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.
mardi 5 septembre 2017
What Is "Hive Mind," and What Does It Have to Do With American Horror Story?
Be of like mind. The official poster for #AHSCult is here. http://pic.twitter.com/oRGmYQXXia
- AmericanHorrorStory (@AHSFX) July 27, 2017
American Horror Story is about to cut deep, and we're here for every single second of it. In July, a special presentation at Comic-Con yielded the title of the new season: Cult. Since then, even more details have poured out. AHS creator Ryan Murphy dropped a bunch of new hints on his Twitter account, while the first official trailer left plenty of room for speculation. But it was the show's first official poster, which shows a woman with a beehive brain, that gave us the most information out of everything. "Be of like mind," the poster is captioned. If you're familiar with the concept of a "hive mind," this is where everything clicks.
Not only does the concept of the "hive mind" perfectly explain the first official poster, it also gives context to Murphy's bizarre bee-man snap from a few weeks ago, which he presented as an integral part of the theme. What exactly is a "hive mind"? It's a common trope from the sci-fi universe; it traces back to a "collective consciousness" or "group mind" that is shared by a community of people. A "group mind" is a lot less malevolent than a "hive mind." There's a sense of equality and harmony, where all members are linked by a set of unifying beliefs, or a connected state of mind.
One of the most striking (and popular) examples of a "group mind" exists in Minority Report. In the 2002 Steven Spielberg film, which is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel, Tom Cruise is the head of a "pre-crime" unit that attempts to stop illegal activities before they happen. They predict crimes with the help of three "pre-cogs," mutants who can see the future and predict crimes. They have a "group mind," and they all foresee the exact same series of events at the exact same time. (Except when one of them doesn't, which is called, you guessed it, a "minority report.")
Image Source: Everett Collection
A collective consciousness can take a dark turn when a single entity appears to indoctrinate underlings and deprive them of free will. This is where the "hive mind" comes in. It refers to the hierarchical structure in a beehive, where every worker bee has a specific, compartmentalized job, and they all serve one queen. In the context of something like a cult, for instance, there may be one overlord who brainwashes subjects into obedience. These members of AHS's cult may be victims to this "hive mind." Completely devoid of individuality and identity, their one purpose is to serve that greater power.
This entity at the top can be many things. It could be a person, like a "grandmaster" of the cult. It could be some creature or idol that all the members worship. It could be Satan himself. Hell, it could be an illness that spreads throughout the population like wildfire. While there are plenty of options, the basic skeleton of the concept seems clear. In American Horror Story: Cult, something has taken hold of these terrifying clown people we've been seeing in all the teasers.
Lastly, we have to factor in the 2016 election, which Murphy teased as a part of the theme earlier this year. In my analysis of the first teaser, I pointed out that the voice-over's rhetoric closely matches the logic of Donald Trump. "Do you ever feel alone?" the full-length teaser asks. "Does it seem like no one really understands you? Do some people just make you sick? Are you afraid? We can set you free. We will make you strong. We want you." As we said before, Trump largely managed to win the presidential race by rallying the "angry white man" against the progressive movement. Strangely enough, that sounds a lot like the mechanics behind "hive mind." But hey, we're only speculating.
The 6 Home Items Our Editors Can't Live Without in September
If you live for the days when the weather cools, color schemes get earthy, and pumpkin spice is in literally everything, then September couldn't have arrived soon enough. And now that it's here, we're happy to update our homes in autumnal celebration. From adding the first cozy touches to Halloween teases, here are the decor pieces our editors can't wait to get their hands on.
What Is "Hive Mind," and What Does It Have to Do With American Horror Story?
Be of like mind. The official poster for #AHSCult is here. http://pic.twitter.com/oRGmYQXXia
- AmericanHorrorStory (@AHSFX) July 27, 2017
American Horror Story is about to cut deep, and we're here for every single second of it. In July, a special presentation at Comic-Con yielded the title of the new season: Cult. Since then, even more details have poured out. AHS creator Ryan Murphy dropped a bunch of new hints on his Twitter account, while the first official trailer left plenty of room for speculation. But it was the show's first official poster, which shows a woman with a beehive brain, that gave us the most information out of everything. "Be of like mind," the poster is captioned. If you're familiar with the concept of a "hive mind," this is where everything clicks.
Not only does the concept of the "hive mind" perfectly explain the first official poster, it also gives context to Murphy's bizarre bee-man snap from a few weeks ago, which he presented as an integral part of the theme. What exactly is a "hive mind"? It's a common trope from the sci-fi universe; it traces back to a "collective consciousness" or "group mind" that is shared by a community of people. A "group mind" is a lot less malevolent than a "hive mind." There's a sense of equality and harmony, where all members are linked by a set of unifying beliefs, or a connected state of mind.
One of the most striking (and popular) examples of a "group mind" exists in Minority Report. In the 2002 Steven Spielberg film, which is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel, Tom Cruise is the head of a "pre-crime" unit that attempts to stop illegal activities before they happen. They predict crimes with the help of three "pre-cogs," mutants who can see the future and predict crimes. They have a "group mind," and they all foresee the exact same series of events at the exact same time. (Except when one of them doesn't, which is called, you guessed it, a "minority report.")
Image Source: Everett Collection
A collective consciousness can take a dark turn when a single entity appears to indoctrinate underlings and deprive them of free will. This is where the "hive mind" comes in. It refers to the hierarchical structure in a beehive, where every worker bee has a specific, compartmentalized job, and they all serve one queen. In the context of something like a cult, for instance, there may be one overlord who brainwashes subjects into obedience. These members of AHS's cult may be victims to this "hive mind." Completely devoid of individuality and identity, their one purpose is to serve that greater power.
This entity at the top can be many things. It could be a person, like a "grandmaster" of the cult. It could be some creature or idol that all the members worship. It could be Satan himself. Hell, it could be an illness that spreads throughout the population like wildfire. While there are plenty of options, the basic skeleton of the concept seems clear. In American Horror Story: Cult, something has taken hold of these terrifying clown people we've been seeing in all the teasers.
Lastly, we have to factor in the 2016 election, which Murphy teased as a part of the theme earlier this year. In my analysis of the first teaser, I pointed out that the voice-over's rhetoric closely matches the logic of Donald Trump. "Do you ever feel alone?" the full-length teaser asks. "Does it seem like no one really understands you? Do some people just make you sick? Are you afraid? We can set you free. We will make you strong. We want you." As we said before, Trump largely managed to win the presidential race by rallying the "angry white man" against the progressive movement. Strangely enough, that sounds a lot like the mechanics behind "hive mind." But hey, we're only speculating.
The Trump White House Is Refusing to Commit to Putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill
Remember the good old days when Harriet Tubman was about to be on our 20 dollar bill? It should come as no surprise, sadly, that Trump White House - an administration lauded by white supremacists and neo-Nazis - might not be prepared to honor the abolitionist and national hero in the way she so very much deserves.
During an interview with CNBC on Aug. 31, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was asked whether he would uphold the Barack Obama-era proposal to remove Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill and replace him with Harriet Tubman. "It's not something I'm focused on at the moment," Mnuchin responded, adding, "The number one issue why we change the currency is to stop counterfeiting. So the issues of what we change will be primarily related to what we need to do for security purposes."
Q: Do you support putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill?
Steve Mnuchin: "It's not something I'm focused on." https://t.co/cNTs2DTv9B http://pic.twitter.com/BWZkaASHtY- Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 31, 2017
Mnuchin's apparent refusal to commit to putting Tubman - who would be one of the very few women and the only African American to ever appear on US currency - on the $20 bill does nothing to quell outrage at an administration already perceived by many to be stoking racial tensions. That the treasury secretary's lackluster response so closely followed Donald Trump's failure to condemn white supremacists after the violence in Charlottesville, VA, was definitely not lost on Twitter.
You know who there should be statues of around the country? Harriet Tubman. And she should replace the genocidal Andrew Jackson on the $20. https://t.co/96PWIyP5O3
- Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) August 31, 2017
Republicans commit to keeping statues of racist, slave-owning Confederate generals but balk at Harriet Tubman. Seems about right. https://t.co/MrQJX6rxUx
- Denizcan Targaryen (@MrFilmkritik) August 31, 2017
Of course, Harriet Tubman will remain one of the greatest American heroes in history - regardless of whether she ends up on the $20 bill. But it is high time that black women's contributions to this country be celebrated appropriately, and stamping Harriet Tubman's legacy onto green bills certainly still seems like a great place to start.
6 Men Who Wanted Lady Gaga's Bad Romance
Lady Gaga isn't afraid to pour her heart into her music, but when it comes to her love life, she's notoriously private. Over the years, the singer has dated actors, musicians, producers, and even her agent - and who can forget her five-year relationship with Taylor Kinney? Even though the pair called off their engagement last July, they are still incredibly close friends and support each other at various events. See all the men who have wanted Gaga's bad romance over the years.
Add Jonathan and Drew Scott's House Party to Your Must-Do List Stat
Just when it seems like we know all there is to know about Jonathan and Drew Scott, the HGTV stars stun us with the candid revelations in their just-released memoir, It Takes Two. And then, when we thought there wasn't anything left to say, they invite us to get even more personal with them at the Scott Brothers House Party variety show. And by us, I mean you, me, and all their fans. "It's almost like we're hanging out with 2,000 of our closest friends and family," Drew told us.
So what exactly is the house party? Drew explained to POPSUGAR that fans should think of the playful banter the brothers have on their shows and then "times it by 1,000. That's what you're getting for the live Scott Brothers House Party." Beyond the irresistible chemistry between Drew and Jonathan, the Scott Brothers House Party showcases all aspects of the Property Brothers and includes live performances of their original songs, Jonathan's illusions, surprise family visits (parents Jim and Joanne have been known to make appearances on some stops), and - of course - the Scotts' real estate and design expertise.
This could be your chance to get personalized design advice straight from the HGTV stars. "We're also doing something we've never done before: we're getting fans to submit the worst room in their house, so they're emailing us the photo of the worst room and we're pulling them up on stage to do a digital live makeover on their space." He says it's a Brother vs. Brother style design competition, but live and interactive.
The Scott Brothers House Party is on an 11-city tour in promotion of their new memoir. Visit their website to see if it's coming to a town near you.
Meet the Mysterious New Characters Coming to American Horror Story: Cult
We're inching closer and closer toward the next season of American Horror Story. The question is, can you handle the terrors of the Cult? In the past few weeks, we've been privy to tons of information about the next installment of the game-changing FX series. We'd already had our fill with creator Ryan Murphy's hints, the unsettling teasers, and the latest cast updates, but the new challenge on AHS7.com has now unlocked five exciting character portraits! Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to introduce you to a few of Cult's star players.
Vaginal estrogen not tied to cancer or heart disease risks in U.S. study
Using vaginally applied estrogen to ease menopause symptoms likely doesn’t increase a woman’s risk of heart disease or certain cancers, an observational study in the U.S. suggests.
Store-Bought Cream Didn't Stop My Mosquito Bites From Itching, but This Kitchen Item Did
I don't want to brag or anything, but mosquitos freaking love me - so much, in fact, that I woke up with nine bites the other morning because I stupidly left my trusty DIY repellent spray at the office. To keep the itching at a minimum, I bought anti-itch cream specifically made for bug and mosquito bites. Unfortunately, it didn't really make a difference and I found myself clawing at my arms and legs soon after applying.
So, I searched for natural remedies I might've had around my house as an alternative to returning to the store. Turns out, good ol' apple cider vinegar is great for more than just aiding in weight loss and boosting immunity. The versatile kitchen ingredient was the answer to my bites.
I soaked a cotton pad and applied it directly to the areas, rubbing it in for several seconds before moving onto the next one. It immediately began to soothe the bites and stop the itching! I reapplied throughout the day as soon as the itching returned and concluded that it was much more effective than the store-bought ointment. Another suggestion is to dilute the solution into a bath and soak for full-body relief.
Moral of the story: always keep ACV in your pantry for everything.
This HGTV Host Just Took the First Dance to a Whole New Level
We like to think we know a lot about HGTV's hottest hosts, but this video of Income Property star Scott McGillivray's wedding dance proves there's always something new to discover. Between the smoke machine, smooth ballroom moves, and Scott's wife's princess-like gown, we think Scott could easily moonlight as Price Charming. Check out their first dance!
Michelle Obama, Blue Ivy, and More Re-Create Beyoncé's Iconic "Formation" Look For Her Birthday
Beyoncé rang in her 36th birthday on Sept. 4, and what better way to honor the queen herself than by re-creating her iconic "Formation" video look? On Monday, a handful of Beyoncé's friends and family, including Michelle Obama, Serena Williams, Blue Ivy Carter, and JAY-Z's mom, Gloria Carter, paid homage to the superstar by dressing up as her in an off-the-shoulder black top, a wide-brimmed black hat, and two long braids. The photos were shared on Beyoncé's website, along with a message that read, "Happy birthday Beyoncé / From your family and friends." Consider us shook.
This 1980 Clip of Bush and Reagan Defending Undocumented Kids Shows How Far We've Regressed
Despite President Donald Trump's promise to "show great heart" toward recipients of the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Sept. 5 that the program would be terminated. Now, a viral video of then-primary Republican candidates George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan is bubbling up online - and it serves as powerful proof of just how far the GOP has backslid when it comes to its empathy for immigrants. The old 1980 clip shows the two debating illegal immigration and showing a lot more heart toward immigrant children and adults alike than Trump or Sessions.
Though it's currently unclear exactly what steps the administration will make to terminate DACA - and on what timeline - the move will affect about 800,000 young immigrants who came to the US at a young age. DACA recipients, often known as Dreamers, already have to pass extensive background checks and other stringent requirements to become eligible for DACA. Though many government officials and tech leaders have pledged to fight for Dreamers, it's unclear what actions Congress may take to protect them.
Flashback to 37 years ago, when Bush and Reagan were engaged in a primary debate sponsored by the League of Woman voters. Though Reagan would eventually clinch the nomination and bring on Bush as his vice president, the two were often at odds with one another. One topic on which they clearly agreed, however, was on how to treat the children of undocumented immigrants. An audience member asked the two nominees, "Do you think the children of illegal aliens should be allowed to attend Texas public schools free or do you think that their parents should pay for their education?" Bush, the first to respond, expressed that he wanted immigration problems fixed, but that children should absolutely attend schools. "If they're living here, I don't want to see 6- and 8-year-old kids being made totally uneducated and made to feel like they're living totally outside the law," Bush said. "These are good people, strong people."
Reagan responded similarly and wanted to come up with a solution that allowed immigrants who may have come here illegally to stay. "Rather than talking about putting up a fence, why don't we work out some recognition of our mutual problems?" Reagan said. "Make it possible for them to come here legally with a work permit. And then, while they're working and earning here, they can pay taxes here. And then when they want to go back, they can go back. Open the borders both ways." You can watch the full clip that's going viral again on the internet ahead.
As president, Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which granted amnesty to immigrants who entered the country illegally before 1982. According to NPR, about 3 million illegal immigrants benefited from the legislation. It's astonishing to see undeniable proof of how progressive Bush and Reagan were almost 40 years ago when compared to the current administration.
The Story Behind Day of the Dead
El Día De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is one of Latin America's most misunderstood holidays. The day celebrated just after Halloween (usually on Nov. 1 and 2) features a variety of "spooky costumes" and decor, which causes many people to mistakenly think of it as "Mexican Halloween."
The holiday began as an Aztec harvest gathering originally celebrated around the end of Summer, with people using the time to honor those loved ones who had passed away. When Spanish conquistadors came into the area, they sought to bring Catholic influence to the Latin-American region, tying Day of the Dead to the Catholic traditions of All Saints' and All Souls' Day, which respectively serve to call us to live as saints and to ask for God's mercy for all souls by praying for them. The farming celebration was thus moved to November and converted into a sacred holiday to honor the dead. But the Day of the Dead is far from a somber occasion; instead, it's a lively celebration, complete with food, music, colorful decorations, and candles.
The Day of the Dead's two-day structure allows families to remember children who have died on the first day and adults on the second. Celebrators believe the spirits of their loved ones are allowed to join and communicate with the people they left behind on those two days. The celebration encourages that idea with people leaving out sugar skulls (calaveras), toys for kids, and food for adults, along with alcohol and some of their beloved possessions (such as clothing, music, or photos).
The celebration also includes leaving ofrendas on beautiful homemade altars decorated with cutouts of skulls and skeletons on papel picado (punched or pierced paper), which symbolizes wind and the fragility of life. These altars are decorated and then left in either the person's home or on their tomb to show that they have not been forgotten, welcoming them back to visit.
One of the most widely recognized symbols of the holiday is La Catrina, or "the lady in the hat," a female skeleton who wears an elegant, brightly colored dress. Unlike the skeletons associated with Halloween, La Catrina is not meant to scare people on the Day of the Dead, but rather show that it's OK to laugh at death itself. Her elegance is also meant to refer to rich people to show that in death, we are all equal.
While El Día de los Muertos was initially only celebrated in Mexico, it has since evolved to other countries including the US, thanks to the rapidly growing Hispanic population and an increasing influence of Latin-American culture.
So, while on the surface the Day of the Dead might appear to mirror Halloween, the holidays are actually vastly different with the Latin-American tradition remembering the lives of those who have left us and briefly inviting them back instead of inciting fear. Through this two-day gathering, families celebrate death as a beautiful, joyful, and symbolic event.
This New Online Grocery Store Has Everything You Need For Just $3!
If you haven't heard about Brandless yet, allow us to introduce you. The new online grocery store recently launched and is quickly selling out items due to its inexpensive pricing set at $3. That's right: every single item - including snacks, pasta, coffee, and condiments - is for sale for $3. If you're wondering how it all works, you'll find a hint within the company's name. Because none of the products sold at Brandless are branded, the company is able to sell them for a low flat-rate price. Better yet, there's no added tax from any national brands. Read on to see a few of the items you'll want to stock up on before everyone else discovers this gold mine!
The Night King Is Terrifying, but He Can Probably Be Killed One of These Ways
A huge threat is suddenly pouring into Westeros now that the Night King, his army of White Walkers and the undead, and his ice dragon Viserion have brought the Wall down on the Game of Thrones season seven finale. We've all seen how it's (relatively) easy to kill White Walkers and wights, but what about the Night King? And what about his undead flying steed, Viserion?
White Walkers and wights are killed by only a couple things: Dragonglass and Valyrian steel. Both of those materials will kill either White Walkers or wights. Fire also appears to kill wights. They are extremely flammable and go up like kindling at the slightest bit of flame.
White Walkers, however, do not appear to be susceptible to fire. In the season six episode "Hardhome," they are shown to snuff out fire due to their extremely cold bodies. But that was just regular fire - it is unknown if they can be killed by dragon's fire or wildfire.
Finally, we learned in season seven, episode six that if a White Walker is struck down, all the wights that particular walker created will also fall, so a popular theory about defeating the army of the dead is to get the Night King, because then presumably everything else dies with him. But that may be harder than it seems.
We don't yet know exactly what weaknesses the Night King has. He has to have at least one, or else what is the point of watching the show anymore? But fans have wondered if since the Night King was stabbed with dragonglass all those centuries ago and that is what turned him from human into creature we now see, maybe he can't be killed by dragonglass.
That would leave Valyrian steel, which makes sense. Valyrian steel swords are even harder to come by in Westeros than dragonglass, so it would make sense that one of the few of those left floating around would be needed to defeat him.
And perhaps take it one step further - maybe it isn't any old Valyrian steel sword, maybe the only thing that can defeat the Night King is Lightbringer, the flaming Valyrian steel sword of Azor Ahai, aka the Prince That Was Promised, aka possibly Jon Snow (who is now Aegon Targaryen).
It would certainly be fitting if the only person who can kill the Night King is Jon Snow and his prophetical flaming sword.
As for Viserion, while he is an animal wight like any other animal wight, he's also still a dragon, so simply stabbing him with a dragonglass dagger probably won't get the job done. How would it even penetrate his thick hide?
We predict something like Qyburn's scorpion will come back into play in season eight, this time armed with a bolt of dragonglass. That, or one of Daenerys's other dragons is going to have to bring his brother down with fire, which sounds pretty epic. We just hope we don't lose Rhaegal or Drogon in the process.
10 Places You've Seen Game of Thrones's Lena Headey Before
We love to hate her in Game of Thrones, and it seems that she was made for the role, but Cersei Lannister is definitely not Lena Headey's first big gig. The British actress has been gracing our screens since 1992, and while we are patiently waiting to see whether she gets to keep her crown or not, here's where you may have seen her before.
10 Places You've Seen Game of Thrones's Lena Headey Before
We love to hate her in Game of Thrones, and it seems that she was made for the role, but Cersei Lannister is definitely not Lena Headey's first big gig. The British actress has been gracing our screens since 1992, and while we are patiently waiting to see whether she gets to keep her crown or not, here's where you may have seen her before.
The Reason This Miss UK Winner Gave Back Her Crown Will P*ss You Off
Less than a month till I represent GB in the world finals 🇬🇧 #london2017 http://pic.twitter.com/GPueV99PZc
- ♛Zeezus♛ (@Zo13y) August 6, 2017
It's 2017 and beautiful, healthy women are still being told that they aren't skinny enough to meet societal expectations. 28-year-old Zoiey Smale from Nottinghamshire was crowned Miss UK in June and she has just given back her crown. After winning the UK round of Miss United Continents, she was preparing for her journey to compete in Ecuador for the final round of the competition. However, in a move that I naively thought was a thing of the past, she received feedback from the organizers, who told her that she needed to "lose as much weight as possible" to stand a chance. Er . . . excuse me?
"It saddens me that even still, there are pageant directors who believe you must be skinny to be beautiful."
Not that it matters, because beauty shouldn't be defined by a size, but Smale is a size 10. Yep, you read that right: a size 10, which is already below the average size of a woman in the UK. She is fit, healthy, and a gorgeous representation of beauty in the country. "It saddens me that even still, there are pageant directors who believe you must be skinny to be beautiful," she explains. "My body has carried me through my 20+ years of being on this earth, allowed me to have a career I am very proud of, carry a child and the best thing of all, my body has never given up on me."
But, being the badass she is, she thankfully didn't take the comments to heart, and she damn well didn't take their advice. Instead, she gave back her crown and took to Facebook to share her experience in the pageant world. "I actually believed that I was so disgusting that no one would ever love me. How sad is that?" She continued by saying that she is happy to be a role model for girls and other women and that, for her, the beauty pageant world should be a place where "real queens empower others, are intelligent and help communities come together."
Smale finished by saying that she is "not here to name and shame, however I wanted to be honest with you all as to why I will not be participating in the competition." On behalf of women everywhere, thank you for proving that beauty has no size, and that although the industry has changed, it clearly still has a long way to go.
9 Things People With Clean Houses Do Every Day
Find yourself feigning excuses for why your friend can't pop up to your place to use the bathroom before the movie? Ever turn beet red with embarrassment when unexpected guests enter your home? It sounds like you have a messy house.
Imagine how much more enjoyable life would be if you were one of those perpetually tidy people whose homes could be company-ready with 15 minutes' notice. We wanted to turn our clean fantasies into a reality, so we researched the daily habits of people with clean houses - note the word "habits." What we learned is that it takes more than a few deep cleanings to achieve this status of cleaning goddess. It takes daily work and preparation to keep your house in a constant state of near perfection.
Read on to discover the nine habits people with clean houses do every day, and how you can adopt them to get out of the disaster zone you've been living in.
- Make Their Bed
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Before you leave the house in the morning (or better yet, before you leave the bedroom), make your bed. If you're in a rush, pull the comforter up to the pillows, and smooth it out to create the semblance of a made bed. This simple act creates a sense of order in your bedroom and sets your day off on a productive note that's likely to carry through.
- Empty the Dishwasher in the Morning
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Get the dishwasher emptied and ready to go for the day. Doing this in the morning lays the groundwork for an easy dinner cleanup at night and keeps dishes from stacking up in the sink throughout the day.
- Do a Load of Laundry Every Day
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Washing clothes on a regular schedule keeps the dirty pile from becoming overwhelming (not to mention, ensures that you'll never run out of clean underpants). Those with big families prefer doing it every morning, but if you live alone, doing laundry a couple of predetermined days a week should suffice.
- Use Baskets to Organize Things
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When there's a place for everything to go, it's easier to keep everything in its place. Scatter cute baskets throughout the house to corral your things, and add shelves to hold the big pieces.
- Don't Procrastinate
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When a box is delivered, unpack the goodies inside, and discard the packaging immediately. The same goes for dealing with spills or messes. The longer you wait, the harder they become to deal with.
- Put Away Their Clothes From the Day
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As tempting as it is to drop your clothes on the floor after a long day's work before slipping into your sweats, tidy people take the time to fold, hang, or place them in the hamper, as necessary. Do this, and your clothes and floor will both look better for it.
- Clean as They Go
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You can dramatically minimize your mess by cleaning as you go. If you rinse the cutting board while the pasta is boiling or start loading the dishwasher while the chicken is baking, the bulk of the work will be done by the time you serve dinner.
- Never Go to Bed With a Dirty Kitchen
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Resist the urge to climb directly into bed after a big meal. Take care of any and all kitchen cleanup that night - clean pots and pans, wipe down counters, etc. Not only will the mess harden and be smellier the next day (read: more challenging to clean), but waiting means that you'll have to spend your morning backtracking to make up for what you neglected the night before, instead of getting a head start on the day ahead.
- Plan Ahead
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Whether it's picking out your outfit the night before or reviewing what cleaning products you need to restock before tackling the bathrooms that weekend, you can give yourself a jump on the day by planning ahead.
You Might Also Like:
8 Places in the Home Even Clean People Forget to Wash
15 Things Organized People Have in Their Homes
Tricks for Keeping a White Linen Sofa Fresh and Clean
11 Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland
If you take the high road to Scotland, you'll arrive at the capital of Edinburgh. This medieval city is full of history, beautiful buildings, and infinite landscapes and could partially be considered the birthplace of Harry Potter as J.K. Rowling spent many of her days writing the books in a cafe right in the heart of the town. London gets most of the love in the United Kingdom from tourists, but if you venture up north, you'll find that this Scottish treasure deserves just as much attention. At the base of the Highlands, you'll find so many things to do and perhaps be inspired by the literary giants, war heroes, and historical figures who once called this city home. These are 11 things you'll want to experience in Edinburgh.
10 Spots in Nolita That Make It the Best Neighborhood in New York City
If New York is the city of dreams, then Nolita is the fairy tale inside it. It's such an inspiring part of NYC that even Vanessa Carlton actually wrote a song, "Nolita Fairytale," about it. This tiny neighborhood in lower Manhattan lies right between SoHo, Little Italy, the Lower East Side, and Chinatown. Once a part of Little Italy, Nolita ("North of Little Italy") broke away after trying to adapt some of the characteristics of its SoHo neighbors.
It's a chic, foodie-indulgent hot spot that has gained in notoriety recently with its influx of millennial-friendly places to eat and photograph. The street art changes weekly, a new pink-inspired restaurant seems to open every couple of months, and with a vibe even enticing enough to inspire David Bowie to live there before he passed, it's not an area to miss. These are 10 places in Nolita that you don't want to miss.
Here Are the Top 10 Instagrammed UK Cities to Inspire Your Next Trip
Just admit it, we all like to get it for the 'gram when we visit a new city, so stop pretending you wouldn't visit somewhere just to get the perfect shot. Holidu researched the hashtags of UK cities to see which came out on top, because if you visited a city but didn't hashtag it, were you really there?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, London came in first place with over 80 million hashtags. Popular hashtag hot spots of the city include Big Ben with over 2.6 million, the London Eye with over two million, and Tower Bridge with 1.3 million. Two football cities tied second and third place, proving that the UK really does love the game. And thanks to the numerous cute dog pictures on Instagram, York(ie) made it into the top 10 too.
Keep reading to see how the other cities ranked and get some inspiration for your next vacation.
20 Things You've Been Doing Wrong in the Kitchen Your Entire Life
Are you scrambling eggs, making chocolate chip cookies, and measuring pasta the right way? It might not seem obvious, but there are plenty of basic things you could be doing the "wrong" way in the kitchen. These 20 hacks will make you a serious cooking pro if you're not already. Keep reading to learn every cooking shortcut and tip that will save you time, stress, and sanity in the kitchen.
Why You Need to Be Eating Fat If You Want to Lose Weight
The secret to dropping pounds, reducing your risk of heart disease, and feeling better overall may just be filling your plate with fats. While eating more fat doesn't mean drowning your veggies in butter, it does mean focusing on two types of "good" fats: MUFAs, or monounsaturated fats, and PUFAs (polyunsaturated fats), which include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Why are good fats so, well, good for you? For one, unsaturated fats contain disease-fighting antioxidants like vitamin E, and have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol levels to reduce your risk of heart disease. Plus, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are important for keeping many of our body functions, like our immune system and heart, in top shape. If you're trying to drop pounds here's another important reasons to embrace good fats: MUFAS have been shown to help burn away belly fat.
While MUFAs and PUFAs reign supreme, a little bit of saturated fat in your diet may not be as bad as previously thought. Recent studies have suggested that saturated fats in foods like milk, cheese, and meat may not be as harmful as previously thought, after a analysis found no correlation between a high saturated fat diet and an increased risk of heart disease. Coconut oil, a plant-based saturated fat, has actually been shown to raise levels of the "good" cholesterol, HDL, in recent studies. Current guidelines still suggest limiting your saturated and trans fats intake, however, so it's up to you to make educated decisions about how much you should eat.
That said, eating more fat isn't a bad thing, as long as it's done in moderation. Remember that fats, whether good or bad, are still high in calories, so be sure to keep this in mind when you plan your diet; current dietary guidelines suggest that for a 2000-calorie diet the daily intake of fat, including healthy fats, should be no more than 65 grams. Registered dietitian Julie Upton recommends replacing "low-quality carbs or other foods rich in saturated fats" with foods high in MUFAs and PUFAs to help accommodate the extra calories. Check out our list of some of the best sources of unsaturated fats below, and keep these numbers in mind while you adjust to adding more fat to your diet.
| Food | Portion | Calories | Total Fat (grams) | PUFAs (grams) | MUFAs (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds | 1 ounce (23 almonds) | 171 | 15.6 | 3.8 | 9.8 |
| Avocados | 1/4 avocado | 80.5 | 7.4 | .9 | 4.9 |
| Canola oil | 1 tbsp. | 124 | 14 | 4.1 | 8.3 |
| Chia seeds | 1 ounce | 137 | 8.6 | 0.6 | 6.5 |
| Dark chocolate | 1 square | 27 | 1.9 | 0.05 | 0.6 |
| Flaxseed | 1 tbsp. ground | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0.5 |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp. | 119 | 14 | 1.4 | 9.8 |
| Peanut oil | 1 tbsp. | 119 | 13.5 | 4.3 | 6.2 |
| Pistachios | 1 ounce (49 kernels) | 158 | 12.6 | 3.8 | 6.6 |
| Safflower oil | 1 tbsp. | 120 | 13.6 | 2 | 10.1 |
| Salmon | 3 ounces cooked | 175 | 10.5 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Soybean oil | 1 tbsp. | 119 | 14 | 7.8 | 3.1 |
| Trout | 1 fillet | 109 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Walnuts | 1 ounce (14 halves) | 173 | 17 | 9.8 | 4.2 |
9 Times We Just Couldn't Get Enough of Cindy Crawford and Presley Gerber's Sweet Bond
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber are the proud parents of two kids, 15-year-old daughter Kaia and 18-year-old son Presley. Good genes clearly run in the family, and both Kaia and Presley seem to be taking after their mom when it comes to their careers. Kaia has been landing fashion campaigns left and right, and Presley is signed to IMG Models and has already made his runway debut. Back in April, Presley shared the best piece of modeling advice he's received from his mom, telling ET, "'If you don't want to do something, don't do it.'" In honor of their sweet bond, take a look at Cindy and Presley's cutest moments together.
13 Times Prince Harry Was Too Sexy For His Own Good
Over the past few years, we've watched Prince Harry evolve from the wild child of the royal family to the mature, responsible prince he is today. Not only has Harry proven that he's got what it takes to become king one day, but we also can't ignore the fact that he's pretty damn hot. Between his red hair and those dreamy baby blues, it's no wonder Meghan Markle has fallen hard for the prince. Keep reading to see all the times Harry made us royally swoon.
Priyanka Chopra Regrets Endorsing Skin Lightening: "What Did I Do?"
As an international movie star and beauty icon, Priyanka Chopra models for countless brands (see: her amazing Pantene campaign). However, there's one beauty product that she wishes she'd reconsidered endorsing. In an interview with Vogue India, Priyanka admits she did a commercial for a skin whitening product earlier in her career.
"A lot of girls with a darker skin hear things like, 'Oh, poor thing, she's dark.' In India they advertise skin-lightening creams: 'Your skin's gonna get lighter in a week.' I used it [when I was very young]," Priyanka admitted, adding that her "dusky" skin color used to make her feel self-conscious. "Then when I was an actor, around my early twenties, I did a commercial for a skin-lightening cream. I was playing that girl with insecurities. And when I saw it, I was like, 'Oh sh*t. What did I do?'"
The good news is that experience inspired Priyanka to be more outspoken about self-love. She continued, "I started talking about being proud of the way I looked. I actually like my skin tone."
Considering recent reports of how harmful skin bleaching products can be, it's definitely an issue worth taking a stand against. Popular ingredients like hydroquinone are potentially carcinogenic and even banned in the European Union and Japan, while kidney- and brain-damaging mercury is found in other products to suppress the production of melanin.
Major props to Priyanka for calling out her past mistakes. It's just one more reason to love her.
16 Breathtaking Vacation Properties the British Royal Family Loves
The royal family is always criss-crossing the globe for official tours and state visits, but where they choose to spend their personal time is another matter. While the queen and Prince Philip vacation every Summer in their Scottish home Balmoral, their children and grandchildren prefer to spend their time in exotic and luxurious destinations around the world. From Africa to the US, India to the Alps, we take you on a whistle-stop tour of some of the royals' favorite holiday hangouts.
19 Storage Solutions So Chic You Won’t Believe They’re From Ikea
Ikea has long been who we've thought of for inexpensive storage options for the closet, garage, or attic. But thanks to a recent reinvigoration from designer, style guru, and all-around home/life philosopher Ilse Crawford, Ikea now offers storage solutions so chic you'll be proud to bring them out of the closet.
The best storage options can be repurposed at different points in your life - changing with you as your needs change. So look for items that can do double duty, or items that could work in more than one room: living and bedroom, or bath and kitchen. The 19 Ikea products that follow feature organic materials, simple but elegant design, and an earth-oriented color palette.
Jillian Harris Gave Her Own Home a Makeover – and It's Breathtaking
On Love It or List It Too, interior designer (and one-time Bachelorette star) Jillian Harris has no problem turning lackluster homes into dazzling spaces - but when it came to decorating her own Vancouver condo, even this pro needed a little help. "There are so many factors that come into play that it's much harder for me to decide what I want," Jillian told Wayfair, the online retailer who worked with her on the makeover. The resulting space, which Jillian uses primarily when filming her show (her main residence is in Kelowna, BC) is, in Jillian's words, "fresh, clean, and functional." This is a big change from the more feminine, vintage look the property had before.
The mom to nearly 6-month-old son Leo admits that this time around decorating was all about the baby. "I actually designed everything with Leo in mind. Even though it's still delicate and there is a ton of white, it's still baby-friendly and functional. We got rid of the knickknacks, clutter, and hard edges. We replaced them with lots of soft corners and then added some pops of color and softer finishes."
Check out how Jillian and Wayfair were able to combine fashion-forward and baby-friendly design to stunning effect ahead. Then, steal the look for your own home by shopping the exact products on Wayfair.
4 Guys You Probably Didn't Know Dated Emilia Clarke
Game of Thrones fans understandably lost their sh*t when Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) finally met this season. While Emilia and Kit are only friends in real life (Kit is currently dating his former GOT love interest, Rose Leslie), we can't help but wonder about Emilia's love life. The 30-year-old London native has previously admitted that her past movie roles and hectic schedule have made it difficult for her to date, but she certainly hasn't lost hope. "I'm soppy, and I do like to believe that when the right person comes along, it will work, because you want to make it work," she told UK's The Sun in May 2016. "Everyone else seems to manage it." Take a look back at all the men she's dated.
16 Major Dos and Don'ts at a Job Interview
Job interview coming up? Don't be nervous! Just follow these guidelines below, and you'll be fine.
Do
- Wear the right outfit: Make sure you know what the dress code is for the office. One good idea is to check with HR before the interview to get a feel of what you should wear.
- Bring copies of your résumé: Although you're sure the company has your résumé, it never fails to bring copies of your just in case your interviewer needs to look at it and doesn't have it in front of her.
- Have a nice folder for your résumé: Just so your résumé doesn't look like something cat dragged in, keep it in pristine condition in a professional-looking folder. Here are other important items to bring to an interview.
- Have the appropriate body language: Be aware of how you're carrying yourself during an interview, because your posture, eye contact, and relaxed position can impress your interviewer. Remember to sit still and straight and don't fidget. Here are more body language tips to help.
- Give the right answer to the weakness question: This could be the question that could trip you up. Be honest and give a real answer and not a cop-out one. Here are more tips on how to answer the question.
- Be on time or slightly early: Turning up five to 10 minutes early is the sweet spot for interviews. Showing up too early can make things awkward, and showing up too late is a red flag. But just because you only have to get there shortly before the interview starts doesn't mean that you can leave your house later. Plan to be near the interview spot a lot earlier than when it starts to account for unexpected delays like traffic, and hang around in a nearby coffee shop until it's close to the interview time.
- Prepare the right questions for the interviewer: Make sure you've prepared a list of good questions to ask your interviewer at the end. Pay attention throughout the interview, so you'll have questions related to what the hiring manager talked about. This shows that you're actively listening.
- Send a thank you note: Always send a thank you note (here's a good template) after the interview. This is something that's appreciated by a lot of recruiters. It's also your chance to make a final impression or clarify anything you didn't get around to in your interview.
Don't
- Think the interview is over until you walk out the door: The interview will continue until you walk out the office door, so be careful of your behavior and your words even when your hiring manager is done firing questions at you. Be polite and on top of your game when you are making casual conversation on your way out, and be nice to the receptionist.
- Get too relaxed: Your interviewer can seem like your long-lost BFF, but . . . she's not. And you shouldn't treat her like one. It's OK to be friendly, but you're still trying to make a good impression. Don't be too relaxed or you may slip up and do something that's unprofessional. She's not going to base the interview solely on how likeable you are.
- Badmouth your old job: Maybe you had a boss à la Devil Wears Prada, but your hiring manager doesn't need to know that. Badmouthing your former employer just gives off negative vibes and detracts from your professionalism.
- Be unprepared: This should be obvious, but research the company to death. Here's how. This is so you can craft your answers to fit the kind of candidate they're looking for and show that you're diligent and have done your homework.
- Address salary or benefits until the interviewer does: OK, so they are very important factors for you, but hold off until you get the job offer. Your interviewer wants to see what you can do for the company, not what's in it for you.
- Freak out if you don't know the answer: The interviewer just threw you a big curveball by asking you to do some calculations when you have a phobia of math. Don't. Freak. Out. The worst thing you can do is to clam up when you don't know an answer, because you won't be able to think clearly and may throw out a bad answer in panic. Here's what to do you if you don't know how to answer a question.
- Lie: Never, ever lie. Being found out will ruin your chances of getting the job. Plus if you make up something, you may not be able to talk at length about it without slipping up. Generally speaking, honesty is the best policy! Here are some of the common lies you need to avoid.
- Talk about your problems: You need the job to pay off your student loans, blah blah. The hiring manager does not want to hear about your 99 problems, and although you're being honest, it can come off as a pity party. You will be hired based on your qualifications, potential for success, and your fit with the culture. Everything else will be secondary to those factors.
Mark Consuelos Shares His 4 Secrets to Entertaining Like a Celebrity
With three kids, a superstar wife - he's married to Live With Kelly and Ryan star Kelly Ripa - and a jaw-dropping roster of A-list pals, actor Mark Consuelos is used to having a bustling house, especially when he and Kelly escape to their vacation home in Telluride, CO, where they love to host guests. In short, Mark is an expert at entertaining. Lucky for us, he teamed up with affordable retailer Marshalls to share his tips on how to entertain like a pro. Celebrity or not, you're sure to learn something. Check them out ahead.
Why the Battle of the Sexes Was a Big Deal in More Ways Than One
File the Battle of the Sexes backstory under "you can't make this sh*t up."
Starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell, the movie, which comes out Sept. 22, tells the true story of the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs - a national spectacle dubbed "the Battle of the Sexes" - that took place 44 years ago this month.
As a feminist and a tennis player who was raised by a feminist tennis player, I have always been fascinated with this piece of history, and the wild story definitely deserves to be made into a movie. The match was significant not only because - spoiler alert - King demolished Riggs as 90 million people watched on TV, but it also transformed women's tennis and women's sports in general.
The Impetus
Riggs, a 55-year-old former Wimbledon champion who had been off the circuit for years, put the entire event in motion. He was a proud male chauvinist who asserted that he could still beat any woman tennis player and that women belonged "in the bedroom and the kitchen."
I asked my mom what she remembered about Riggs and that moment in history. "He was just an assh*le," she said. "He did win some major tournaments back in his day, but he had a reputation for being a hustler. His time was definitely over by the time he did all that."
At the same time, women's professional tennis was still a burgeoning sport and fighting to be taken seriously. Feminism wasn't yet mainstream: a woman beating a man at tennis would be a huge step toward negating the idea that women were the weaker sex. Riggs initially challenged Wimbledon champ Billie Jean King, who was 29 at the time, but she turned him down. As King told NPR in 2008: "we had just started women's professional tennis, and it was a very difficult time for us. . . . Bobby kept saying, Play me, play me, and I said, Bobby, we're so busy, I'm so busy, I don't have time."
Instead, No. 1 women's tennis player Margaret Court accepted Riggs's challenge and lost brutally. As King told NPR, "he beat her like 6-2, 6-1. I mean, it was just annihilation, basically." When she heard how badly Riggs had beat Court, King thought, "well, I have to play him now."
The Match
Held in the Houston Astrodome, the match drew 30,000 spectators, including a number of celebrities. The Battle of the Sexes was basically the opposite of the refined Wimbledon tournament. King was carried out on an Egyptian "litter" - basically a throne - by the Rice University men's track team. She wore a tennis dress with a splash of sequins designed by Ted Tinling, a famous tennis-apparel designer. (The dress now rests in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.) Riggs wore a red and yellow shirt that said Sugar Daddy and arrived on a rickshaw surrounded by an entourage of women he called his "bosom buddies." At stake was a $100,000 prize.
Billie Jean King kicked Riggs's ass, with a final score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Riggs was wrong, and King scored a victory for womankind. Riggs conceded gracefully, admitting that King had "played too well," plain and simple. The women's pro had prepped intensely, checking out the venue ahead of time and crafting a strategy to "run him into the ground" and win the first set. King and Riggs eventually became friends, and Riggs stayed out of the limelight until his death in 1995.
Some sources later speculated that Riggs - who had a gambling problem - had purposefully thrown the match. But King called those allegations "ridiculous." My mom also finds that theory hard to believe: "I cannot believe, as cocky as he was, that he would have let her win."
The Legacy
King's victory had a lasting impact on women's tennis. In 1973, the same year as the Battle of the Sexes, King founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and for the first time in history, the US Open began offering equal prize money to male and female winners. By 2007, all Grand Slam tournaments had followed suit, thanks to the continued fight by King and other female players. The event also made King into a true sports superstar; she signed endorsement deals with Adidas, Wilson, Colgate, and more brands.
King came out as gay in 1981 and retired from tennis in 1983, after winning 12 major titles. She was also something of a visionary when it came to women's sports and women's rights: she helped start a players' union and an advocacy group for female athletes. President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, and at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, she was one of two openly gay delegates representing the US at the opening ceremony in what was widely regarded as "a clear message to Russia about its treatment of gay and lesbian citizens."
10 Exercises That Burn 200 Calories in Under 3 Minutes
If you find it hard to lose weight with your busy schedule, the news keeps getting better. First, just 20 minutes of exercise was proven to help increase your metabolism. A related study has found that working out intensely for just 2.5 minutes can spur calorie burn throughout the day - an extra 200 calories' worth.
In the 2012 study, five healthy men performed sprint interval training on a stationary bicycle (five 30-second intense intervals with four minutes of easy cycling in between). Although the men were sedentary the rest of the day, they ended up burning 200 more calories during the days they did the short bout of exercise than the days they didn't exercise at all.
Even though this was a small study, the encouraging results are reason enough to add intense intervals into your workout routine. It's also good news for those of you who can never seem to fit a full workout into your day. Here are 10 intense exercises you can do anywhere for 2.5 minutes so you too can reap the afterburn benefits. Perform these at maximum intensity; you can break them into 30-second or one-minute intervals to make it more manageable. Stick with one, or choose five to do for 30 seconds each!
10 Arm-Sculpting Exercises You Need For Your Big Day
Chances are your bridal gown will be showing off your arms on your wedding day. When you're looking to tone up and shape up for the big day (and beyond), the following exercises will help you feel your best as you walk down the aisle.
Not getting married anytime soon or already betrothed? Keep reading! These exercises offer your arms a killer workout regardless of your relationship status.
8 Ways to Eat Clean This Fall So You Can Go Ham During the Holidays
When the holidays arrive, the last thing you want to think about is dieting and eating clean, right? While it's nice to find healthier and lighter options to your favorite holiday treats, this season is a brief part of a long year, and it's nice to just take part in the once-a-year indulgences.
If you're still stressed about the effect it might have on your health (and weight-loss progress), we have some tips on how you can head into said season of decadence with a little less worry. Here are a few ways to clean up your diet NOW so you can feel free as a bird when you're sipping eggnog and scooping mashed potatoes.
- Get Your Digestion in Check. Certain Fall foods can actually debloat and aid in digestion. Get your body feeling regular with turmeric, celery, and even miso soup. You can also try to add in probiotics and eat fermented foods to give your gut health a boost.
- Eat in Season. Take advantage of the health benefits of Fall produce and flavors with healthy Fall recipes that will give you an energy boost while keeping your diet nice and clean.
- Sip All the Tea. Heat up tea when the weather gets chilly. It'll benefit your health in so many ways, in addition to offering a cozy comfort. From losing weight to clearing your skin to helping you debloat, there's not much tea can't do. Not a big tea person? Try fun flavors like pumpkin chai or strawberry rhubarb parfait (two of our favorites!).
- Use That Slow Cooker. Save time with your clean-eating endeavors and celebrate the season by making healthy slow-cooker recipes. Because eating clean doesn't always mean eating salad.
- Drink More Water. Give yourself reminders to drink more water. It'll not only keep you feeling fresh and energized, but it can also mitigate unnecessary eating (sometimes we confuse dehydration for hunger and eat when we really should just sip some more H2O).
- Avoid Hidden Sugars. We're guessing that if you're going to eat sugar, you'd rather have sugar in a delicious pastry or dessert than hidden sugar in dressing or spaghetti sauce, right? Read your labels and choose wisely so you can feel better about your sugary holiday indulgences.
- Greens, greens, greens. Now is the time to add in more vegetables and get the nutrients you need so you can head into Thanksgiving and beyond with your nutrition on point. Add vegetables to your breakfast, experiment with new kinds you haven't tried, and decorate your plate with an assortment of colors to reap all the health benefits. You'll thank yourself later in the season when you're on your third helping of your aunt's prize-winning mac and cheese.
- Get Moving. OK, so this one is less of an eating tip, but a postmeal brisk walk can be one of the best ways to burn calories and will help your body digest, too!
Experts Explain the Best Way to Deal With Racist Friends and Family
You know those social media friends. They post something racially charged about Black Lives Matter, immigration, or Colin Kaepernick on Facebook and make you wonder: what should I do? Call them out in the comments? Send a private message? Hide them? Unfriend them? Keep scrolling? Even if you do nothing, you now know that you have wildly different opinions or values. How do you deal with them in person next time you see them, say, around the next family BBQ?
Calling out people doesn't work.
Hoping to get some advice for anyone who has considered how to maintain their conscience and relationships in this charged political environment, I turned to two experts: Dr. Ange-Marie Hancock, who studies political engagement, race, and millennials at USC, and Reverend Ron Buford, who started a Racists Anonymous group at his church in Northern California with the hopes of acknowledging and ending prejudice and unconscious bias among his community. Both agree: calling out people doesn't work.
Sometimes It's OK to Do Nothing
You may feel a duty to educate your friends or family when they say something offensive, but Dr. Hancock said it's not always necessary. "You should do a self-check to ask: am I really the one to have this conversation with this person?" Hancock said we have to protect ourselves first and make sure we have the energy and real potential to make a difference. If a comment or topic is triggering or emotionally draining for you, it's OK to do nothing. As she points out, it would take more than a 24/7 job to address everything upsetting online.
Don't Assume the Worst
If you do have the energy for a productive conversation online, Hancock said you should consider the best way to communicate. "Often we comment on the post, and it's public for everybody to see," she said. "That will turn into shaming or putting people on blast." Instead, Hancock recommends direct messaging. "You can have a different level of conversation with that one individual rather than participating in call-out culture."
So what should you say in a private message about an offensive comment? Hancock recommends coming from a place of understanding. "Trying to change people's minds usually starts with trying to understand people's minds," Hancock explained. She said you shouldn't try to "correct" anyone, but instead suggested writing, "I'm not sure if you know that this post had an impact on me." The "I'm not sure if you know" language is crucial. Hancock explained, "Lots of times people unthinkingly repost. They just saw the headline and didn't think it through." If you start by explaining how the issue impacts you, it will come off as less accusatory and you may be surprised how receptive they are to it.
If you start by explaining how the issue impacts you, it will come off as less accusatory.
Rev. Buford agrees. His church turned to the 12-step model in order to increase mindfulness about how everyone holds prejudices. "The idea is, first of all, let's take the guilt and shame out of it," he explained. Realizing that you too hold some biases can help you communicate with your loved ones when they present their own. "When you create that common ground, it's not so confrontational, and people are willing to approach it." He did this himself by being more mindful of his own prejudices. "I had to look at my own racism," he admitted. "When you're thinking about it all day long and somebody cuts you off and they're an Asian driver and you make some thought, you say, 'Oops, there it is!'"
Know the Time and the Place
When you know you're on the right side of an issue, it can be hard to bite your tongue when it comes up in person. It may feel that you are tacitly agreeing with a racist joke or stereotype. But Hancock lets you off the hook. She said confronting someone who makes an inappropriate comment at the dinner table, for example, puts everyone in a difficult situation. She suggests having a conversation in a different setting, again coming from a place of trying to understand and explain your feelings. And, she said, sometimes it's good enough to simply change the subject when something offensive gets brought up. Not laughing along will send a clear enough message and model to others that it's not funny.
"There's no way to confront someone in the moment and think you're going to change their mind," Hancock told me. She gave me the example of her father, who long had narrow views on LGBT rights. Hancock's mother and aunt took a years-long approach to opening his mind, and it finally worked. They got there by engaging in genuine conversations about their different views and avoiding name-calling and high-energy call-out situations. Hancock told me, "People who are saying offensive things have probably felt like that for a very long time. So it's going to take a while."
Lead by Example
If the idea of doing nothing to confront racial bias in your community is unacceptable to you, both Hancock and Buford agree there is something you can do: work on yourself. Calling out someone on Facebook, Buford reminded us, will have less of an impact than making changes in your own life or with your family. The point of his Racists Anonymous group is to raise the standards for others, but most importantly, the people who participate in it. And "racists" aren't always the people you imagine. Buford shares this story:
"I'm a pastor, but I'm also gay. I did some work with the Human Rights Campaign (an LGBT advocacy group). One of the questions they had was why their big HRC dinners were mostly white. After looking at it closely with them, I told them: the real core problem is that your circle of friends is all white. That's a problem for confronting racism with kids, too. They have diversity in school, but then they come home to an all-white circle of friends and family. One woman said to me, 'Well, I just don't see any black people. I don't see any people of color.' And I said, 'Yes you do. You just don't notice them.' So we started doing a contest. And I said, 'OK let's keep track of how many people of color we see this week.' And by the middle of the week, they all wrote to me and said, 'OK, you can stop the contest! You were right.'"
Buford's point is that even people who have the best intentions have biases. "When you confront something on the internet you don't like," he said to "use that as inspiration to work on yourself."
Avoid Shaming at All Costs
"Trying to change people's minds usually starts with trying to understand people's minds."
Rev. Buford cited a recent study from the Journal of Consumer Psychology as informative to how he handles difficult conversations. The study suggested that when a friend calls out someone for buying jeans produced with child labor, for example, the shamed friend is less likely to take the message to heart. The study's author, Rebecca Walter Reczek, told NPR, "It's a threat to your sense of self, to your identity. So to recover from that, you put the other person down." She continued, "To get people to be more ethical, do not ever present your message as, 'If you're not doing this, you're a bad person.' All that's going to do is to make the person reading the message say, 'You're a lunatic and I'm ignoring you.'" This reaffirms Hancock's advice: focus on how the issue impacts you.
Next time you get upset by a racially insensitive comment, remember your options. You can ignore it. You can privately message them and explain how it makes you feel. You can take them aside in person and do the same. You can continue to patiently expose them to more open-minded perspectives. And finally, you can consider how to address your own biases.
Target Wants to Upcycle Your Old Car Seats in Exchange For a Discount
Target is looking to make your cleaning efforts a bit easier this September by offering to take old car seats off your hands. In exchange for the used seats, the company will give you a 20 percent discount on a new seat of your choice in honor of National Baby Safety Month.
The trade-in program, which will take place in Target stores from September 10 to 23, 2017, is in partnership with TerraCycle - a company that recycles hard-to-recycle waste - which will work to upcycle the old car seats into new products. Through the initiative, Target believes it will "keep more than 700,000 pounds of car seat materials out of landfills."
"In honor of Earth Month, we wanted to make it easy for guests to do something positive for the planet and their communities," Target's chief sustainability officer, Jennifer Silberman, said back in April 2017 before the program's first go-round. "We love this opportunity to give families an environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted car seats and get the new ones they need . . . " Earlier this year, 80,000 car seats were recycled in honor of Earth Day.
If you're excited about this program and are planning to take full advantage of the coupon that comes with the trade-in, check out Target's lineup of car seats available to choose from while you wait for September 10 to roll around (your coupon will only be valid until Oct. 7, 2017, so be ready!).
Why the Battle of the Sexes Was a Big Deal in More Ways Than One
File the Battle of the Sexes backstory under "you can't make this sh*t up."
Starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell, the movie, which comes out Sept. 22, tells the true story of the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs - a national spectacle dubbed "the Battle of the Sexes" - that took place 44 years ago this month.
As a feminist and a tennis player who was raised by a feminist tennis player, I have always been fascinated with this piece of history, and the wild story definitely deserves to be made into a movie. The match was significant not only because - spoiler alert - King demolished Riggs as 90 million people watched on TV, but it also transformed women's tennis and women's sports in general.
The Impetus
Riggs, a 55-year-old former Wimbledon champion who had been off the circuit for years, put the entire event in motion. He was a proud male chauvinist who asserted that he could still beat any woman tennis player and that women belonged "in the bedroom and the kitchen."
I asked my mom what she remembered about Riggs and that moment in history. "He was just an assh*le," she said. "He did win some major tournaments back in his day, but he had a reputation for being a hustler. His time was definitely over by the time he did all that."
At the same time, women's professional tennis was still a burgeoning sport and fighting to be taken seriously. Feminism wasn't yet mainstream: a woman beating a man at tennis would be a huge step toward negating the idea that women were the weaker sex. Riggs initially challenged Wimbledon champ Billie Jean King, who was 29 at the time, but she turned him down. As King told NPR in 2008: "we had just started women's professional tennis, and it was a very difficult time for us. . . . Bobby kept saying, Play me, play me, and I said, Bobby, we're so busy, I'm so busy, I don't have time."
Instead, No. 1 women's tennis player Margaret Court accepted Riggs's challenge and lost brutally. As King told NPR, "he beat her like 6-2, 6-1. I mean, it was just annihilation, basically." When she heard how badly Riggs had beat Court, King thought, "well, I have to play him now."
The Match
Held in the Houston Astrodome, the match drew 30,000 spectators, including a number of celebrities. The Battle of the Sexes was basically the opposite of the refined Wimbledon tournament. King was carried out on an Egyptian "litter" - basically a throne - by the Rice University men's track team. She wore a tennis dress with a splash of sequins designed by Ted Tinling, a famous tennis-apparel designer. (The dress now rests in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.) Riggs wore a red and yellow shirt that said Sugar Daddy and arrived on a rickshaw surrounded by an entourage of women he called his "bosom buddies." At stake was a $100,000 prize.
Billie Jean King kicked Riggs's ass, with a final score of 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Riggs was wrong, and King scored a victory for womankind. Riggs conceded gracefully, admitting that King had "played too well," plain and simple. The women's pro had prepped intensely, checking out the venue ahead of time and crafting a strategy to "run him into the ground" and win the first set. King and Riggs eventually became friends, and Riggs stayed out of the limelight until his death in 1995.
Some sources later speculated that Riggs - who had a gambling problem - had purposefully thrown the match. But King called those allegations "ridiculous." My mom also finds that theory hard to believe: "I cannot believe, as cocky as he was, that he would have let her win."
The Legacy
King's victory had a lasting impact on women's tennis. In 1973, the same year as the Battle of the Sexes, King founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and for the first time in history, the US Open began offering equal prize money to male and female winners. By 2007, all Grand Slam tournaments had followed suit, thanks to the continued fight by King and other female players. The event also made King into a true sports superstar; she signed endorsement deals with Adidas, Wilson, Colgate, and more brands.
King came out as gay in 1981 and retired from tennis in 1983, after winning 12 major titles. She was also something of a visionary when it came to women's sports and women's rights: she helped start a players' union and an advocacy group for female athletes. President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, and at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, she was one of two openly gay delegates representing the US at the opening ceremony in what was widely regarded as "a clear message to Russia about its treatment of gay and lesbian citizens."
Dan Stevens and His Beautiful Eyes Are Starring in Your Early Christmas Gift
Dan Stevens might have handed in the keys to the Beast's castle, but that doesn't mean he's done bringing some of literature's most nostalgic stories to life. The Beauty and the Beast actor stars in The Man Who Invented Christmas, a charming look at how Charles Dickens first got the idea for his iconic A Christmas Carol back in 1843. Don't expect some stuffy biopic, though - the beloved tale truly comes to life when Christopher Plummer pops up as Ebenezer Scrooge. Check out the trailer above, and catch it when it hits theaters on Nov. 22!
Angelina Jolie Says She Doesn't Enjoy Being Single: "It's Not Something I Wanted"
Angelina Jolie may have filed for divorce from Brad Pitt back in September 2016, but she isn't exactly loving the single life. During a recent interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the actress opened up about how hard this past year has been for her. "Sometimes maybe it appears I am pulling it all together. But really I am just trying to get through my days," she said. "I don't enjoy being single. It's not something I wanted. There's nothing nice about it. It's just hard."
After undergoing a double mastectomy in 2013, Angelina revealed in July that she developed Bell's palsy (a condition resulting from damage to facial nerves), as well as hypertension. "Emotionally it's been a very difficult year," she explained. "And I have some other health issues. So, my health is something I have to monitor. I feel sometimes that my body has taken a hit, but I try to laugh as much as possible. We tend to get so stressed that our children feel our stress when they need to feel our joy. Even if you are going through chemo, you need to find the ability to love and laugh. It may sound like a postcard, but it's true."
The Best Gifts For Tweens
Not little kids, but not quite teens, tweens can be a difficult group to please when it comes to holiday shopping. But with our list of gifts, you're sure to get a smile from the biggest kids (but don't call them that!) in your life. From gifts for sports fanatics to mini fashionistas, these presents are perfect for your middle schooler who can't wait to grow up but still can't resist a cool toy or two.
Dan Stevens and His Beautiful Eyes Are Starring in Your Early Christmas Gift
Dan Stevens might have handed in the keys to the Beast's castle, but that doesn't mean he's done bringing some of literature's most nostalgic stories to life. The Beauty and the Beast actor stars in The Man Who Invented Christmas, a charming look at how Charles Dickens first got the idea for his iconic A Christmas Carol back in 1843. Don't expect some stuffy biopic, though - the beloved tale truly comes to life when Christopher Plummer pops up as Ebenezer Scrooge. Check out the trailer above, and catch it when it hits theaters on Nov. 22!
28 Shoulder Tattoo Ideas You'll Totally Want to Wear on Your Sleeve
There's a time and a place for hidden tattoos, but sometimes the tattoo in question deserves a spot more in the, well, spotlight. If you're bold enough to try the armpit tattoo trend, by all means, be my guest. But if you're going for something more traditional, your shoulder could be just the spot.
Don't know what you want yet? Whether you're filling a sleeve or your body is still a blank canvas, these shoulder tattoo ideas can help you figure out how you want to paint it.
With Just $250, 1 Woman Completely Transformed Her Drab Kitchen
When Avery Michaels moved into her early 20th century home located in a small town in Iowa, she couldn't have been more grateful. See, her husband is a pastor and his church kindly allowed for the couple to live in the home free of charge. While the craftsman-style home is full of original details from the early 20th century, the kitchen was remodeled in the '80s - and it showed.
Fortunately, the blogger and Etsy seller was able to use her creativity to completely transform the kitchen at a remarkably low cost. In a recent blog post, Avery detailed her process.
Avery started off by degreasing the cabinets to prep them for a fresh coat of bright paint. She then applied two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in two colors: Pure White and Duck Egg Blue. In addition to painting the cupboards, Avery painted the window frame, the backsplash, and all of the walls. She also installed chic gold hardware. To avoid the expense of installing new flooring, Avery got creative and added a large rug.
Ultimately, Avery didn't have to replace any fixtures or appliances. So the total cost of her DIY remodel ended up coming in at under $250. Ahead, see the shocking before-and-after pictures that'll make you think you're looking at two entirely different kitchens.
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