Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
samedi 23 décembre 2017
Opioid overdoses reducing overall U.S. life expectancy
Deaths from opioid overdoses continue to skyrocket in both Canada and the U.S. and new information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the drug crisis has reduced American life expectancy for two years in a row.
Many transplant patients adhering to 6-month sobriety rule improve to point operation not needed: doctor
The six-month sobriety rule is just one of many conditions that patients needing liver transplants must meet to be considered for a transplant, according to guidelines set by Trillium Gift of Life Network, the agency that co-ordinates organ donations in Ontario.
9 Breathtaking Things to See in Yosemite National Park
Internationally recognized for its deep canyons, puncturing peaks, and wild rock formations, Yosemite National Park has been captivating hearts since it was first established in 1890. These days, this jaw-dropper of an area, located in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California, entices over four million visitors to its gates annually, and it's no surprise why.
Home to nearly 1,200 square miles of untouched wilderness waiting to be explored, Yosemite is the ultimate outdoor playground for adventurers ready to roam and wander. So if you, too, are seeking to reconnect with Mother Nature and become instantly inspired, don't miss the scenic spots ahead.
17 Unique (and Free!) Printable Wedding Programs
Weddings can be pretty expensive, so we've found some of the cutest wedding program printables out there - and they are all FREE.
Uber Finally Heard Our Prayers, and You Can Now Make Multiple Stops in 1 Trip
Uber just made our lives even easier, just in time for the official kickoff of the holiday season. On Oct. 26, the ride-sharing app launched a feature called Multiple Destinations, which does exactly what we've all always wanted Uber to do: pick up or drop off multiple people at multiple stops, using just one single ride. No longer do you have to wait for several drivers to arrive before parting ways with your friends at a party, and it makes it even easier to make sure that your significant other or loved one gets to an event on time.
Adding multiple stops in the Uber app is easy. Just tap "where to?" and then click on the plus (+) sign to add the addresses you'd like to stop at on the way to your final destination. The driver is also instantly delivered directions to the next closest stop, removing the insta-headache of trying to explain to a driver how to get to a place that you may or may not have actually tried to drive to before. And the best part? It doesn't even require a commitment. The person who booked the ride can add or delete additional stops at any time throughout the ride, so that means when you get a text from someone who somehow still hasn't left yet, you can instantly swing by and add them to your ride, too.
There are some limitations to Multiple Destinations, but most of them can be accounted for by thinking through your travel plans before starting your ride. First, there is a maximum of three stops per Uber ride, so be sure to take that into consideration while figuring out your ride-sharing plans. Second, there isn't currently a way to map out each rider's cost based on distance, so you'll be splitting the ride equally across everyone you pick up - and if you know that someone in your crew is a stickler, you probably want to have that conversation before you arrive at your destination. And third, the feature is not compatible with UberPOOL, which means that you can't just try and split a more costly ride over the cost of three random people on the way to where you're going.
Multiple Destinations is available in the Uber app now, and for more information on the new feature, head on over to the Uber site.
Get Ready to Binge, Because Amazon Prime Is Now Available on Your Apple TV
The moment we've been waiting on for years is finally here: as of Dec. 6, Amazon Prime is finally available on our Apple TVs. Gone are the days of using the mirror function of your iPhone to stream Amazon's infinite catalog of movies and TV shows to your Apple TV, and here to stay is unlimited access to commercial-free binge-watching from Amazon's very own dedicated app on your home screen. Oh, and let's not forget that the addition of Amazon to the Apple TV catalog means that you can now use Siri to easily search through the massive library of Prime content and find exactly what it is you want to watch.
"Prime members can now access thousands of titles through the Prime Video app on Apple TV 4K and previous generations of Apple TV, including Prime Original Series and Movies such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Big Sick, with additional titles coming to the service every month," Apple's official announcement reads. And we couldn't be more grateful for the timing; the news comes amid an ongoing battle between Amazon and Google that has left many of our other devices only playing YouTube or Prime, and now we can officially watch all the goodness of all the major content providers with one easy-to-use device.
As an added bonus, the Dec. 6 Apple TV update also comes with the ability to stream live sports via the TV app on your Apple devices. And if you'd rather just watch the good stuff, you can set up your notifications to tell you to tune in right as the action is happening - that's right, you can now keep watching the next episode of The Tick and not worry about missing the play of the year. Ain't technology grand?
20 Last-Minute Tech Gifts For Anyone on Your List
You wake up on Thanksgiving morning, and the next thing you know you're a day away from celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah. We've all been there, but the good news is you don't need to panic! Behold: the best last-minute gifts you can get for all the women in your life, allowing a quick bit of online shopping and getting you back to celebrating at all those holiday parties.
5 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way Hosting a Holiday Dinner in My Small Apartment
Anyone who's hosted a dinner party knows the pressures and responsibilities associated with it. Getting the food, decor, and ambiance just right while keeping your guests happy can be a tricky balancing act. Multiply that by about 1,000 when you're hosting a holiday dinner party like Friendsgiving. At least that's how I felt when I recently hosted Friendsgiving at my tiny Brooklyn apartment.
While I knew having 12 of our friends over for Friendsgiving dinner would be stressful (I had at least two anxiety dreams involving a still-frozen turkey), being able to spend the holiday with some really great people outweighed the potential disasters I envisioned in my mind. And what's a challenge without learning a few things along the way? Read my biggest Friendsgiving hostess lessons below.
Improvise a Bar Cart
It's about the only thing standing between me and It-girl living room status. I picture myself à la Joan Holloway, serving guests perfectly mixed cocktails or a glass of whiskey from a gold, multitiered, perfectly styled cart. Unfortunately, this dream will have to wait a few years until I move to a bigger apartment with the space for one.
But I still loved the idea of our Friendsgiving guests being able to serve themselves drinks while simultaneously staying out of the kitchen, so I turned the space beside our record player into a temporary bar cart. This was one of the few times my fondness for collecting cute tea towels has paid off. By draping a tea towel over the surface and arranging bottles, glasses, and a cute antler-shaped bottle opener from my mother on top, I created a pretty decent bar cart substitute.
Make a Little Bit of Decor Go a Long Way
I dream of the day that I can host the ultimate dinner party with an elaborate tablescape, exquisite centerpiece, and perfect place settings. But that wasn't in the cards this year. Between wanting to save a bit of money and not having a lot of crafting time, I had to settle for the essentials. So I headed to a local market to gather a few festive gourds and arranged them artfully in my favorite dish. I was grateful that my mom sent me a gorgeous, rustic bouquet of sunflowers and eucalyptus just days before, which I displayed prominently on the counter. Even though I would have loved to get my Martha Stewart on and go all out with the Thanksgiving decor, these small touches were just enough to brighten up the apartment and set the tone for the season.
No Dining Table? No Problem
Living in our aforementioned tiny Brooklyn apartment means that we don't actually own a dining room table. Three wooden bar stools at our kitchen peninsula are about the extent of our capacity for formal dining. But our huge, sturdy wooden coffee table was a great alternative. We laid out all of the food on the kitchen counter so guests could help themselves to the abundance of turkey, stuffing, vegetables, potatoes, and desserts. Then everyone gathered around the coffee table, some in chairs and some just happy to sit on the floor. Besides, Friendsgiving is about bringing people together - what's wrong with getting a little cozy?
Get Creative With Seating
Another potential pitfall of not having a proper dining space is having a lack of seating - a major problem when you're having a dozen friends over for dinner. But my husband and I are nothing if not resourceful! And I had very conveniently convinced him we needed that new midcentury modern accent chair from Target just weeks before. We made use of almost every chair in the apartment. Bar stools, upholstered foot stools, and office chairs became part of our living room decor, and combined with our couch and two accent chairs, there was plenty of seating for everyone.
Accept That Something Is Bound to Go Wrong
For us, it was the roasting tin breaking and spilling turkey juices all over the inside of the oven, which caused our apartment to fill with smoke. At the time, I was (understandably, I would argue) very embarrassed. Our friends rallied around, taking turns holding fans pointed out the window. I watched as plumes of smoke filled the living room, surrounding our friends gathered in the tiny space. While it was definitely helping to fulfill my Mad Men/Joan Holloway image, I worried that our guests would choke or suffer smoke inhalation. But to be honest, I think it made the day memorable. As one guest pointed out as I was downing another glass of wine to deal with what was happening, "It just isn't a holiday without a little bit of smoke."
Can You Make It Through These GIFs Without Laughing Your Face Off?
It's hard to believe there was a time not too long ago when we barely used GIFs to describe our emotions. Thankfully, those days are behind us and now there's no end to the creation of GIFs - especially hilarious ones that make our stomachs hurt from so much laughing.
In celebration of Reddit's 10th birthday last year, the company rounded up a few of its most famous threads - including one called What gif reduces you to hysterical laughter every time? We rounded up some of the best answers, and be warned - you'll want to watch these in an area where you can giggle uncontrollably.
15 Breathtaking Design Photos That Will Leave You Obsessed With Millennial Pink
Much has been made about millennial pink recently. And if that moniker doesn't sound familiar, the color itself will certainly ring a bell. It's that tropical shade of pink a hair shy of saccharine, a dash too peachy to be considered blush, and just muted enough to suit Barbie's more demure cousin. The millennial pink color trend has been growing for several years now, with Pantone even naming Rose Quartz its 2016 Color of the Year and rose gold insinuating itself as the metal du jour. And while we've been seeing the hue everywhere from dip-dyed strands to designer leather bags to cake frosting, we're only now seeing it sweep the home space. Exteriors, furniture, fabrics, and decor are all getting a good coating of the bubblegum tone. If you're hungry for some eye candy, treat yourself to the delicious millennial pink designs ahead and check out our millennial pink shopping guide.
Yes, You Can Travel to the North Pole - Here’s How!
Dreaming of the ultimate arctic adventure? Look no further than the great North Pole. Contrary to popular belief, this mythical region is more than just the headquarters for the jolly bearded man in the red-and-white suit; it's a mysterious, ever-changing destination that is possible to explore, and one that will deliver the utmost once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sound enticing? We think so, too.
But before you start packing your bags, there are a few things to note. For starters, getting to the very top of the world won't be easy . . . or cheap. The journey will be long, and "cold" doesn't even begin to describe the teeth-chattering weather you'll face. Yet, drawbacks aside, this will be one voyage you'll never forget.
So for those who are feeling extra adventurous and are ready to experience the thrill of polar travel, here's everything you need to know for planning your own trip!
First off, where exactly is the North Pole?
The North Pole is the northernmost point on earth, making it the one spot in the world where the only direction is south. Although this area lies diametrically opposite of the South Pole, unlike its southern counterpart, it is not located on a land mass, but rather covered by a sheet of shifting ice in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The only reason this region is possible to visit is because the majority of it is frozen.
When is the best time of year to visit?
Just like any other place on earth, the North Pole does have seasons, and the best time to visit is between February and May. This way, you avoid the lack of daylight (read: 24 hours of constant darkness) that takes place during Winter and the risk of dangerous stretches of thin ice that can occur in the summertime.
Rest assured, though, that most North Pole expeditions are conducted during the Spring, when there are very long hours of daylight, if not 24 hours of light.
How cold does it really get?
To put it simply: really cold. During the Winter, the average temperature is minus 40°F. And while there are warmer days in the Summer - July being the warmest month - it is still technically freezing at 32°F. But if it gives you some peace of mind, the South Pole is even colder than the North.
What activities can you partake in while exploring?
Despite the fact that the North Pole is one of the most remote places on the planet, there is actually quite a lot to do here. From helicopter rides and wildlife spotting to warming up in hot springs and running in the "coolest marathon in the world," you certainly won't encounter any boredom.
So, how do you even get there?
Although the North Pole is not exactly a budget-friendly destination, there are several ways you can embark on this arctic adventure. Of course, the easiest way will be joining an already-planned expedition. For instance, Quark Expeditions offers a vast array of cruising options. Whether it be an 11-day cruise on the Spitsbergen Explorer or a short, three-day trip via the Barneo Ice Camp Express, the choice is yours.
Another notable alternative is climbing aboard the icebreaker ship known as 50 Years of Victory through Polar Cruises. In fact, it is even possible to sign up for a polar race - you know, if you're yearning to try something really adventurous. Although, if you go this route, you might want to start training now!
20 of the Most Hilarious Venmo Payments
If you're not using Venmo yet, you're missing out. The app makes paying your friends back so much easier, and you never have to worry about having the right amount of cash on you. Plus, one of its greatest features is a stream that shows users' payments. And - as a Venmo rule - the payment must include a description. It's like any social media news feed you're used to, but it offers a quick glimpse into people's escapades. Sure, most of what you see on the feed is what you'd expect . . . friends paying back friends for drinks, cabs, and rent. But you also see the occasional hilarious or crazy one-liner, and you wonder if it's for real or totally made up. We may never know, but they sure are entertaining.
22 Awesome Tech Gifts For Women in Their 30s
There's a discernible difference between the gifts you give in your 20s and the gifts you give in your 30s - and sometimes it's easy to lose sight of what someone may actually want when browsing the net. But if you're struggling to figure out what to get that 30-something this holiday season, look no further: we've come up with the 22 definitive items you can give this year that she'll absolutely love.
Stylish and Affordable Watches Any Guy Will Love
It's time we set you straight with a major list of must haves for men - that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Yes, we're on wrist watch, and we're here to divulge the best and brightest in budget-friendly time-tellers for men. From timeless styles to futuristic fashions, this roundup will have your wrists ready for anything, at all times. Because if there's one thing we've learned, it's that being on time is just as stylish as the accessories used to get you there. So buckle up. This clock just struck "won," which officially makes it style hour.
50 Experiences Around the World Every Millennial Should Add to Their Bucket List
As a millennial, you can't help but obsess over traveling when such life-changing experiences are being Instagrammed on the regular. Why not let FOMO give you that extra push to take the plunge yourself? To help you fulfill all your worldly desires, we've rounded up 50 of the most incredible must sees and must dos for the young traveler around the globe. Get your passport ready because this will kick your wanderlust into high gear.
Tenor's 4 Most Popular Memes of 2017
2017 may have been a year of turmoil politically, but boy has it been a damn good year for memes. The last 12 months have featured more insanely viral moments than ever before, and it's become something of a coping mechanism to use those images and ideas to represent what we're going through at any given time.
In order to take a look back at the year that was, the good people at Tenor - the top GIF keyboard across iOS and Android, as well as many of our most used social media apps - have pulled together the most shared memes on the platform in 2017. Just like our list of the best GIFs this year, the winners embody a whole lot of feelings that we've all experienced with each passing news cycle and trend.
So, without further ado, scroll through the top four memes of 2017 ahead.
100 Real-Girl Tiny Tattoo Ideas For Your First Ink
If you're a little nervous about a permanent stamp, the best way to start is with something small. We can tell you firsthand that tattoo removal is no easy feat. Luckily, we have endless inspiration of real-girl tattoos that will leave you feeling less anxious about expressing something on your skin. Whether you're looking for a mark with meaning or just a fun design, keep reading to check out all of these teeny-tiny tattoo ideas.
- Additional reporting by Marina Liao
9 Breathtaking Things to See in Yosemite National Park
Internationally recognized for its deep canyons, puncturing peaks, and wild rock formations, Yosemite National Park has been captivating hearts since it was first established in 1890. These days, this jaw-dropper of an area, located in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California, entices over four million visitors to its gates annually, and it's no surprise why.
Home to nearly 1,200 square miles of untouched wilderness waiting to be explored, Yosemite is the ultimate outdoor playground for adventurers ready to roam and wander. So if you, too, are seeking to reconnect with Mother Nature and become instantly inspired, don't miss the scenic spots ahead.
17 Unique (and Free!) Printable Wedding Programs
Weddings can be pretty expensive, so we've found some of the cutest wedding program printables out there - and they are all FREE.
This Magic Kingdom Proposal Featuring Winnie the Pooh Is Sweeter Than Honey
Abby Willard's favorite Disney character of all time is Winnie the Pooh. In fact, on a recent trip to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom with her boyfriend, Nicholas Marella, Abby said Pooh was the only character she was particularly interested in seeing at the park. Little did she know her boyfriend would be proposing that same day - in front of her favorite character.
Abby told POPSUGAR, "Before we left for Disney, I kept telling him the one person I really wanted to see while we were down there was Winnie the Pooh, so when he proposed to me in front of him, it really meant a lot to me," adding, "Shows he actually listened!"
Fortunately, someone close by videotaped the entire proposal. In the video - shown in its entirety above - Abby and Nicholas take a few pictures with Pooh and Tigger, after which Nicholas drops down to one knee. As Abby processes the moment and says "yes," Pooh is pretty much freaking out with his little arms flailing all over the place.
Pooh lost his mind over my friend's proposal this weekend in Magic Kingdom. from disney
A clip of the proposal was later uploaded to Reddit by a friend of the couple, where it quickly received thousands of "upvotes." As someone pointed out in the comments, Abby and Nicholas could always ask Pooh to be their ring bearer.
"Pink Eye" Makeup Is Trending on Instagram - and It's Absolutely Stunning!
Scroll through your Instagram feed (if you follow a lot of beauty bloggers!), and one thing should be apparent: pink eye is rampant! The Barbie-inspired eye color may seem unexpected for Fall (when dark colors usually reign supreme), but it's definitely a spreading movement. Think of it as a nod to October sunsets, Autumn leaves, and the flush you get from being in the cold air too long. We love it for holiday party makeup, a wedding look, or workwear.
"A playful and pretty pop of pink shadow can work to instantly brighten your look," Kelli J. Bartlett, Director of Makeup Artistry at Glamsquad, told POPSUGAR. "This trend has a youthful and energetic quality that can look dreamy or dramatic, depending on the shade and application you choose."
So let's talk about how to find the right pink so you look sick not sickly. In general, Bartlett believes all skin tones can rock a pink shadow, and the best way to find yours is trial and error. "When finding the right type of pink (cool or warm), you should consider your overall coloring (hair color, complexion, and eye color) as this will inform the type of pink that complements you best," she said. "Rich raspberries look amazing on deeper tones, while light blush can look gorgeous on fair skin."
She also has a hack if you're not ready to buy a pink palette, but still looking to experiment. "For those who aren't ready for hot pinky pink, pop your favorite blush color on your eye," she advised. "You can also test the trend by dabbing some of your favorite pink/peach lipstick (not the liquid matte kind though!) on your finger, and swiping it back and forth on your eyelid. Use your finger to buff the color into the brow bone. Try swatching on the back of your hand first to test its stain potential."
Now that you've found the right hue, make sure to wear it in a modern way. "This trend looks best when paired with minimal makeup and a lush lash," she said. "Complete your look by wearing a similar pink hue on your cheeks and lips. This is just the right amount of color-coordinating without appearing too matchy-matchy." Also: She suggests using a fluffy brush to dust a little shadow on your brow bone to give warmth to the look.
There is one place pink shadow should not go. "To avoid possibly looking sickly, focus on the upper eyelid only and steer clear of the lower waterline," she explained. "Applying on the lower lash line can make your eyelids look irritated."
Keep reading to see how women are trying the pink eye look on Instagram!
Uber Finally Heard Our Prayers, and You Can Now Make Multiple Stops in 1 Trip
Uber just made our lives even easier, just in time for the official kickoff of the holiday season. On Oct. 26, the ride-sharing app launched a feature called Multiple Destinations, which does exactly what we've all always wanted Uber to do: pick up or drop off multiple people at multiple stops, using just one single ride. No longer do you have to wait for several drivers to arrive before parting ways with your friends at a party, and it makes it even easier to make sure that your significant other or loved one gets to an event on time.
Adding multiple stops in the Uber app is easy. Just tap "where to?" and then click on the plus (+) sign to add the addresses you'd like to stop at on the way to your final destination. The driver is also instantly delivered directions to the next closest stop, removing the insta-headache of trying to explain to a driver how to get to a place that you may or may not have actually tried to drive to before. And the best part? It doesn't even require a commitment. The person who booked the ride can add or delete additional stops at any time throughout the ride, so that means when you get a text from someone who somehow still hasn't left yet, you can instantly swing by and add them to your ride, too.
There are some limitations to Multiple Destinations, but most of them can be accounted for by thinking through your travel plans before starting your ride. First, there is a maximum of three stops per Uber ride, so be sure to take that into consideration while figuring out your ride-sharing plans. Second, there isn't currently a way to map out each rider's cost based on distance, so you'll be splitting the ride equally across everyone you pick up - and if you know that someone in your crew is a stickler, you probably want to have that conversation before you arrive at your destination. And third, the feature is not compatible with UberPOOL, which means that you can't just try and split a more costly ride over the cost of three random people on the way to where you're going.
Multiple Destinations is available in the Uber app now, and for more information on the new feature, head on over to the Uber site.
25 Celebrities Who Became Mothers This Year
Several celebrities rang in their very first Mother's Day last year, and this year was no different. Stars like Irina Shayk, Amanda Seyfried, and Cheryl all gave birth to beautiful babies, while Brie Bella and Christian Serratos also became moms to adorable kids. Today, we're paying homage to the new celebrity moms of 2017.
31 Stars Who Made Us Feel Great About Turning 40 This Year
If you're one of the many people who turned the big 4-0 this year, you're not alone. This Is Us costars Milo Ventimiglia and Justin Hartley both hit the big milestone this year, as well as musicians Kanye West and Chris Martin. In addition to sharing the same birthday, John Cena and Kal Penn also turned 40 along with Tom Brady, Jessica Chastain, and Liv Tyler. If we didn't know any better, we'd say these stars have found the fountain of youth.
30 Movies That Turned 30 This Year
As 2017 rolled on, many films turned three decades old. In case you have forgotten, Dirty Dancing, Lethal Weapon, Spaceballs, and Fatal Attraction all came out in 1987 - and that's just the beginning! Take a look at all the films that celebrated 30-year anniversaries, and get ready to feel old.
The First Teaser for Narcos Season 4 Reveals a Whole New Cast
Netflix just dropped the first teaser for season four of Narcos, and we're already sitting on the edge of our seats. The short clip confirms that not only will the new season be about the Guadalajara cartel in Mexico, but also that longtime series star Pedro Pascal won't be in it. Instead, it looks like Rogue One's Diego Luna and Ant-Man's Michael Peña are joining the cast. Watch the teaser above, and get ready for its release in 2018.
Netflix Gives Jessica Jones an Official Season 2 Release Date
Try not to get in the way. http://pic.twitter.com/ABVluVN7El
- Jessica Jones (@JessicaJones) December 9, 2017
Ever since it was announced that Jessica Jones had been renewed for season two back in January 2016, we've been desperate for more details about Netflix's superhero show. Sure, we can pore over the clever season one Easter eggs for the hundredth time or check out star Krysten Ritter's debut novel, but it just isn't the same as watching our favorite foul-mouthed P.I. do her thing. Fortunately, the second season has just been given an official premiere date by the streaming giant via Twitter.
Jessica Jones will set out to handle some unfinished business in the award-winning series starting on March 8, 2018. The season will have 13 episodes, as per usual with Netflix's Marvel shows, and will focus on Jessica attempting to recover from her interactions with Killgrave (David Tennant) in season one while also kicking a ton of ass. The brief trailer also hints at a deeper dive into her friendship with Trish (Rachael Taylor) and a smokin' hot new love interest (sorry, Luke Cage). Sign us all the way up.
Nobody Does Christmas Quite Like Mariah Carey
It's no secret that Mariah Carey is one of Hollywood's most glamorous moms, so the fact that she is also the Queen of Christmas should come as no surprise to you. Whether she's celebrating with her family in Aspen, performing at an annual tree lighting, or belting out a holiday pop classic, there's no denying Mariah's Christmas slaying abilities.
9 Spaghetti Squash Recipes That Cut Carbs and Add Flavor
If you follow a gluten-free, Paleo, or Whole30 diet, chances are, you miss pasta. We don't blame you. Heck, maybe you don't follow any of these diets, but are just looking to lighten things up a bit. Say hello to your friend, the spaghetti squash. A great stand-in for noodles, spaghetti squash soaks up all the delicious flavors of the sauce it cooks with. Add to that its high fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A content, and it's a great veggie to have even if you're a member of the I Love Carbs club.
Fab Fitness Gifts Under $50 (For Every Fit Lady on Your List)
The holidays are here, and while your wallet might be trembling in terror, we've got you covered: affordable fitness gifts under $50. The best part is these products are so amazing, no one would ever guess they were budget finds. Pick from favorite brands like Lululemon, Nike, and Adidas, or discover some under-the-radar brands with beautiful gifts for the fitness queen in your life.
Do Barre Workouts Actually Help You Lose Weight? Experts Weigh In
If you're shopping around for a new workout to sink your teeth into, you may have heard about - or even tried - barre workouts. Combining elements of Pilates, ballet, and yoga, barre blew up the fitness scene a few years ago, and it still seems to be going strong. But before you dish out a hefty amount of cash for a monthly subscription (it ain't cheap!), you might want to listen up to the information we've gathered about the connection between barre and weight loss.
"Barre workouts do contribute to weight loss because you are breaking down muscle and building strength within every section of class."
Although the main purpose of working out isn't necessarily to lose weight, if you're on a weight-loss journey, you want to opt in for workouts that will help you reach your goals in the most efficient way. POPSUGAR spoke to Adrienne Richmond, Pure Barre owner in San Francisco, CA, who said, "Barre workouts do contribute to weight loss because you are breaking down muscle and building strength within every section of class."
The point in a barre class is to "work your muscle to fatigue," and then that muscle "requires energy to rebuild." In order to give your muscles the energy to build back up, Adrienne says your body has to "burn carbohydrates and break down fat stores," which can contribute to weight loss. "The most important thing is not how many calories you burn in class, but about how you are setting your body up to work more efficiently." However, there aren't any studies out there (yet, anyway) showing that barre has this kind of effect on the body long after the class has ended.
Personal trainer Liz Letchford, MS, ATC, agrees that barre workouts certainly have their benefits. "Barre is programmed to maximize the strength of stabilizing muscles and emphasizing balance," she told POPSUGAR. "Is it the quickest or most functional way to meet your body composition goals? Probably not."
"I would not recommend barre as the main strategy to lose weight."
If you're only doing barre workouts, you won't "increase your metabolic rate" in the same way that a strength training program is proven to provide, according to Liz. Barre is great, but she highly recommends mixing it up with other forms of fitness, like weight lifting and "a cardiovascular training program - cycling, running, swimming, rowing - to strengthen your heart."
"I would not recommend barre as the main strategy to lose weight," Liz concluded. She says you have nothing to lose by doing these workouts, but don't let them be your only source of fitness if you want to see significant changes in the body. "Just as it is important to eat a variety of foods in your diet, it is important to have a variety of movements in your workouts."
Pure Barre kinesiologist Rachelle Reed says that barre is "important for both weight management and overall quality of life." She told POPSUGAR, "The class is intelligently designed to ensure that each major muscle group is worked until it reaches full fatigue, which helps to strengthen and tone the body." According to Rachelle, you will see results from doing barre regularly for two consecutive months. She says, "Any additional energy expenditure from exercise can help people to manage their weight more effectively. [Barre] workouts also help to keep the metabolism higher throughout the rest of the day."
Since barre workouts are primarily focused on strengthening and lengthening the body, if weight loss is your goal, you should take Liz's advice and also incorporate cardio into your strength training routine, whether it's a brisk walk outside or a cardio-based barre class.
Adrienne adds that "cultivat[ing] a deep mind-body connection" is another huge benefit from barre classes. You'll learn about your body and its mechanics in a way you never did before, and you can take this awareness with you throughout the rest of your life.
Because there aren't any studies proving the effectiveness of barre and its apparent metabolism-boosting properties, we can only take all the information we're given, digest it, and experiment with it for ourselves. If you love barre and the movement and flexibility it offers, keep going to classes! But if you find that you're not reaching your weight loss goals, you might want to add in some other workouts to help you get to where you want to be.
According to the Internet, 2017 Was the Year of Activism
Say what you will about the terribleness of 2017, but know this: it was actually a banner year for the activist in all of us. As end-of-year stats are being rolled out, myriad online resources have found that people got motivated, helped each other, and did their best to be their best in 2017 - and used the internet to facilitate this. These findings suggest what we all have suspected: this year handed us a lot of lemons (as well as one giant orange) and we made the best possible juice with what we were given.
This fact becomes immediately obviously when you look at what we searched for. Google's 2017 global recap showed that we were not only searching for world problems (Hurricane Irma was the most Googled item of the year) but for truths. And that extends from sexual harassers like Matt Lauer topping the most-searched people, all the way to Ariana Grande and the Manchester shooting being the most-searched music-related topic. We also searched "how" to do things more than ever this year, a fact that Google CEO Sundar Pichai explained in a Tweet as "our desire to understand, and ultimately improve the world around us."
Scanning social media year-in-reviews, you find similar empathetic expressions from the most popular posts. Two out of three of the "top moments" discussed on Facebook were International Women's Day and the Las Vegas shooting. The top five Tweets of 2017 included two thoughts from President Obama, two thoughts on disasters (Houston and the Manchester shootings), and one call for help procuring chicken nuggets. (Also of note: none of President Trump's "iconic" Tweets broke the top 10 Tweets of 2017, and the top activism related hashtag was #resist.) The most popular Reddit AMAs maintained a similar timbre with the majority of the top 10 being attributed to philanthropists and activists like Bill Gates, West Virginia Senate candidate Paula Jean Swearengin, Dr. Jane Goodall, and an environmental lawyer who took Trump to court.
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion..." http://pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm
- Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017
If you think all these online happenings have no real significance or are happening in a digital void, this simply isn't true - just ask event organizing platform Eventbrite. In Eventbrite's 2017 year in review findings, the site reports a 30 percent increase of activist events with event attendance of activist happenings rocketing by 93 percent. Polling conducted by Eventbrite found that the motivation for this shift toward activist events was largely due to people hoping to promote positive change followed by a hope to express political opinions, learn about issues, and support those in need. Many of these events also effectively built communities and facilitated online organizing, from petition signing to making donations.
It's easy to rag on 2017 for being so undisputably awful, but the moral of this downer year is that it woke many of us up and catalyzed real action. While we certainly hope the upcoming year will be more chill, here's to 2018 maintaining a sense of urgency and awareness. It's what the world needs now.
Get Ready to Binge, Because Amazon Prime Is Now Available on Your Apple TV
The moment we've been waiting on for years is finally here: as of Dec. 6, Amazon Prime is finally available on our Apple TVs. Gone are the days of using the mirror function of your iPhone to stream Amazon's infinite catalog of movies and TV shows to your Apple TV, and here to stay is unlimited access to commercial-free binge-watching from Amazon's very own dedicated app on your home screen. Oh, and let's not forget that the addition of Amazon to the Apple TV catalog means that you can now use Siri to easily search through the massive library of Prime content and find exactly what it is you want to watch.
"Prime members can now access thousands of titles through the Prime Video app on Apple TV 4K and previous generations of Apple TV, including Prime Original Series and Movies such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Big Sick, with additional titles coming to the service every month," Apple's official announcement reads. And we couldn't be more grateful for the timing; the news comes amid an ongoing battle between Amazon and Google that has left many of our other devices only playing YouTube or Prime, and now we can officially watch all the goodness of all the major content providers with one easy-to-use device.
As an added bonus, the Dec. 6 Apple TV update also comes with the ability to stream live sports via the TV app on your Apple devices. And if you'd rather just watch the good stuff, you can set up your notifications to tell you to tune in right as the action is happening - that's right, you can now keep watching the next episode of The Tick and not worry about missing the play of the year. Ain't technology grand?
These Oreo Flavors Will Have You Screaming, "Why Don't These Exist Yet?!"
Oreo hasn't held back with the wild flavors in 2017, offering up varieties like Waffles & Syrup and Dunkin' Donuts Mocha for sweet-toothed fans. But there is still plenty of uncharted territory for the brand to explore with its signature cookies and creme, and popular snack news Instagram account TheJunkFoodAisle has a few ideas about which ones should come next.
As part of its holiday celebration, the account debuted the "12 Days of Oreo Mockups-mas" - which is precisely what it sounds like. Leading up to Dec. 25, the account dreamed up a new Oreo flavor every day, and the results have us scratching our heads over why they don't exist yet! From cocktail-inspired cookies to iconic brand collaborations, we think that Oreo should take notes on these fake flavors and make them happen in 2018. In the meantime, we're content to recall the new flavors we were blessed with this year.
The Best New Whole Foods Snacks of the Year
Keeping up with the best new snacks of the year is no easy feat, but we're always up for a challenge involving snacking. Once you throw Whole Foods into the mix, we're talking about a seriously tasty list of products to check off your grocery list. We're making our way through the new Whole Foods 365 - the budget-friendly store brand - snacks the company releases in 2017 and bringing you only the best so that you know what to pick up as you're browsing the aisles of the store the next time you shop. Spoiler alert: plenty of new chips are in your future!
21 Things I Learned How to Do in the Kitchen This Year
This year will forever be the year I discovered the Instant Pot, June Oven, and Airfryer. I cooked cheaper and smarter than ever before. I wanted to gather everything I learned in one year and share it so that you may be inspired to take on a new cooking technique or invest in a gadget that will make cooking seem less daunting.
11 Spiked and Spiced Apple Cider Recipes
Like cozy knit sweaters and leaf peeping, few things feel more autumnal than spiced cider. Add a splash (or glug) of a chest-warming spirit like bourbon, rum, or vodka and it's pretty much the perfect thing to cozy up with. We found 11 tempting twists; try them all for a fun Fall challenge.
- Additional reporting by Emily Bibb
16 Turkey-Cooking Tips You Need to Know Before Thanksgiving
We get it - there are a million variables when it comes to cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving: to brine or not, to butterfly or roast whole, to deep-fry or cook in the oven. That's why we pulled together all of our turkey-cooking tips from over the years, so you can school up on everything there is to know about successfully cooking a turkey.
The 13 Best Frozen Appetizers From Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's is the absolute best place to find budget-friendly, frozen appetizers to feed a hungry crowd. And let's be honest: how much easier is it to take a quick trip to the grocery store instead of making a bunch of homemade appetizers when you're entertaining? We fully support taking a shortcut by buying premade food from the frozen aisle - as long as it's delicious. Here, we're sharing our favorite Trader Joe's frozen appetizers that we've tried and loved. For your next girls' night in or low-key dinner party, pick up some of the following bite-size goodies from TJ's, which can all be found in the freezer aisle.
Kendrick Lamar Drops a Major Hint About Black Panther in His "Love" Music Video
Kendrick Lamar just wants to be with his main girl in the emotional music video for "Love," the latest track off of his album DAMN. In it, the rapper shows the highs and lows of being in a relationship. You make love, you argue, and you end up alone sometimes when things get too rough. It seems Lamar also gave fans a hint at his involvement in the soundtrack for the upcoming film, Black Panther. At the 1:54 mark, you see a clapperboard with the words "B.Panther soundtrack coming soon" written on it right before he comes back into frame. The video explores him trying to get back to a good place with his girlfriend, and the ending will make your heart skip a beat. Watch it all unfold above.
Finally Find Out What the F*ck Brut Means on Bottles
As you're looking around the Champagne aisle for the perfect type of bubbly to bring to a party, you are confronted with an array of choices: sweet, brut, dry, extra dry, and a few more. While some of these are easy to make assumptions about, brut can definitely stump a Champagne or sparkling wine drinker. So, what exactly is brut?
"The term brut refers to a style of sparkling wine or Champagne, based on how sweet it is," Melissa Rockwell, direct-to-consumer sales manager at Long Island, NY, -based Sparkling Pointe, told POPSUGAR via email.
Developed in the 1800s, brut is a dry, crisp style of Champagne or sparkling wine, compared to the sweeter extra dry, sec, demi-sec, and doux. Those Champagnes or sparkling wines that are members of the brut variety have between zero and 12 grams per liter of residual sugar.
According to Rockwell, brut and the other terms used to describe sweetness levels originated with Champagne in France.
"The sweetness comes from a step in the méthode champenoise process, called the dosage. This is a small amount of sugar added back into the wine after disgorging and before corking. It is the last step of the méthode champenoise process and is used to balance the natural high acidity in Champagne and sparkling wine to a desired amount of dry or sweet," she said.
Brut tends to pair well with a plethora of food flavors, from caviar and oysters Rockefeller to heavier dishes like pot roast and potatoes. Additionally, bottles can range from $9 to more than $50, depending on the brand of Champagne or sparkling wine.
Hi, Hello - Cracker Jack Has a Holiday Popcorn That Tastes Like Sugar Cookies!
After falling for Pop Secret's Popfetti, we have a taste for sugary-sweet popcorn that simply can't be satiated. Thankfully, Cracker Jack - yes, the nostalgic popcorn synonymous with baseball games - has a delightful flavor based on the taste of holiday sugar cookies.
Much to our surprise, Cracker Jack's seasonal Holiday Sugar Cookie Popcorn has been out for a few years now. The sweet snack consists of vanilla candy-coated popcorn with tiny red and green sprinkles. According to Junk Banter, the popcorn is good if you have an exceptional sweet tooth. "The glaze is smooth and identical to what one would expect from a caramel corn," the blogger wrote. "The flavor is a sweet vanilla. Like, really sweet. I'd like to say too sweet, but it's not any sweeter than I expected from a Cracker Jack product."
If you prefer snacks that don't hold back on the sugar, then this will probably be the festive treat for you. Just don't wait too long - the popcorn likely won't be available anymore following the holiday season.
Not Sure What Wine to Grab From Trader Joe's? Here Are 16 Tasty Options
While Trader Joe's may be the best thing in the world for great bargains, healthy options, unique foods, and really fun people-watching, the store also carries a wide variety of wines. From red blends to Champagne, its wine selection can meet the needs of any dinner party, brunch, or night in.
Also a big win? The price. The bottles are usually a bargain, and although you may be going for something a little bit finer, there is just something about grabbing a bottle of Two Buck Chuck for good measure that makes the college kid in me smile. (OK, I still drink it sometimes and I'm well into my 30s.) Check out our definitive list of the best bottles of wine you can find at Trader Joe's.
20 Years Later, M&M's Reveals What Happens at the End of That Famous Christmas Commercial
Every year, M&M's classic Christmas commercial from 1996 plays on TVs across the country - you know the one. The short ad, which you can view below for a refresher, shows Red and Yellow encountering Santa, prompting both Santa and Red to faint in disbelief at each other's existences. Just in case you ever wondered what happened after they faint, you can finally find out! Ending the 20-year-old cliffhanger, M&M's has released a sequel to the commercial. In it, Yellow saves the day by delivering all of Santa's presents . . . except he gets the houses all wrong. The ending is actually really sweet and will remind you of the true spirit of Christmas. Watch the much-anticipated sequel for yourself above!
Star Wars Fans Think The Last Jedi Is So Bad, They're Signing This Savage Petition
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has gotten mixed reviews, to say the least, but a new petition shows just how strongly the film's detractors really feel. After seeing the latest installment in the galactic franchise, a passionate fan created a Change.org petition addressed to the Walt Disney Company titled "Have Disney Strike Star Wars VIII From the Official Canon," and it's already reached 46,000-plus signatures at press time. The person behind the petition, a man named Henry Walsh, explained exactly what it is about the movie that pushed him to take action.
"Star Wars has long been a story about two things, the Jedi and Luke Skywalker. After over 260 novels where we could follow the adventures of that great hero you, the Walt Disney Company, decided to strike all of that from the official canon and wiped out three decades of lore," he wrote. "Episode VIII was a travesty. It completely destroyed the legacy of Luke Skywalker and the Jedi."
Ouch.
Despite the fact it's the most feminist film in the Star Wars franchise and gives a voice to women of color like Rose and Paige Tico, fans are deeply unhappy with a few of The Last Jedi's biggest plot points. With the longest runtime in Star Wars history, the latest film packs a whole lot in its two-and-a-half hours - including a sweet cameo from Carrie Fisher's dog! - but it's clear that not everyone is on board when it comes to Luke's apparently controversial storyline and its other major themes.
23 Stars Who Became Fathers This Year
With a new year comes a new batch of celebrity dads. George Clooney welcomed twins Alexander and Ella with wife Amal in June, while Steven Yeun, Bradley Cooper, Ian Somerhalder, and Jordan Peele all expanded their families as well. Let's take a moment to honor all the new famous dads of 2017.
Let Us Now Praise Meghan Markle's Natural, Curly Hair
Image Source: Getty / Chris Jackson
While we await the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in May 2018, beauty girls are left dreaming of all the ways the actress could wear her always-gorgeous hair. While Meghan's go-to is a soft, straight blowout (much like her future sister-in-law, Kate Middleton), the Daily Mail dug up some old high school yearbook photos of Meghan that are making us hope that the soon-to-be royal will wear her naturally curly hair down the aisle.
Yup, back in 1998, the (likely) future duchess was known as Rachel Markle, a 17-year-old student at LA's (all-girls!) Immaculate Heart High. While the thought of the entire world seeing your junior year class picture might make you break out in hives, our girl was predictably working it with a fresh face and voluminous natural curls. And Twitter is LIVING FOR IT.
"We got curls in the royal palace y'all!!!" Twitter user Kamie Crawford wrote. "Starting a petition to get Meghan to wear a fresh wash & go around the palace." Where do we sign?
SOLVED MY OWN CASE! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 We got curls in the royal palace y'all!!! ➰➰➰➰😩😩😩🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 Starting a petition to get Meghan to wear a fresh wash & go around the palace. #MeghanMarkle http://pic.twitter.com/5QyRed0VDJ
- Kamie Crawford (@TheRealKamie) November 27, 2017
Safe to say, we're f*cking thrilled that the royal family will soon include a woman with beautiful, natural curls. We're crossing our fingers that Meghan reps them next Spring while walking down the aisle of St. George's Chapel, even if she's pretty much always seen in public with straight hair. Perhaps it's a long shot, but hey, so is marrying a prince.
"Lip Shit" Lip Balm Was Made For Beauty Mavens Who Really F*cking Love to Curse
Just when I thought I'd found my go-to, never-leaves-my-purse lip balm that I'd use till the day I die, an unexpected product came into the picture and f*cked everything up. Enter Lip Sh*t: the lip balm that was basically made for potty-mouthed beauty-lovers who curse like a sailor. I randomly stumbled upon this under-the-radar lip product during one of my online shopping escapades, and I'm sure as hell glad I did.
Each Lip Sh*t tin features the most adorable illustrations and the words "Lip Sh*t" unabashedly plastered across the top - minus the asterisk. Made with a formula that includes ingredients like coconut and sunflower oils and beeswax, Lip Sh*t is hydrating and moisturizing AF, which is very necessary for those chapped Winter lips. At just $8 a tin, the stuff is hard to resist and makes the perfect holiday stocking stuffer for a pal - or a great treat-yourself type of gift!
Ahead, shop all 12 tempting Lip Sh*t flavors, and get ready to pucker the f*ck up.
Gabrielle Union Recalls the "Bullsh*t" Time Her Twists Were Called "Unprofessional"
Whether she's rocking braids, twists, a ponytail, blond highlights, long extensions, or her gorgeous natural hair, Gabrielle Union is constantly inspiring women with her array of looks. But, even as a successful actress and businesswoman (she created her own haircare line, Flawless), Gabrielle has faced scrutiny over her hairstyles being accepted as "professional." In a recent interview with Byrdie, she opened up about her experience as a woman of color in entertainment and society's beauty standards.
"There's a larger conversation with people of color when it comes to our hair and our skin color," Gabrielle said. "People will try to lighten our skin tones and alter our hair, which says a lot of about how we feel about ourselves versus how other people feel about our blackness and textured hair. We need to showcase the fullness of our beauty."
In a role where she was playing a "professional woman," Gabrielle wanted to wear twists, and producers dismissed her saying the style wasn't "professional" or "polished," but Gabrielle wasn't letting this one go.
"I was doing a project and with the character the producers were coming up with what they wanted to do for her hair," she recalled. "And they were like, 'She's beautiful, sophisticated, and professional.' I was like, 'Well, I want to wear braids.' And and they were like, 'Well, I mean, she's beautiful, sophisticated, and corporate America.' I responded, 'Yes, and specifically I want twists.' And they went on to say, 'We just really want her to look more polished.' I said, 'You all really don't understand what are we talking about here?'"
She continued, "The idea that how you wear your hair somehow relates to your character, your intelligence, or your wokeness is bullsh*t."
In an essay she wrote for Glamour earlier this year, Gabrielle got real about her struggle to embrace her natural hair at an early age. After 20 years of her hair "being used and abused," she knows what makes her happy. "I've finally gotten to a place of self-acceptance and recognizing that my natural hair is beautiful - and so is whatever weave I may wear," she wrote. "I'm perfectly happy rocking an Afro puff, my French braids, Senegalese twists, a faux-hawk, or an ombré wig, or heat-styling my natural hair with extensions . . . and that makes me a happy person in my life."
Lush Sells a 2-Pound Bath Bomb, So Picking It Up Almost Counts as a Workout
Image Source: Lush
Headquartered in the UK, Lush has become known and loved worldwide for creating festive bath bombs, such as the cognac-scented Golden Wonder ($8).
But this is America, and here we like to supersize things - so allow us to introduce you to the Giant Golden Wonder Bath Bomb. It's a six-pound version of its predecessor, and we only have two questions: (1) how do we get our hot little hands on this bad boy, and (2) does lifting it up count as a workout?
The jury's still out on the latter, but we do have deets on the former. The Giant Golden Wonder Bath Bomb ($20) is a limited edition, and if you want to make the US Postal Service do the heavy lifting, you can buy it online at Lush now.
The lime- and orange-scented fizzer will also expand into stores on Dec. 15, so you better start on those weight reps now so you can lug it home.
Image Source: Lush
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