-inspired lobby (complete with firewood and retro lighting) and I was glad I packed the recommended gloves and hat in my gym bag. This place takes cold workouts so seriously, they decided to build a cabin in the middle of Manhattan!
When you pass through the insulated freezer doors to the studio, the experience goes from rustic-chic to nightclub. Think: A spacious, dark room with blue spotlights, wall-length mirrors, and, of course, bass-pumping music. Oh, and it was cold.

cold workouts brrrn fitness — Kedric Terrell

As soon as the cold workout started, though, it was easy to forget you were in a low-temperature environment. Most of us were stripping down to our sports bras shortly after the warm up, which included stretches and basic cardiovascular exercises.
We took a quick break to pop on our special booties (provided by the studio) over our sneakers, and that’s when the real fun began. A huge component of the 2nd° class involves gliding back and forth on a slippery board that’s roughly 5 feet long. I felt like a speed skater, whipping from side to side—the perfect fantasy for anyone in a cold workout.
But this was no glide in the park. We started adding on intense intervals—like lifting 10-pound sandbags above our heads, dolphin push-ups that burned deep into the core, and weighted lunges—between heart-pumping sliding sessions. Every movement got progressively harder throughout the 45-minute cold workout class, and I relished the challenge.
Did I freeze? Absolutely not. In fact, the pleasantly wintry space and fun movements made my body feel invigorated. Whereas the heat and humidity might have worn me out in other fitness classes, the cold workout pushed me even harder, and somehow prevented me from getting out of breath as quickly. I felt alive immediately after class, and my legs turned to jello for two days straight. It was the best.
Ever need the promise of a reward to keep you motivated? The Brrrn’s got you covered with its communal infrared sauna, available for use after class. Warming up in such a relaxing setting was the icing on the ice-cream cake of the cold workout. Talk about temperate bliss.

Health Benefits of Cold Workouts

The cold workout was certainly a fun experience, especially for someone who loves novelty fitness concepts as much as I do. But according to the team at the Brrrn, exercising in cold temperatures benefits our health and fitness—making this class more than something you only try once.

cold workouts brrrn gym — Cedric Terrell

“With cold workouts, you are curbing one of the main stressors on the body that happens when you exercise: heat production,” says Johnny Adamic, co-founder of the Brrrn. “When you drop the temperature, your body can dump heat faster via sweat into the air, you lessen the competing cardiovascular demands on the body, and you can support more metabolic activity.”
In other words, cold workouts help optimize the way your body regulates temperature and burns calories. Sounds good to me. And there’s evidence to support the founders’ claims: One study found that cold climates force people to use more energy to maintain their core body temperature.
Furthermore, there’s some evidence that cool temperatures actually help athletes perform better. When French researchers analyzed the race times of nearly 1.8 million marathon finishers, they found that the optimal temperature for the fastest women runners was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. A similar study found that peak marathon performance tended to happen around 53 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you dread winter, doing cold workouts throughout the warmer months might also help your body better tolerate frigid outdoor temperatures, adds the Brrrn cofounder Jimmy Martin. He only expects the popularity of his studio to increase come winter.
“What happens to hot yoga in the summertime? You go from 90 degrees to even hotter. But in the winter, you’ll go from 32 degrees outside to about 40 to 60 degrees in the cold workout studio. It will feel amazing, and people won’t feel as cold as they did before the workout,” he says.
The Brrrn has published a whole slew of science-backed info about the benefits of exercise in cold temperatures on its website. But the real proof might just be in the regular feedback from participants in the studio’s cold workouts, says Adamic.
“Our Brrrn community has been saying, ‘Oh my god, that was awesome. I worked out harder, and I could’ve kept going. I felt like my performance was better,’” he says.
My sentiments exactly.

Potential Dangers of Cold Workouts

As with most things in life, cold workouts are probably most effective in moderation.
Personal trainer, weight loss and wellness coach, and champion power lifter Robert Herbst, who has trained in the shadow of Mount Everest, warns that working out in extremely low temperatures could be dangerous for the body.
“It takes longer [for the body] to warm up, and muscles are less efficient. Tendons and ligaments are stiffer. There is more stress on the heart because cold air must be warmed and moistened before it can be used in the lungs,” says Herbst.
He believes that the only reason to make cold workouts part of your regular exercise routine is if you’re training to perform in extreme temperatures, not just improve your regular fitness.

cold workouts brrrn review — Cedric Terrell

That said, the temperatures at the Brrrn are relatively moderate compared with the climate around the world’s tallest mountains. Ample stretching before and after class can help your body cope with any potential stiffness, and if you’re having trouble tolerating a cold workout, it’s totally fine to step back into the cozy lobby and take a break.

Where You Can Try a Cold Workout

Now that you’ve heard about this fitness class, you might be eager to break a sweat at a refrigerated studio. But where can you try a cold workout?
Right now, the founders of the Brrrn say they’re the first to market with the cold workout concept in a boutique studio space, meaning you’ll have to book a trip to New York City to give it a try.
Adamic says he wouldn’t be surprised if other cold workout studios started popping up around the country in the future—and he’s ready for the competition.
“Competition is necessary for growth. Our protagonist is cold, and we’re using it as a way to encourage people to move better. If other brands are attempting cold workouts, it shows that we’re onto something,” he explains.
And even if you can’t make it to Manhattan right away, don’t worry—winter is coming. And you can create your own cold workout right in your backyard—no slippery booties necessary.

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What does “friends with benefits” mean, anyway?

Becoming Friends With Benefits

Rules of Friends With Benefits

Rule 1: Everyone must always ask for consent.

Rule 2: Friends with benefits must always use protection.

Rule 3: Friends with benefits must communicate.

Rule 4: Friends with benefits should have fun exploring.

Rule 5: Friends with benefits don’t get jealous.

Rule 6: Friends with benefits shouldn’t try to be more.

Rule 7: Friends with benefits should go after what they’re looking for.

Rule 8: Friends with benefits should know when it’s time to move on.

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