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.
jeudi 3 août 2017
36 Disney World Hacks That Will Make Your Trip Even More Magical
Want to avoid the long Walt Disney World lines in the sweltering heat of a Florida Summer? We can help with that. Some of the park's biggest fans came together on two Quora threads to offer tips and tricks for making your trip to Disney World even more magical - and more economical, too. These hacks will help you navigate the parks, find the best deals, and make the most of the happiest place on the planet.
A Look at Charming Prince Philip Through the Years
Before Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth, she married the handsome foreign Prince Philip from Greece, who also happens to be her third cousin. According to Sally Bedell Smith's biography titled Elizabeth the Queen, Philip came from a tumultuous background despite his lineage. Born in 1921 on the island of Corfu, he moved to Paris at age 1 with his parents, Alice Marie and Prince Andrew of Greece. By age 8, he'd headed to England for boarding school. With generous good looks and confidence, Philip made his way to England with the help of royal relatives. He would later be invited to have lunch with the royal family, and that's when Elizabeth reportedly fell for him. During World War II, Philip served in the Mediterranean and Pacific, and he and Elizabeth wrote each other letters. By 1946, he was back in London and making regular visits to Buckingham Palace. During that Summer, he spent a month at the royal family's Balmoral Estate, where he proposed. Their wedding was held at Westminster Abbey on Nov. 20, 1947.
During their 70 years of marriage, most of them during Elizabeth's reign as the monarch, Prince Philip has been as constant as the queen herself, although he's a bit more controversial, making a few insensitive gaffes. But when he's not giving the press an unfortunate quote to run, he's either by the queen's side, working as a patron for several charities, or, until recently, enjoying carriage racing. In honor of his retirement, let's look back at pictures of Prince Philip over the years, then see the facts about the British royal family every diehard fan should know.
2017 Is Extra Exciting For These Pregnant Stars
We're all hoping for good things to happen in the second half of 2017, but some stars are expecting more than just success and happiness - they're also expecting babies. Beyoncé announced her pregnancy in February and recently gave birth to twins, as did George and Amal Clooney, who named their new bundles of joy Alexander and Ella. A crop of other stars still have buns in the oven, like first-time moms Serena Williams and Julia Stiles, so we can't wait to see the rest of Hollywood's newest additions when they arrive!
Get a First Look at the Actresses Playing Anna and Elsa in Broadway's Frozen Musical
We've known Frozen was being adapted as a Broadway musical for a while now, but we finally got our first look at the highly anticipated production on Monday. The musical won't hit NYC's St. James Theatre until next Spring, so in the meantime, the cast and crew are testing the waters at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts for the next seven weeks. Patti Murin, who's appeared in Broadway's Xanadu and Nerds, will play Anna, while Wicked alum Caissie Levy takes on the role of ice queen Elsa. They'll have plenty more songs to sing than the ones in the movie, too, since songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have written a bunch of new music for the Broadway adaptation (get ready for more Olaf, you guys).
Get a First Look at the Actresses Playing Anna and Elsa in Broadway's Frozen Musical
We've known Frozen was being adapted as a Broadway musical for a while now, but we finally got our first look at the highly anticipated production on Monday. The musical won't hit NYC's St. James Theatre until next Spring, so in the meantime, the cast and crew are testing the waters at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts for the next seven weeks. Patti Murin, who's appeared in Broadway's Xanadu and Nerds, will play Anna, while Wicked alum Caissie Levy takes on the role of ice queen Elsa. They'll have plenty more songs to sing than the ones in the movie, too, since songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have written a bunch of new music for the Broadway adaptation (get ready for more Olaf, you guys).
9 Relatable (and Hilarious) Fitness Quotes to Set as Your Phone Background
Need a little motivation? How about a good laugh? A phone screen saver? We've got you covered - times nine! Here's a mix of motivational quotes for when you need a pick-me-up and fitness jokes that prove the struggle is very, very real.
A Celebrity Trainer's Weight-Loss Rule: 3 Miles or 30 Minutes
Before trainer Kit Rich became a Pilates instructor to the stars (and healthy-lifestyle ambassador for brands like Lucy), she was just a woman trying yet another crazy, extreme, or unhealthy diet in order to lose weight. "I tried everything," she told POPSUGAR, adding that she also suffered from eating disorders and body dysmorphia. "I was desperate to lose weight. So I would do, like what most women do, those freaking crazy juice diets. I would do all these extreme things, but it always brought me back to the other extreme."
After years of yo-yo dieting, Kit finally hit on her problem: she was working out in a way that wasn't sustainable. Her solution was one that helped her lose 30 pounds and one that she still shares with her students today, whether she's teaching a private class in LA or going on tour with a musician client. Her tip? Make it manageable. Specifically, Kit says that her mantra of "three miles or 30 minutes, every day" is what helped her finally break free from weight fluctuations and keep the pounds off for good. As in: run, walk, or hike your way to three miles a day, or do a 30-minute workout instead. "I really do believe wholeheartedly that the middle road is the way to go," she says. "Anything extreme is not long-lasting."
As a former athlete, this manageable mantra helped keep Kit from burning out on her workouts when she was trying to lose weight. "I come from a background of injury, and I had knee surgery, so you can't tell me to go and take some crazy bootcamp class," she says. "Because my knee will start to hurt, and then what's going to start to happen, I'm going to freak out that I won't be able to do that for the rest of my life." Instead, just telling yourself to do something little every day can help you get a hold of your health and your weight-loss goals. "Women need to feel empowered," she says. "They need to feel like what they're doing is something that they somewhat enjoy and that they can have a grip on. And that's why I believe in this three or 30 rule."
Inspired by Kit's message? Check out all our 30-minute workouts here!
A Trainer Gets Brutally Honest About Why You Aren't Seeing Results
I have some tough love for you today. It's about your workouts. You go to the gym several times a week, sometimes twice in one day, and yet you aren't as fit as you should be.
As a certified group exercise trainer and indoor cycling instructor, I've taught hundreds of classes. Based on what I see, I think a lot of you are shortchanging yourself. Taking a step back and getting honest about your approach will help you work out smarter, and maybe even harder.
1. You Aren't Paying Attention
Some instructors are better than others, but let's assume you aren't wasting your time with bad trainers. When you go to a class, are you listening to what you are being asked to do? Do you pay attention to alignment cues in yoga? Do you check your form in weight training?
Listen to what the people in spandex wearing microphones are saying. They are certified experts who take continuing education classes and spend hours creating quality workouts. They have taken on the burden of exercise selection, interval timing, choreography, and sequencing.
Sometimes the key to success is recognizing that you can't get there on your own. You wouldn't ask an accountant to do your taxes and then scribble all over the return as she was filling it out would you? Trust your instructors. They want to get you there as badly as you do.
2. You Aren't Working Hard Enough
Here's a dose of tough love: instructors know how hard you are working, and that you aren't always tapping your potential.
Example: you are in an indoor cycling class and your instructor asks you to add resistance. Everyone adds gear, except for you because you don't want it to be "too hard." When the music picks up and the entire class is straining to get up that hill, there you are, pedaling like a demon, barely breaking a sweat.
Another example: you are in a weight-training situation and even though you've been doing the same moves for months, you're still using the same weights. You wonder why you aren't getting stronger. Guess what? You aren't challenging your muscles when you always choose the same weights. Pick up something heavier. What's the worst thing that can happen? It's too heavy and you have to switch to lighter weights to finish? Do that every time if you want to see results.
Final example: you are in a HIIT class. There are people that are going to go half-speed the entire time. And there are people that are going to stop working halfway through the interval. You know how I know? Because I CAN SEE THEM! Don't be self-conscious; no one is staring at you while you work out. But the instructor is scanning the room for safety reasons and can see how hard you're working. I promise that you'll see better results when you put in the effort.
3. You Aren't Competing With Yourself
Stop comparing yourself to the other people in class. Who knows what they had for breakfast? How many workouts a week they do when you don't see them? It's not about them. It's about you and what you can achieve. Whenever I teach class, I want my students thinking, "Today I am going to do more than I did last time. I am going to add more gear. I am going to hold my sprint longer. I am going to pick up the eight-pound dumbbell instead of the five."
You go to your classes to improve yourself. You have special strengths and abilities. You may struggle at push-ups but you can plank for two minutes. You may have spaghetti arms but can crush squats all day long. Be you. Don't worry about anyone else. Stay on your own mat, mentally and physically. Your fitness will blossom.
4. You Don't Accept What You Can't Change
You have to set reasonable expectations. You can't do 1,000 burpees in 10 minutes and you will never change the biology of your body. If you're bottom heavy, you will likely always trend that way when gaining weight. If all the women in your family get saggy underarms by the time they are 40, you probably will too. However, you can tone and shape that bottom, heavy or not. You can strengthen and tighten your triceps to help that underarm sag. But remember: there is no amount of exercise that will completely transform you into someone else - and you shouldn't want it to. You were made to be you, unique and special. You can be the best you possible, and that should be your goal. Once you accept that, you can stop fighting your body and start working with it to achieve your goals.
5. You Reward Workouts With Food
We all do it. Now that I've worked out, I can go have that bin of pasta I've been craving. I can hit the drive-through for that burger and fries "because I've earned it." You haven't though. You've earned the right to refuel your body. You've worked so hard to achieve a higher level of fitness, to lose weight, to feel good about yourself. And yet you sabotage it, sometimes daily, by rewarding your workouts with food.
It's time we stepped back from food. Instead of it becoming a reward system, it should be a means to an end. The reward for the work is not a consumable. It's an intangible. It comes from within us. It's called pride. Satisfaction. Self-confidence. You can't get those things from a drive-through. If you want the burger, eat it. But don't confuse yourself about why you are having it. You haven't "earned" it. You've allowed it. And that's OK, once in a while. The next time you see that neon sign calling to you, though, think about where you are really headed, physically, and whether that detour is worth it on your path to well-being. If not, keep driving.
Best of luck on your path to greater health and wellness. Remember, you can start each day fresh. Take each class like it's your last. And be kind to yourself: you've only got the one body, so help it go the distance.
Kim Kardashian Doesn't Need Instagram to Pose For NSFW Photos
The Kardashian-Jenner clan really love going bra-less, don't they? On Tuesday, Kim Kardashian hit the town with Kendall Jenner in an NSFW outfit. While her half-sister flaunted her long legs in a floral dress, the mother of North and Saint had no qualms walking around NYC in a sheer top and camouflage shorts. Let's just say, her revealing outfit left little to the imagination. And it definitely can't be a coincidence that she pulled the same stunt in the big city exactly one year ago. Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from Kim. Her sexy selfies on social media are always fogging up our screens.
Why a 7-Year-Old Girl Got in Trouble For Writing Her Name in Cursive
When a teacher reprimands a student, you can safely assume the kid in question did something wrong. Maybe she pushed a classmate in line, or perhaps he called out an answer without raising his hand. Or maybe she wrote her name in cursive.
After turning in a homework assignment focusing on vowels, a 7-year-old girl named Alyssa received some harsh words from her teacher. In red pen at the top of the lesson sheet, her teacher wrote:
Stop writing your name in cursive. You have had several warnings.
Turns out, Alyssa's mom - based in Kansas - had taken the time to teach her daughter to write in cursive and likely never imagined she'd get in trouble for it. After the photo was shared by a friend on Facebook, commenters were outraged, like one who said, "Best of luck to any teacher who writes this on my children's papers!"
We're not sure what this particular teacher's philosophy is on cursive handwriting, but it's a skill still taught in most elementary schools, despite rumblings that there's less need for it with the ubiquitous nature of keyboards and digital communication. And there's good reason all children should learn cursive penmanship:
- Studies show that printing letters and writing in cursive use different parts of the brain, with the latter helping to develop a child's fine motor skills. Not only that, in one study, people who wrote in cursive showed more brain activity than those who printed or typed - and they also generated more words and ideas.
- Kids who learn cursive have been seen to score higher on reading and spelling tests and have a better ability to retain information.
- Some people with learning disabilities, like dyslexia, or severe brain injuries can understand cursive better than print.
- There are plenty of important historical documents that are written in cursive, and children who can't decipher cursive words won't be able to read them. It'd be as if the Declaration of Independence was written in another language.
- As infrequently as adults need to write in cursive these days, they still need to sign plenty of paperwork, from lease agreements to marriage certificates to receipts.
The Easy Eating Formula For Getting Rid of Body Fat
If you feel soft in the middle, you can either thank your mother for inheriting her blessed genetic predisposition for belly flab or your sweet kiddos who were created there. Whatever the reason, if you'd much rather have a sleeker midsection, as a mom of two, I can totally relate.
Although it's impossible to spot-reduce fat from specific areas, we've enlisted the help of Christmas Abbott, CrossFit competitor and author of The Badass Body Diet ($28), to help us ditch our pinch-more-than-an-inch tummies. As a formerly "skinny fat" woman who transformed her body through CrossFit and a dialed-in diet, Christmas understands how real women feel and also what they need to do to get the body they crave. "Food is your foundation, and fitness is the accessory," says Christmas. She believes that every meal and snack needs to embrace the macronutrient trifecta of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats to help reduce overall body fat, which will aid in reducing stubborn belly fat.
Christmas explains that all food can be categorized into a protein, a carbohydrate, or a fat. "You can't go wrong by dividing your plate into thirds and filling each section with a primo protein, primo carbohydrate, and primo fat." There are only two foods Christmas says to avoid - processed foods and alcohol - since these contribute to unwanted fat. If you want to know specifics about how many of each to eat, The Badass Body Diet outlines a diet plan based on your personal body type and goals.
What about exercise? Short, high-intensity training sessions are proven to help reduce belly fat faster than steady-state cardio. Below are some great examples of this type of workout.
- 45-minute walk-run-sprint interval workout for beginners
- 10-minute HIIT video from celeb trainer Astrid McGuire
- 60-minute walk-jog workout
- 7-minute workout that targets belly fat
- 20-minute full-body HIIT video workout
- 30-minute pyramid interval workout for the treadmill
- Tush-toning interval workout with hill repeats
And once the belly fat begins to dissolve, you'll want to reveal a carved, toned core with this 10-minute ab workout. Working out three times a week is great if you're starting out, then you can add additional days as your body becomes stronger. As a CrossFit competitor, Olympic lifter, and head trainer at CrossFit HQ, Christmas also makes a point that your workouts should be fun so you stick with them longer.
Patti Smith Pens a Beautiful Tribute to Sam Shepard: "I Said Goodbye to My Buddy"
Sam Shepard passed away at the age of 73 on July 27 after complications from ALS, and on Tuesday, musician Patti Smith penned a beautiful tribute to her late friend in The New Yorker. Patti looked back on her decades-long friendship with the legendary actor, writing, "We knew each other for such a long time. Our ways could not be defined or dismissed with a few words describing a careless youth. We were friends; good or bad, we were just ourselves. The passing of time did nothing but strengthen that."
Patti also wrote about her favorite memories with Sam and how he promised that he would one day take her across the American Southwest, though their plans came to a screeching halt when Sam was "stricken with a debilitating affliction." "He eventually stopped picking up and leaving. From then on, I visited him, and we read and talked, but mostly we worked. Laboring over his last manuscript, he courageously summoned a reservoir of mental stamina, facing each challenge that fate apportioned him."
Patti was in Lucerne, Switzerland, when she found out about Sam's passing. She spoke about his final moments, saying, "The rain fell when he took his last breath, quietly, just as he would have wished. Sam was a private man. I know something of such men. You have to let them dictate how things go, even to the end. The rain fell, obscuring tears. His children, Jesse, Walker, and Hannah, said goodbye to their father. His sisters Roxanne and Sandy said goodbye to their brother . . . I said goodbye to my buddy, calling to him, in the dead of night."
Sam and Patti met in the early '70s when he was a drummer for a folk group called the Holy Modal Rounders. The two quickly became friends and even worked on Sam's 1971 play Cowboy Mouth. In Patti's 2010 memoir, Just Kids, she credited Sam for encouraging her to try pairing her poetry with music. Read Patti's tribute in full here.
5 Exciting Details About Netflix's New Serial Killer Thriller, Mindhunter
If you were to mix the dark, menacing vibes of House of Cards with FBI procedural Criminal Minds, your result might be something similar to Netflix's latest original show, Mindhunter. House of Cards executive producer David Fincher is heading up the show, which is based on the 1995 book by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit (which also inspired characters in the films Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs). From the major players who have signed on to the series to when you'll officially be able to start obsessing over it, check out everything we know about Mindhunter below.
The Story
Although the Mind Hunter book follows the accounts of real-life Special Agent John Douglas over the course of his 25-year career, the TV version of Mindhunter will focus on fictional FBI agents. Set in 1979, season one follows FBI Agents Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) as they interview convicted serial killers in order to help them solve current murders.
The Cast
Glee and Looking alum Groff will play one of the show's leads, FBI agent Holden Ford, opposite Sully actor McCallany as Holden's superior. Rounding out the cast are Fringe's Anna Torv, The Americans actor Cotter Smith, and Unless star Hannah Gross.
The Production Team
If you were hoping the creative forces behind Mindhunter had résumés packed with dark and twisted projects, you're in luck. Episode directors include creator Fincher (who's responsible for films like Gone Girl and Zodiac, FYI), as well as Andrew Douglas (The Amityville Horror) and Asif Kapadia (Amy). Charlize Theron is also on board as an executive producer, making this her second show at the streaming giant behind Girlboss.
The Trailer
The Premiere Date
Prepare to get majorly creeped out when the show hits Netflix on Oct. 13.
Serena Williams's Reason For Thinking She's Having a Girl Is Really Badass
Serena Williams and her fiancé, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, announced their pregnancy back in April, but the two have decided not to find out the sex of their baby until the little one's arrival. Despite their dedication to being surprised, Alexis revealed they do have some theories about their baby during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, and one of them is pretty amazing. Watch the video above to find out why Serena thinks she's having a girl.
Game of Thrones: Euron Greyjoy Is the Hilarious Assh*le We Kind of Love
First things first: Euron Greyjoy is a f*cking terrible person on Game of Thrones. Not only is he a psychotic murderer, but he seems to get off on betraying his family, torturing people, and doing anything to impress Cersei. But during the third episode of season seven, some of his best assh*le moments are also pretty LOL-worthy. In between taunting Jamie about his sexual relationship with his sister, he also calls Theon a "twat" for failing to save his sister Yara and instead jumping overboard during Euron's invasion of the Iron Fleet. His line delivery is hilarious, his facial expressions are gold, and his character is just an all-around amazing person to hate and appreciate at the same time.
"I have to be honest this is making me hard... what a twat" I really hate how much I like Euron 😛 http://pic.twitter.com/BMidG1KGT1
- Elizabeth (@elizabeth__OC) July 31, 2017
I'm going to need that gif of Euron going "Ha ha what a twat" #gameofthrones
- Christina Dowling (@fatherdowling) July 31, 2017
Euron Greyjoy has single handedly turned @GameOfThrones into 18+ Pirates of the Caribbean. Never has "what a twat" been such comedy gold...
- Joe Inwood (@JoeInwoodNews) July 31, 2017
I can't believe Euron looked Jammie in the eye and asked him if his sister and mother of his children liked "a finger in the bum" LMAO LIT
- victoria (@CountOnVic) July 31, 2017
Euron is basically Kings Landings version of Stifler from American Pie.
- Sean Yoo (@RealSeanyeWest) July 31, 2017
In the few scenes he's been in Euron Greyjoy is slowly becoming my favourite character. Fucking love the mad twat
- conor (@InYourConor) July 31, 2017
All of gay twitter seems to want to have regretable bar sex with Euron Greyjoy
- Waifu with a Purpose (@BraveArcanine) July 31, 2017
I don't want to like you Euron Greyjoy. Why are you making me like you?
- OMG, LaJethro (@LaJethroJenkins) July 31, 2017
Why It's Important to Stop Drinking Shots of ACV
There's a lot to love about apple cider vinegar. Several studies support the claims that ACV helps the body lose weight and debloat. It also doesn't hurt that it's been shown to up energy levels either. And did we mention you can use it to wash your hair?! Before you start guzzling the bottle of ACV in your pantry, keep in mind that there's a right and a wrong way to drink the elixir.
First things first: while straight shots are a popular way to drink ACV - don't. Because it's highly acidic, over time ACV has the potential to do real damage to both the esophagus and tooth enamel. Instead, dilute ACV with water. In general, one to two tablespoons mixed into eight ounces of water is the sweet spot (like you'll find in this delicious ACV honey drink).
Now that you have the formula down, you need to know exactly when to drink it if you're looking to reap any weight-loss benefits. Carol S. Johnston, PhD, directs Arizona State University's nutrition program and has been studying ACV for more than 10 years. Johnston recommends drinking an ACV drink once or twice a day and always right before you eat; you want the ACV to be in your stomach before any food makes its way there.
Johnston told The Washington Post that ACV helps to block some starch digestion whenever you eat. Since less starch (and fewer calories, essentially) is being digested by the body, the spike in blood sugar is lessened. Adding to this benefit is that the good-for-you bacteria in your gut happily feeds on this undigested starch, which can lead to less bloating and a healthier digestive system. If you drink ACV without food, there won't be anything for it to work off of, which probably defeats the whole purpose of drinking vinegar in the first place.
The Surprising Story Behind How Starbucks Got Its Name
You've probably spent more money at Starbucks than you'd like to admit, but have you ever wondered where the name came from? It turns out there's a pretty interesting story behind it. In a 2008 interview in The Seattle Times, Starbucks cofounder Gordon Bowker answered more than a dozen questions, including one about how Starbucks got its name. He gave a detailed response that discloses the surprising inspiration and coincidental connection to Moby-Dick.
Bowker said, "We were thinking of all kinds of names and came desperately close to calling it Cargo House, which would have been a terrible, terrible mistake." He mentioned that someone he'd worked with claimed that he thought words beginning with "st" were powerful, so Bowker created a list of words starting with those two letters.
Then things took an interesting turn toward Moby-Dick, and a character's name ultimately inspired what Bowker thought would make a good coffee-house name.
"Somebody somehow came up with an old mining map of the Cascades and Mount Rainier, and there was an old mining town called Starbo," Bowker continued. "As soon as I saw Starbo, I, of course, jumped to Melville's first mate [named Starbuck] in Moby-Dick. But Moby-Dick didn't have anything to do with Starbucks directly; it was only coincidental that the sound seemed to make sense."
And there you have it. After you're done making a mental note that words starting with "st" have a powerful effect, you can read the full response about the origin of Starbucks's name here.
Game of Thrones: Euron Greyjoy Is the Hilarious Assh*le We Kind of Love
First things first: Euron Greyjoy is a f*cking terrible person on Game of Thrones. Not only is he a psychotic murderer, but he seems to get off on betraying his family, torturing people, and doing anything to impress Cersei. But during the third episode of season seven, some of his best assh*le moments are also pretty LOL-worthy. In between taunting Jamie about his sexual relationship with his sister, he also calls Theon a "twat" for failing to save his sister Yara and instead jumping overboard during Euron's invasion of the Iron Fleet. His line delivery is hilarious, his facial expressions are gold, and his character is just an all-around amazing person to hate and appreciate at the same time.
"I have to be honest this is making me hard... what a twat" I really hate how much I like Euron 😛 http://pic.twitter.com/BMidG1KGT1
- Elizabeth (@elizabeth__OC) July 31, 2017
I'm going to need that gif of Euron going "Ha ha what a twat" #gameofthrones
- Christina Dowling (@fatherdowling) July 31, 2017
Euron Greyjoy has single handedly turned @GameOfThrones into 18+ Pirates of the Caribbean. Never has "what a twat" been such comedy gold...
- Joe Inwood (@JoeInwoodNews) July 31, 2017
I can't believe Euron looked Jammie in the eye and asked him if his sister and mother of his children liked "a finger in the bum" LMAO LIT
- victoria (@CountOnVic) July 31, 2017
Euron is basically Kings Landings version of Stifler from American Pie.
- Sean Yoo (@RealSeanyeWest) July 31, 2017
In the few scenes he's been in Euron Greyjoy is slowly becoming my favourite character. Fucking love the mad twat
- conor (@InYourConor) July 31, 2017
All of gay twitter seems to want to have regretable bar sex with Euron Greyjoy
- Waifu with a Purpose (@BraveArcanine) July 31, 2017
I don't want to like you Euron Greyjoy. Why are you making me like you?
- OMG, LaJethro (@LaJethroJenkins) July 31, 2017
The Zumba Dance For Daddy Yankee's "Manual de Trucos" Will Have You Working Out Instantly
Daddy Yankee might not be writing his songs with the sole purpose of having Zumba dance moves created for them, but he might as well be, because they are made to have you get down. A snippet of the reggaetonero's new song "Manual de Trucos" was released as part of a Zumba choreography video, and we're already working out to it as we speak - multitasking at its finest, right?
The song is described as Yankee's new merengue urbano, and after getting a taste of the sweat session we could get to it on the video above, we're dying to hear the full version and see an official routine - if you're impatient, there's already an unofficial video up on YouTube.
For his hit single "Hula Hoop," Yankee and Zumba released a choreography video that blew up all over the world. We already know that this one is going to do just as well, because the beat makes you want to get up and move. Grab some leggings, a shirt, and sneakers, and get ready to practice these dance moves over and over again.
There's Still Time to Turn These Underrated Bops Into Songs of the Summer
When you got word that "Despacito" had topped the list of most-streamed songs of all time, you weren't exactly surprised, were you? After all, it's been played ad nauseam on every radio station, blared from every Spotify playlist, and sung at high volumes by almost every drunk person at the beach. Along with Bruno Mars's "That's What I Like," and Miley Cyrus's "Malibu," the Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee megahit has topped the Summer jams charts - but there are a handful of underrated tunes that are just as addictive to listen to.
Even though it's already August (how did that happen?!), we're not letting the season slip away without highlighting some of the bops that deserve more shine on your party playlists. Whether you're cruising down the freeway, or tying up the loose ends on that Summer fling, there's still time to turn these 11 tracks into songs of the Summer.
There's Still Time to Turn These Underrated Bops Into Songs of the Summer
When you got word that "Despacito" had topped the list of most-streamed songs of all time, you weren't exactly surprised, were you? After all, it's been played ad nauseam on every radio station, blared from every Spotify playlist, and sung at high volumes by almost every drunk person at the beach. Along with Bruno Mars's "That's What I Like," and Miley Cyrus's "Malibu," the Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee megahit has topped the Summer jams charts - but there are a handful of underrated tunes that are just as addictive to listen to.
Even though it's already August (how did that happen?!), we're not letting the season slip away without highlighting some of the bops that deserve more shine on your party playlists. Whether you're cruising down the freeway, or tying up the loose ends on that Summer fling, there's still time to turn these 11 tracks into songs of the Summer.
Sex Ed at School Is Failing Kids - So They're Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands
Photo courtesy Ashley Fowler.
Ashley Fowler graduated from high school in May and was extremely frustrated with one aspect of her public-school experience: sex education.
"Our senior year is when we got sex ed, which is far too late," the Burlington County, NJ, 18-year-old (pictured above) tells POPSUGAR. "My health teacher was very religious . . . [and] said that the vast majority of abortions are saline abortions, which isn't true." (Saline abortions, which involve injecting saline into the uterus, have almost never been used since the 1970s.)
Unfortunately, her experience isn't unique: inaccuracies, scare tactics, and misinformation in sex-education curricula can be found in most states. In Missouri, some students are taught that sex - like drugs - might "impede your mental development." In Texas, sex education teaches that sex before marriage can be "physically, emotionally, and financially harmful" to a person, noting that a person becomes akin to prechewed chewing gum when engaging in premarital sex. In Mississippi - where teachers are prohibited from explaining how condoms work - one educator went viral for teaching the merits of "putting on a sock" to protect your feet during "sock activity." And nationally, the White House has moved to end teen-pregnancy-prevention programs.
"It is unreasonable to think that adolescents are going to google their way to good sexual health."
Disparities in sex education often stem from powerful, religiously conservative beliefs: only 24 states and the District of Columbia mandate sex education in public schools, and more than $1.5 billion has been spent on abstinence-only programs since 1998. Just a little more than half of teens receive basic sexual-health instruction on subjects like putting on a condom in school. The American public education system is complicit in the matter, and often so are private and homeschool programs, which aren't always bound by state laws to provide such education.
Laura Lindberg, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, studies what happens when students are on the receiving end of sex-education programs that withhold information and are less inclusive. "[Educators] are certainly leaving out adolescents who are sexually active, who need medically accurate information about contraception and other issues," Lindberg tells POPSUGAR. "What we see over the long trend is that some information about birth control, in particular, has declined in curriculum-based programs. Less teens are getting birth-control instruction."
Lindberg notes that - compared to the late aughts - fewer teens are getting sex education in general, and that often when they do, it's "too little too late." Health education is often the first to be subjected to cutbacks, alongside music and art classes. "Sex education - which may be politicized, provocative, difficult for teachers, a tough sell in the community - it's very easy to take off the plate when we need more time to prep for a state test," Lindberg says.
Thankfully, many people - from activists to educators, students to entrepreneurs - are hoping to shape a brighter future for sex education. In fact, the very tensions around sex ed are yielding clever, innovative solutions for filling the gaps created when education breaks down at the hands of politics.
Is Technology Sex Ed's Biggest Ally?
Cristina Leos, Liz Chen, and Vichi Jagannathan, the founders of Real Talk, an app that seeks to teach students about sex and health. Photo courtesy of Real Talk.
Vichi Jagannathan and Cristina Leos, two of the cofounders of the nonprofit MyHealthEd, believe they have a unique solution when it comes to getting better sex education in front of students: a story-based sex-education app consisting of true stories from teens. It's called Real Talk.
"Almost every middle schooler we talked to had their own smartphone," Jagannathan tells POPSUGAR. "A lot of kids see sex ed as a topic that they'd like to engage with very privately. Their phones are a very private space."
The app will feature stories from different perspectives - from boys, girls, nonbinary and LGBTQ people, and beyond - and allow students to leave comments and submit their own stories for the Real Talk team to review.
"All of our content is based on real stories written by real teens," Leos says. "We do review the stories for content, quality, appropriateness, etc., but really we want to keep it as authentic as possible."
Deb Hauser, president of nonprofit Advocates For Youth, is very proud of a similarly tech-y option that could revolutionize sex education: video-based AMAZE, a series of animated shorts on sexual-health subjects.
"We wanted to make something fun and funny and engaging that is at the right level of information," Hauser tells POPSUGAR. "To see young people, find them, and respond to them has been really humbling and exciting."
The 30-odd videos have collectively reached over two million views since debuting at the start of the 2016 school year. While it's a fun, catchy way to offer information, AMAZE's most, well, amazing feature is that it offers free, credible information, thus removing a huge financial barrier for educators.
"I didn't want to hear schools anymore tell me that they couldn't afford the curriculum, that they couldn't afford the teacher's training," Hauser says. "You can put five million barriers up if you want to - or we can take them all down. The goal we had at Advocates was to take down as many barriers that we could. Now? This costs nothing."
This is hugely important since federal funding for sex education in the upcoming school year is dedicated to abstinence-only curriculum, and alternatives like AMAZE offer creative solutions. Moreover, school districts have huge problems prioritizing how to spend funds and disparities in budgets, which leads to unequal education. As a result, a lack of solid sex ed manifests most significantly in less fortunate schools and districts that are financially suffering.
But sex education doesn't necessarily stop when school does. Young adults are increasingly going online to learn about sex and sexuality. One place they might go is a website like Pornhub, which similarly hopes to engage and educate people in sexual education. (Yes, Pornhub has become a surprising player in the landscape of American sexual-health education with its Sexual Wellness Center, which intends to educate fans in its 18-plus demographic who explore the brand's nonpornographic resources like insights, contests, and charitable contributions.)
"As a leading provider of adult entertainment, we think it's important that we also offer a platform on which carefully sourced information about all aspects of sexuality be made available to our viewers," Corey Price, vice president of Pornhub, tells POPSUGAR.
While the project is an entirely independent effort on behalf of the site, it, too, is tapping into esteemed experts and educators in sexual education. "We aim to provide our visitors with a site that has credible and insightful information, rather than have them scour the internet," Price says. "Our Wellness Center is like a one-stop shop."
How Some Schools Are Doing It Right
While these tech innovations and online tools represent positive steps forward, efforts in advancing sex education should be coming directly from schools, directly offering students the necessary supplemental materials and tools to learn. Yet more politically and socially liberal states like Vermont, Massachusetts, and Hawaii are taking steps in this direction, too, with more comprehensive sex-education programs.
Tech is a double-edged sword in sex ed: so much information is available, yet educators and teachers often fail to give kids guidance on credible (and not so credible) resources.
"Comprehensive sexuality education really is the answer," says Chitra Panjabi, president and CEO of Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). "Because it's age and developmentally appropriate, medically accurate and complete, culturally and inherently LGBTQ-inclusive, it can provide the education and information that all people need, no matter their identity and or their lived experience."
For example: California has taken a more progressive stance on comprehensive sex education via the Healthy Youth Act, which took effect in January 2016. It requires more nuanced subjects like sexual and gender identity and body image be taught in grades seven to 12, barring abstinence-only education. But this sweeping approach has caused some tension between educators and parents. This has been most pronounced in Palo Alto, CA, where recent disagreements between the two parties have made headlines: parents have petitioned the school system, saying the state mandate oversteps parental boundaries to determine what's appropriate for children to learn in school.
A teacher points to a diagram of female reproductive organs in a scene from Human Growth, a 1940s education film on sex education. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Tallia Saba
The Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) program includes puberty education in fifth grade and sexual education in seventh grade. The latter program covers everything from relationships to STIs and gender identity to sex in the media, and - as a PAUSD representative told POPSUGAR - the program was vetted by school principals and chief academic officers. The district also held parent education sessions so concerned moms and dads could weigh in.
Still, this means of advancing sex education in school leaves out something crucial: technology. Tech is a double-edged sword in sex ed: so much information is available, yet educators and teachers often fail to give kids guidance on credible (and not so credible) resources. "It is unreasonable to think that adolescents are going to google their way to good sexual health and that all they need is a smartphone and two thumbs to type in a question and, lo and behold, the answer to everything they wanted to know will come," Lindberg says. "They don't even necessarily know the questions they want to ask."
Lindberg says it's wrong to assume kids these days are sophisticated when it comes to sex. "I have concerns that programs, schools, parents think, 'My teen must already know this because it's all out there.'"
Teens and Early 20-Somethings Take Matters Into Their Own Hands
Teens, who have increasingly liberal and progressive attitudes - especially around sexuality - have the potential to create some of the effective solutions, especially when it comes to peer-to-peer sex education, which studies show results in students learning more and positively changing their behaviors.
College students Eleanor Shaul and Conor McCole attended high school in the Houston area and say they were fairly clueless about sexual subjects when they entered college. "In high school, there was no sex education," McCole shared with POPSUGAR. "Everyone takes a health class in seventh or eighth grade, but . . . it's not really sex education. It's some fitness stuff; they show what a few STIs look like, and that's about it."
Conor McCole leading a UTerus sex-education session at the University of Texas. Photo courtesy of Conor McCole.
Shaul notes that her mom was the one who taught her anatomy . . . but many of her peers were in the dark. "I remember girls being shocked about periods," Shaul says. "They packed 90 of us into a little classroom because they paid someone to come in to show us scary penis pictures . . . without telling us how to prevent STIs."
Shaul, who currently attends the University of Texas, and McCole took control of the situation to teach others like them about sex. Shaul founded UTerus (and brought in McCole for support) as a means of teaching interested students comprehensive, hands-on sex education via fun information sessions. They're currently teaching a late-night freshman orientation program in which new students can drop in and learn. In surveys they've conducted of more than 400 University of Texas students, they've found that their work is sorely needed: 57 percent of those surveyed said they didn't learn anything about contraceptives in high school.
"Peer education is one of the most important things, especially with sex ed," Shaul says. "If I was getting a presentation from college students instead of my 45-year-old teacher, I'd pay more attention."
Lex Loro of Richmond, VA, decided to cofound a program called Not Your Average Sex Talk (NYAST), inpired by her own subpar sex ed in high school. "When I got to college in Washington DC and started my coming-out process, I realized that I knew very few things about queer sexual health and wellness," Loro tells POPSUGAR. "My cofounder, Emmett [Patterson], and I thought that it was ridiculous that so many people grow up not learning the things they deserve to know about their bodies, their identities, and how to have healthy, consensual sex in nonheteronormative ways." Loro and Patterson focused on creating a program that was both LGBTQ and disabled friendly that could be shared nationwide at conferences.
Loro says this approach gives young folks agency and power over their sexual health and wellness in ways that sitting in classrooms and learning from instructors cannot "and allows young people to speak for themselves." In her view, this style offers a more robust perspective that serves as an antidote to an education system that continues to "fail, erase, shame, and further marginalize" certain students.
Ashley Fowler - that same teen who says she was subjected to an inadequate sex-ed program at her New Jersey high school - had to take matters into her own hands to create change: she joined Answer by Sex, Etc. in hopes of learning and sharing information with her classmates. "I feel lucky that I've worked with Answer," Fowler says. "[Students] aren't getting the information that they need, and they might not know where to find it. That's putting a teen, [or] a young adult, in a risky position."
Today is our #consent week Twitter town hall! Will you be joining us? Our very own Ashley Fowler will be hosting. Pls share! #IHeartConsent http://pic.twitter.com/x16CMFYYjA
– Sex, Etc. (@Sexetc) February 23, 2017
"Most of my work at Sex, Etc.(/Answer) is centered around peer-to-peer education," Fowler says. "The publication and website I write for really values the approach and style teens bring to their pieces on sexual education. Getting accurate, honest information from a teen can provide insight that may be missed when adults try to relay that same information."
"Peer-to-peer information also tends to be less clinical and, in my opinion, more approachable and enjoyable to read and relate to," Fowler adds. "I think incorporating more peer-to-peer learning situations within sex ed in and out of the classroom can lead to more reception and retention of information."
Change Is Coming - but It Will Take Time
Despite the unevenness, backlash, and political and religious agendas, there's reason to believe the future of sex education is bright. The willingness to make change on so many levels - by way of schools and technology and students themselves - suggests a shift is happening.
It's possible to envision a future in which apps like Real Talk might become folded into formalized education as it is shown in classrooms. UTerus might pave the way for revolutionizing Texas education, while NYAST offers universities new ways to engage with students. Sex education is becoming more nuanced and versatile, a more holistic approach to a sensitive subject instead of a one-size-fits-all shoving onto students. If anything is certain, it is that the future of sex education is a team effort that requires school systems, educators, parents, and thinkers alike to create resources that are a pedagogical hybrid.
Students using the Real Talk app, a new sex-education concept that puts health information for teens on smartphones. Photo courtesy of Real Talk.
Regardless, advocates say sex education must change to reach more students, in more meaningful ways, and much sooner. "[Sex education] can and should start in first grade," Fowler - the youngest person POPSUGAR spoke with - suggests. "You can teach consent because so many people don't understand the very basics of consent. That rudimentary stuff can be taught in elementary school and can become sexual once you reach middle school ages."
"I think a lot of sex ed that we have now is very fear-based," Fowler says, "which people don't respond to."
No Running Required: 10-Minute At-Home Cardio Sweat Session
You don't have to run to get a good cardio workout. We've rounded up all sorts of heart-pumping moves to help you sweat it out in the comfort of your living room. With no equipment needed, this quick workout is excuse-proof, too. Press play, and get ready to shred some calories.
Strength vs. Cardio - Here's How You Should Structure Your Workout
Ask most trainers and they'll tell you that a healthy workout routine consists of strength training, cardio, and rest days, ideally spread throughout the week. But for those of us who love two-a-days or long sessions at the gym or just need to maximize our time, the common question seems to be: Which do I do first, strength or cardio?
This was the burning question I had for Natalie Carey, certified trainer and sports nutritionist at DIAKADI Fitness. "Strength training should always come first - always," Natalie said without skipping a beat. The benefits of structuring your workouts this way are plenty, she added.
Fat Loss
If losing weight is your goal - specifically fat - weight training before your cardio session has major benefits, Natalie said. She explained that strength training increases the "afterburn effect." Your resting metabolism rate is heightened and your body is working to help your muscles recover, which results in an increased calorie burn long after the workout is over. This is an ideal place to be in when you hit your cardio session.
Diana Chaloux, CPT and owner of the online personal-training website HitchFit, is also in agreement. "When you strength train, your body utilizes glycogen (stored carbohydrates) for fuel," Diana said. "So if you strength train first and then do lower-intensity cardio immediately after, which uses fat for fuel, you create an environment in your body conducive to fat metabolism." Basically by the time you get to your cardio session, your body will be primed to burn fat at a higher rate than if you did it the other way around.
Injury Prevention
Compared to cardio, it's much easier to get injured while strength training. And strength training while tired only increases that risk, said Natalie. This is perhaps the biggest reason she advises clients to strength train before a cardio session. "You want to make sure you have the energy to perform the exercises correctly," she said. "Poor form can result in an injury that will get you off track with your training goals." Best to hit up those lunges, kettlebell swings, and push-ups when muscles are fresh!
It's important to note that even if you feel energized and unaffected by your cardio session, your body was still put through the motions and energy stores were depleted. This fatigue may cause your form and focus to be affected in ways you might not be able to notice on your own. Whatever you ultimately decide, be mindful of how you feel and do your best to know when it's time to back off.
Just Hours Old, 1 Newborn Helped Pull Off the Ultimate Surprise For His Mom
After Susan Medina and Darick Mead welcomed their first child, the new mom had no idea that there was about to be another reason to celebrate.
At just hours old, Darick enlisted his newborn's help in pulling off the ultimate surprise proposal, which left the new mom stunned. The Nebraska couple has been together for two years and Darick always teased Susan that he didn't want to get married for 40 years.
However, this new dad had a much sooner date in mind and worked with hospital staff to make their newborn's birth even more memorable. A month before Ryder's birth, Darick bought an engagement ring and let the hospital in on his idea. Shortly after Susan's C-section, nurses came in to "check on" Ryder but were actually slipping him into a personalized onesie that said, "Mommy, will you marry my Daddy?"
When they brought the baby back over, Darick was waiting by her bedside with a cushion-cut engagement ring. "I didn't expect that at all. I thought I was going to be changing the baby's diaper, looked up, and everyone had their phones out, so I was confused," Susan told POPSUGAR. "But I was super, super happy!"
I Gave In to the Hype For This Viral Amazon Chair - and It's Worth Every Penny
I'm not typically one to give in to hype. Case in point: I've never seen Scandal, still don't own any Glossier beauty products, and don't understand kombucha. Is it a stubbornness thing, because I don't want to love anything that I didn't discover all on my own? Perhaps. But I recently hopped on the bandwagon for a viral product on Amazon, and let me tell you: it was worth every penny.
When my teammate wrote up an under-$100 velvet chair on Amazon Prime, I shrugged it off. "It's probably cheap," I thought to myself, remembering my recent commitment to buying decent-quality products that bring me joy rather than impulsively settling for cheap items. Since I just moved apartments, I've been faced with this conundrum frequently, but so far it's served me well to wait and budget for a nice decor piece that I really love rather than spring for a knockoff version that wears and tears quickly.
I reasoned with myself that if it turned out to be tacky and cheap, I'd skip some subscriptions next month to justify some of the money spent.
However, when I started seeing social media posts about how great this midcentury Amazon buy is, I started to question my own resistance to the lure of "the chair." After all, I reeeeeally needed an accent chair to complete my new living room setup, and an aqua blue chair with a velvet finish would fit in just right . . . for my decor style and my budget. Still, I hesitated to press "buy."
But when an industry crush of mine took the time to write a personal blog post about how much she loves the chair, I finally caved. I hopped on the Amazon app and ordered "the chair" in green for a cool $90 (plus free shipping). I reasoned with myself that if it turned out to be tacky and cheap, I'd skip my Audible, Spotify, and New York Times subscriptions next month to justify some of the money spent.
When I got the notification that my new chair had been delivered a mere 36 hours (!!!) later, I expected disappointment when I cut open the box. As I assembled the legs to the chair's body, I warily noted how easy it was to arrange - a couple twists of a screwdriver - and how nice the velvet felt. The chair was more blue than green, but I'd been hoping for that when I selected my shade on Amazon. When I flipped the chair over to give it the once-over, I was certainly pleased. Not wanting to get my hopes up too quickly, I took a seat.
Fast-forward to three hours later, when my fiancé walked in the door and found me still seated in the chair, legs tucked up underneath me while I answered emails for work. "I like the new chair," he said casually as I realized I'd been stationary for the entire evening. Unlike most the other chairs in my home, the new velvet addition didn't make my tailbone hurt after long periods seated and the texture felt warm and cozy.
If you're looking for a stylish seating solution on a budget, you can't do better than this.
When I stood up, the chair didn't look any different - a concern of mine when choosing velvet, as I'd previously worried about buttprints. And my cat, a picky feline at the best of times, immediately hopped up and took my place. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
The chair is still just as comfortable and in great shape, despite being used as a makeshift drying rack for damp laundry, serving as a chubby cat's throne, and being subjected to my fiancé's not-so-delicate way of flopping down in his seat. I'm even considering replacing other seating in our home with more colors of this same chair because I love it so much!
I know I'm just one more voice adding to the hype over this chair, but take it from a stubborn shopper: if you're looking for a stylish seating solution on a budget, you can't do better than this.
Make Mornings Suck Less With These 9 Tips
Mornings suck. They're awful and I hate them more than anything else. But that's also because I wake up three snoozes later and have to rush through my routine to get myself out the door in time. I noticed that mornings when I did take my time helped me have a better day after. Though we can't totally avoid the a.m., there are ways to make it less painful and more fulfilling.
- Wake up 30 minutes earlier. As hard as it is to get up the first time your alarm goes off, it'll make such a difference. You'll be able to ease into your day slowly instead of scrambling to get ready.
- Drink water as soon as you get up. Instead of drinking your coffee first, rehydrate your body after a night's sleep with water. You'll also feel more alert and energized.
- Stretch. Just a quick stretch when you get out of bed will get your blood flowing and help wake you up. Bonus points if you turn it into a yoga sequence.
- Work out if you can. Breaking a sweat in the morning has numerous benefits including a better mood and more energy. Plus, you won't have to debate working out or not when you get home from work.
- Play music. Get a soothing playlist going or a mix of your favorite upbeat songs - whatever will make you feel good that early.
- Have breakfast. Starting your day off with a full stomach will provide you with the energy you need to keep going. Keep it light and healthy instead of heavy to stay fueled but not sluggish.
- Call or text a friend or family member "good morning." Send good vibes to loved ones before the day even starts and chances are they'll appreciate a morning hello. It'll help you start on a positive note.
- Read something. This can be just a couple pages from a book you're reading or an online scan of current events. Activate your brain right off the bat instead of having to jump-start your mind in the office.
- Think about your day ahead. You'll be most productive if you prep yourself on your to-dos before tackling them. You'll feel less overwhelmed and be able to start right away.
These Sets of Celebrity Brothers Are Evidence That 2 (or 3) Are Better Than 1
There are so many famous siblings out there, but nothing quite compares to celebrity brothers. Yes, we're talking about the Hemsworth trio, the Jonas brothers, and even the royal duo, Prince William and Prince Harry. But they aren't the only hot brother sets out there. While some pairs - or trios - are known for keeping low profiles, they'll occasionally pop up on a red carpet to support each other at a movie premiere or an award show. Read on for even more celebrity brothers.
All the Times Missandei From Game of Thrones Was Our Vegan Inspiration
Look no further if you're in need of some clean-eating inspiration. Nathalie Emmanuel, the brilliant and beautiful Missandei on Game of Thrones, is a proud vegan who regularly shares drool-worthy pictures of her dishes on Instagram. The British actress is a huge fan of plant-based food, whether it's homemade granola (yep, the woman can cook) or a bowl of pesto pasta.
While we might know her in Game of Thrones as Daenerys Targaryen's trusted multilingual adviser and Greyworm's love interest, Nathalie is soon to be recognized on social media as a champion of vegan food. Here are her most memorable plant-based posts.
The 14 Best Gifts For the 1-Year-Old Who Has Everything
Finding the perfect present for a 1-year-old isn't as difficult as you would think. The little ones are transitioning from babies to toddlers, so their minds and bodies are active. They're curious and playful, so they need toys that reflect those traits. We rounded up gifts that a 1-year-old will be thrilled to get, whether it's a birthday or holiday, even if they can't articulate that. Take a look at these genius ideas.
His Teacher Asked Him to Finish the Phrase "I Am," but This Boy With Autism's Response Will Move You to Tears
When 10-year-old Benjamin was given a school assignment to write a poem titled "I Am" - using 18 prewritten prompts such as "I see," "I hear," and "I feel" - he could have written just about anything to fill in those blanks. However, Benjamin has autism, so his poem turned out to be an eye-opening look into what it feels like for him to be different. He wrote how it feels to be "odd" and out of place, to feel "like a boy in outer space." His mom posted the honest and vulnerable poem to the National Autism Association's Facebook page to share with the world what it's like to be a young child with ASD.
Read his beautiful words in his adorable little-boy handwriting above.
10 Healthy Snacking Tips to Fuel Smarter and Lose Weight
We love snacks, but snacking can be a little mysterious: what's the "right way" to snack? In terms of portions, timing, nutrients, choices . . . there's a lot to take in. We combined some of our best, favorite tips for healthy snacking that are helpful no matter what your goals are (read: not just weight loss . . . but they definitely help with that, too). Get a little nutrition 101 and pick up some yummy hacks and recipe ideas along the way.
This Cheap Wine From Sam's Club Is Ranked as One of the Best in the World
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Diggy Lloyd
Who says fine wine has to be expensive? An $11 bottle of wine from Sam's Club has been ranked as one of the best in the world, earning an impressive rating from Wine Enthusiast. The website, which covers all things wine and spirits, has declared Sam's Club's Member's Mark Riesling White Wine as a top pick for its "easygoing yet zesty" flavors. The descriptive review calls out the "juicy, fruity enjoyment" you'll experience thanks to the "semidry tangerine and apricot flavors . . . slicked in honey and a touch of graphite." Um, yes, please! The fruity white wine also has a 9.5 percent ABV and comes in a 1.5-liter bottle large enough for you and plenty of friends.
This wouldn't be the first time that a bottle of cheap wine has been ranked as one of the best worldwide. Just last year, La Moneda Reserva's Malbec, an award-winning red wine sold at Walmart, went viral when it received the same coveted honor by Decanter magazine.
According to contributing editor Anna Lee C. Iijima, Sam's Club's Riesling has a "brisk but clean" finish. "Drink now," she advised. Be right back while we go purchase several bottles for ourselves.
10 Workouts You Can Do Without Needing to Leave the House
When the gym seems intimidating or impossible to get to, home workouts reign supreme. And guess what? You don't need a fancy gym, studio, or even a bunch of equipment. Even better? You don't even have to put on real clothes. Do any of these workouts in your PJs - we dare ya. No matter what you're in the mood for, there's a mood-boosting, energy-lifting, empowering workout for you to do - and they're all free.
- Dance cardio. Try an at-home dance with The Fitness Marshall or Body by Simone!
- Zumba. Give your dance time a Latin edge with fun Zumba routines.
- Tabata. Keep your Tabata routine to four minutes, or try a 30-minute Tabata exercise to keep the intensity up and burn tons of calories.
- Bodyweight routines. Try a printable no-equipment workout like this quick ab workout or a total-body 20-minute workout.
- HIIT. Like Tabata, you can do tons of HIIT routines at home from your bedroom, living room, or home gym if you have one. Squeeze in a quick 10-minute routine or double it with a 20-minute HIIT sesh.
- Mat Pilates. From the series of five to a four-minute tone-up to a 30-minute Pilates burner workout, mat Piates is an excellent way to lengthen, lean, and burn calories.
- At-home "Megaformer." There are Megaformer moves you can do at home if you use paper plates, slider discs, or even towels on hardwood. Try this four-move at-home workout for legs and abs.
- Class FitSugar videos. They're free, they're seemingly infinite, and you can do all of them from the comfort of your own home. Try any of the Class FitSugar videos to get in shape without changing out of your pajamas.
- At-home boxing. No heavy bag needed for shadow boxing and kickboxing routines.
- Yoga. Namaste at home? Yes. We've got tons of yoga flows and sequences for you to choose from so you can Zen out and build strength wherever you are.
Lose Weight and Become a Better Cook: 3 Nutritionist-Approved Spices
Have you ever felt like your healthy food was lacking something? Sure, grilled chicken breast and vegetables are great for you, but it can also leave a lot lacking in the taste department. If you're finding that your food is sitting on the side of bland a little more than you'd like, then you need to find the best spices. But the best in spices is as relative as the best in gas mileage - everyone says their spices are the best. That's why we got the help of culinary nutritionist Keisha Luke.
1. Garlic
We know! Garlic can be the worst thing that ever happened to our breath, but it's something that everyone should eat. According to Luke, "Whether ground into a powder or minced cloves, garlic is a great spice that packs a big punch," said Luke. "Known for its antioxidant properties, as well as anti-inflammatory properties, garlic helps to boost and maintain a healthy immune system. It is also a great digestive aid, not to mention cold and flu remedy."
Want more reasons? A 2016 study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that this spice could be the key to improved heart health and other ailments. Study author Matthew J. Budoff, MD, stated that "Garlic extract can help slow the progression of atherosclerosis and reverse the early stages of heart disease."
2. Thyme
If you aren't using thyme on your protein rubs or even on your veggie dishes, you are seriously missing out. Beyond just the smell and flavor, it can add such a unique zing to any meal, especially those ones you've grown bored with! According to Luke: "Whether it is in seasoning meat, seafood, or a combination of beans, legumes and/or veggies, thyme is one of my favorite, most versatile herbs that I love to use in many of my dishes for its distinctive aromatic, medicinal characteristics," Luke said. "With its powerful antiseptic [and] antibacterial properties, a little of this herb goes a long way."
Science may not tell us that this spice is a can't-miss for flavor, but it does back it as a great addition to your healthy diet plan. A recent study published in the Journal of Lipid Research found that thyme is a great resource in fighting inflammation. In the study, people who included thyme oil in their diet saw a reduction of inflammation by almost 75 percent!
3. Turmeric
If you haven't heard about the many benefits of turmeric, you must not have an internet connection! Consider this spice your go-to for just about anything that isn't going right with your body, including stomach pain, inflammation, improved brain function, ease chronic pain, and even help against depression! According to Luke, "This versatile yellow powder is the basis of many dishes because of its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which lend itself to assist in healing the gut and providing a serious kick in flavor for any dish you can make."
Research published in British Medical Journal revealed that curcumin, a key element of turmeric, delays liver damage that usually leads to cirrhosis, a leading cause of liver failure and scarring.
Regardless what spice you do reach for, it's important to make sure the one you pick is not laden with fillers and additives. Look for spices that tout a suite of carefully selected ingredients designed to match your healthy diet (including: gluten gree, vegan, dairy free, no MSG, low sodium, no soy, no nuts, and no GMOs). Many grocery store brands won't list their full contents and can't fulfill on many dietary restrictions, so consider smaller, specialty labels that work to include fit and healthy options.
Everything You Need to Know About the Action-Packed Ant-Man and The Wasp
Are you ready for more Paul Rudd? Because we are most definitely ready for more Paul Rudd. Luckily we don't have too long of a wait before the titular star of 2015's Ant-Man returns to the silver screen as Scott Lang, a thief with one very interesting suit hanging in his closet. New details about the sequel, officially titled Ant-Man & The Wasp, have started to pour in, so let's take a look at what we know so far, from the star-studded cast to the release date.
18 Cute Photos of Celebrities With Their Moms
Ay, mami! Most of us are obsessed with our moms - even if we don't want to admit it. Celebrities like Salma Hayek and Selena Gomez love to not only talk about their moms, but also attend red carpets and events with them. They were, after all, the ones who took them to auditions and stood by them as they made their Hollywood debuts.
In honor of Mother's Day, we rounded some photos of your favorite celebrities with their moms. Just wait until you see them; they will make your heart melt!
The World's Oldest Amusement Park Opened in 1583 - and You Can Visit Today!
Disneyland has been around since 1955, and we thought that was old. But Bakken, an amusement park located in Klampenborg, north of Copenhagen in Denmark, beats Disneyland in age by several hundreds of years. Bakken opened in 1583 and is recognized as the oldest amusement park still in operation in the world by Guinness World Records.
According to Bakken's site, the park is located in the woods of Dyrehaven and is a unique amusement park that offers "a historic and nostalgic venue combined with modern and fun amusements and thrill rides." Guinness World Records says that most major medieval European cities had "pleasure gardens" with live entertainment, games, and rides, which would one day become amusement parks as we know them. "Most closed down during the 1700s," says Guinnes World Records, "but Bakken is the only one to survive."
Best of all (and unlike Disneyland), entrance to the park is free! Because of its history and location, the park says that no big brands are allowed to set up stands at Bakken and neon signs are banned. "Instead a jumble of colorful wooden structures, small independent shop owners, and quirky stalls meets visitors," says the Bakken site. Guests will be able to spot the well-known "white-faced clown" who visits the park daily and can ride the park's 80+ year-old roller coaster as well. Read on to see images of the charming amusement park, which we imagine looks quite a bit different than it did in medieval times.
Recall Alert! This iPhone Case Recalled Due to Reported Chemical Burns
Those trendy glitter iPhone cases may turn out to be more harmful than fun. A company that sold glitter iPhone cases to retailers such as Amazon and Nordstrom Rack has issued a recall for its products due to "skin irritation or chemical burns."
MixBin issued the recall on Aug. 1 and it includes all iPhone cases for the iPhone 6, 6S, and 7 sold between October 2015 and June 2017. The phone cases ranged in prices from $15 to $65 and were available at Henri Bendel, Tory Burch, and Victoria's Secret. In an official statement, MixBin stated the cases were recalled "due to risk of skin irritation, blisters, or burns if the liquid contained in the phone case leaks and comes into contact with the skin due to breakage or cracking of the case."
If you're the owner of an affected phone case, you can go through MixBin to get a refund. You'll need to take a photo of the case, so don't throw it out. The company also advises to keep the phone case until you are informed about how to properly get rid of it.
The Property Brothers Just Launched a Furniture Line at Lowe's - and It's Cozy Perfection
If you've dreamed of having your home revamped by the Property Brothers, we have the next best thing beyond living out your HGTV fantasy. Drew and Jonathan Scott have teamed up with Lowe's to release a new furniture line that melds their rustic-meets-midcentury vibes perfectly. With hundreds of pieces for every room, you could easily outfit your entire home. If the thought of pulling together a cohesive room terrifies you, check out their online showroom for tips on how Drew and Jonathan would style each of the pieces. In the meantime, here's a quick peek at our favorite picks from the new line. Happy shopping!
Mom says child lucky to be alive after repeated misdiagnoses at Cape Dorset health centre
A mother in Cape Dorset, Nunavut, says she brought her child to the local health centre five times before finally taking her on a flight to Iqaluit, where she was diagnosed with a burst appendix.
The 15 Cutest Sweaters From ASOS Will Get You So Excited For Fall
The fact that it's still Summer isn't stopping us from getting pumped for Fall fashion. ASOS just released a ton of new sweaters, and we can't wait to slip into them when the air gets crisp. The British retailer is offering both vibrant and neutral colors as well as loose and form-fitting silhouettes. You need one for every autumnal look, so you might as well stock up on a few. Peek at our favorites.
Ascendant, the Final Divergent Chapter, Is Now Going to Be a Starz TV Series
Allegiant all but flopped at the box office last year, but it still came a shock when Lionsgate announced its new plans for the final film. Ascendant is now going to be a TV series, though the original cast is not feeling it. Here's what we do know for sure.
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