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 16 août 2018
I Channeled Kendall Jenner - and Went Braless at Work
I hopped off the bus in Times Square and started to walk toward the office. That's when he saw me. He shook his head back and forth slowly as he stared down at my chest. "Why do you do that?" the man moaned loudly. Yes, seriously. I sped up into a walk-run, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious.
I was wearing a sleeveless turtleneck in a fuzzy mustard-colored material so as to distract from my nipples as much as possible. Clearly, it wasn't really working. Plus, a bathroom selfie I had taken in the mirror that morning confirmed it was definitely easy to make out the shape of my boobs. But when I left the house, I had been comfortable. There were no bra straps to slip off my shoulders or underwire to adjust when it dug into my skin. Honestly, I kind of liked the look. I thought my outfit - the aforementioned turtleneck plus a denim skirt with a pair of sneakers - appeared effortless. I added a pair of gold hoop earrings too, which said "polished," but my nipples were just like "whatever." "Is this how it feels to dress like a French girl?" I wondered.
But you should know the reason I decided to ditch a bra in the first place. During a brainstorm with my coworkers, I came up with the idea as an "editor experiment" based on the fact that Kendall Jenner has been all about wearing sheer tops that expose her nipple ring and supermodel sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid have followed suit. (The Hadid sisters don't have nipple rings, but they do have nipples.) And even though these ladies are more well-endowed than I am, they seem very nonchalant about going braless. When I look at their street style shots, I want to put on an outfit that appears to be so easy. "So who's going to try it?" I challenged, looking around the room during our meeting. "Why don't you do it?" someone said. Right. I had unknowingly volunteered myself to go braless, and at that point, I couldn't turn back.
So there I was the next day in a black button-down cardigan - one I usually wear with my Victoria's Secret Bombshell push-up bra. But on this day, there was more of just a sag situation going on. I styled my sweater with cropped high-waisted denim, pointed-toe flats, and artsy earrings I always get compliments on. I wasn't trying to distract from my breasts, but I was, perhaps, trying to channel Audrey Hepburn.
"I can totally tell you're not wearing a bra," my mom blurted out at dinner on this night, as we sat around the table with my cousin who was visiting, my boyfriend (who probably doesn't love that I'm writing a Tale of Two Titties to be posted online), my sister, my grandma (who doesn't even remember where she keeps her bras or what they're for), and, oh yeah, my dad. "Yes, I guess that's the point." I said, again feeling sort of uncomfortable that everyone was now staring at my chest. We're a supercasual family, so it's not like this was such a big deal. But I guess I was surprised by how often people were taking note - even when I was wearing black.
I took a final stance on going braless when the weekend came, and I was able to style my "going out" outfits more easily. Since a night out to dinner with Bae called for a pretty little sundress with complicated bow straps, it felt like such a relief not to have to worry about the placement of stick-on boobs, or as some girls call them, "chicken cutlets." There was zero panic about those guys peeking out from the sides or the top of my dress, and no chance of them slipping down when I started to sweat (partly because it's Summer and partly because the Cioppino sauce was supposed to be spicy).
Later that night, I changed into a floral tube top that cinches into a bow at the front and would absolutely have revealed all different smidgens of my bra or bralette if I had attempted to wear one. I threw on the flirty top with cutoffs and sandals and danced the night away. It felt so easy! "This is it! I am French!" I thought to myself as I kicked it to "Despacito" at the bar. Some of the people I am friends with and spend time with on the weekend did notice I wasn't wearing a bra. Jokingly, they called me names like "Titties McGee," which felt a little bit demeaning to me, but in their defense, I told them all about my experiment, and they were very supportive.
All in all, going braless is far less manageable at the workplace. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when I was sitting in meetings with the AC blasting and my nipples were the most excited things in the room. But going braless on the weekend? Now that I can get behind - I even think it looks more elegant to make the move with a fancy gown at a wedding. Because really, messing around with boob tape is never fun, and it can cause wardrobe malfunctions and straight-up inconvenience when you're just trying to enjoy the shrimp cocktail instead of having to run to the bathroom every five minutes.
That said, going braless isn't for everyone. There are women who truly need the support of a bra on an everyday basis, and luckily for them, the look is definitely more sleek, polished, and clean. Nevertheless, I don't mind a good fashion experiment every now and then. I could have done without the 8:30 a.m. comments from the man who interrupted my walk to work, but it did help me to draw conclusions about how I felt without a bra on. I do think going a full week without one helped me feel more confident in my own skin.
Not that bra size is of much importance to me, but as a 32A, I wouldn't mind being, like, one cup size bigger. It'd be nice to fill out a bodyhugging top with a plunging neckline, instead of swimming in the material or having to secure a safety pin behind my neck to hold things in place. And I'd love to wear one of those retro-style swimsuits with a half-moon cup and underwire that provides lift. Unfortunately, I don't really have much of anything to "lift." Even so, my boobs became more visible to me during the week I went braless. As soon as I took off my shirt at the end of the day, there they were!
I discovered the natural shape of my boobs, too, because I was always staring right at them when I looked in the mirror. It turns out my boobs aren't perfect minicircles, as they appear to be when I'm wearing a bra. Without a bra, I had to support my own breasts, and I did this by wearing my head high and shrugging off the double takes and widened eyes of the people I passed on the street. I did this by paying attention to my posture. Instead of slouching, I stood up straight. Instead of hunching over at my desk, I perked my head up and rolled my shoulders back. The whole week was a sort of lesson in poise for me, and I'm proud of myself for sticking through it. I'm proud of my boobs, too.
Wow! Ariana Grande Belts It Out With James Corden During Their Carpool Karaoke
It's impossible to avoid being wowed by Ariana Grande and her vocal chops. Days after her incredible Titanic performance on The Late Late Show, the 25-year-old singer buckled up for Carpool Karaoke with James Corden, and thanks to the full video released on Aug. 15, we're floored once again by her natural talent. It looks like the duo had the time of their lives filming together, as Ariana taught James a thing or two about singing, and he returned the favor by carrying her on his back into Starbucks. She'll take one soy latte please - and make it a "grande," naturally.
When the two weren't cracking up together, they ran through some of Ariana's most popular songs like "Side to Side" and the newly released "God Is a Woman." After the video aired, Ariana tweeted at James and said their time together was "the most fun ever." Fingers crossed they team up again in the future, with even more songs from her upcoming album Sweetener!
OMG, Aldi Is Bringing Its Wine Advent Calendar to the US This Year - Mark Your Calendars!
Wine-lovers everywhere experienced the ultimate high and low last year after learning that Aldi's wine Advent calendar existed - but only in the UK. Well, guess what, fellow Americans? This is our year, because it's officially coming to the US! Pour yourself a glass and allow that to sink in, because we'll have to wait until November to actually experience it.
The epic, adults-only Advent calendar - chocolate who? - comes with 24 miniature bottles of red, white, and bubbly wines including Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, and Malbec, according to Food and Wine. It's available to purchase in US Aldi stores starting on Nov. 7 for $70, so if this is already on your holiday wishlist, I suggest marking your calendar. This will absolutely sell out fast! Aldi knows that nothing goes with wine quite like cheese, so there's also a new cheese Advent calendar coming our way for $13. Wow, can we skip straight to December?
Don't You Dare Head Back to College Without These 14 Essentials
Can you believe it's already time to head back to school? Neither can we. Starting a new school year is exciting, and if you start the term out organized, there's a much greater chance you'll stay organized as the year goes on. Urban Outfitters, aka the mothership for so many college students, has everything you need to go back to school prepared and stylish, from fun notebooks to chic storage solutions. Now, if someone borrows a pencil, they'll definitely know it's yours.
Real-Life Disneyland Belle Marries Her Prince in This Beauty and the Beast Shoot
Disney enthusiasts, rejoice! This magical wedding will truly inspire you. Disney-loving professionals united and created a Beauty and the Beast-inspired styled shoot that brings Walt Disney's classic to life. All props and details - including a castle setting - perfectly incorporate the nostalgic scenes we all know and love. The collaboration was so authentic to its source material that the model in this shoot is a real-life Belle at Disneyland! "She had Belle's look and mannerisms down, down to the princess gestures," photographer Leah Hsieh noted. Check out the images ahead to see what Belle's wedding would have looked like, and let us know if you can spot the hidden Mickeys . . .
38 Tasty Vegan Recipes For Meat Eaters Who Are Trying to Cut Back on Animal Products
There are a lot of benefits to eating less meat - lower risk for heart disease and cancer, better digestion, and less stress on the environment, for instance. If you're trying to cut back on animal products as an omnivore or you're just looking for some dishes that are free from meat and dairy, we've rounded up our favorite vegan recipes that are as delicious as they are healthy. They're so tasty, in fact, that you'll probably forget what meat even tastes like!
This Dietitian Explains Why Magnesium Is So Important on the Keto Diet
If you're interested in trying the keto diet, then you've probably researched all the food you can and can't eat, how you should count carbs, and which exercises you should do. But while you're all set with food, you may need to add supplements to your diet - specifically, magnesium. This is especially important if you are doing a vegan keto diet. Magnesium is vital for your body to function properly.
"Magnesium is critical for the function of every nerve and muscle in your body," registered dietitian Sarah Koenck, member of the clinical team at Virta Health, told POPSUGAR. "Without adequate levels of magnesium, you can experience symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue, and even abnormal heart rhythm."
Since magnesium is found in real food, Koenck explained that it tends to be deficient in the standard American diet, which is high in processed foods. If people are starting the keto diet from a standard American diet, they may already be low in this valuable nutrient. They may also be low in magnesium if they are taking a diuretic medication for blood pressure or drink a lot of alcohol.
Luckily, most people get adequate magnesium through their diet; it's available in leafy greens and nuts. However, if you're doing a keto diet as a vegan or vegetarian, you may need to supplement, since other foods such as meat, dairy, and bone broth are high in magnesium. Other higher-carb foods that are high in magnesium include whole grains, beans, and bananas, which are virtually off-limits for anyone on the keto diet.
If you're not doing a plant-based keto diet, you probably don't need to supplement with magnesium regularly, unless you experience signs of magnesium depletion: muscle cramps, twitches, or spasms and low blood potassium levels.
"If a patient experiences symptoms of magnesium depletion, daily supplementation is recommended, or a cycle of magnesium 'loading' and then a maintenance dose once symptoms cease," Koenck said. When it comes to supplementation, she recommends magnesium chloride, but not magnesium oxide. Adult women between the ages of 19 to 30 should get 310 milligrams of magnesium a day, while adults 31 and older should have 320 milligrams, according to Healthline
Be sure to talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before making any serious dietary changes. Although a ketogenic diet has helped people lose weight and transform their lives, it should be done so under medical supervision.
The 7 Most Important Body Positivity Lessons I've Learned Over the Years
As someone who's struggled with body image her entire life (or all of the life I can remember), it's been a long journey towards finally living without shame. It's taken me years to learn this for myself, and I decided to share the body positivity lessons I've learned over the years. The sooner you take this in, the sooner you'll leave all that negative baggage in the past!
- Everyone is insecure about their body in some way.
I learned this when I was working in an NYC fashion showroom. It didn't matter if my client was a size two or 22 - every single one of them had that "problem area" that their eye went to first, and almost 100 percent of the time I truly didn't see what they were seeing in the mirror. Does this discount the personal battle that every person has with their reflection everyday? No. But I do think we all could benefit from knowing that we aren't alone in our insecurities, and our biggest insecurities are usually just that: OUR insecurities. No one else is even paying attention - in a good way. - Follow people on social media who look like you.
I think the first step of my body positivity journey came when I started following curvy girls on Instagram. Sometimes all it takes is seeing people absolutely rock outfits you wouldn't dream of wearing to give you that boost of courage. And you'll learn things you didn't think you would, which leads us to our next lesson. - Hiding your body in baggy clothing isn't as flattering as you might think it is.
All it takes is a few scrolls through Instagram to see that form-fitting clothes will actually flatter your body! So step away from the billowy fabric and stop wearing those oversize sweaters, especially if you're choosing those clothes out of insecurity. Of course, if you're more comfortable wearing those baggy clothes, as I am, by all means go ahead! But if you're only dressing like that because you don't think you're "fill-in-the-blank" enough to pull it off, then shut out that voice in your head and express your sartorial self! - Don't assume it's always about you.
Hear me out. We all have those friends or peers who are always talking about their weight, diet, etc. I used to hear people talking like that and immediately assume they were throwing me hints. Even in class, when there would be a fat character in a book we were reading, I worried my classmates would be thinking about me. Just the other day my two friends walked by and were tempted by a plate of food, but said, "No. We can't. We're being skinny this week." Immediately I was embarrassed that I was standing there, decidedly not "being skinny this week." And then I remembered that people are really only thinking, worrying, or caring about themselves. So if you hear a passing comment that excites those demons in your head, remember that those people are battling their own demons, and how sad for them that they have to be "skinny" this week! - There is such a thing as being big-boned.
I always felt different growing up because I was significantly taller and larger than all of my peers. It sucked. But it wasn't until I walked past two dogs together - an English Bulldog and a Greyhound - that I realized some people (or dogs) are just naturally really tiny and some are naturally large. Neither is better or worse, it's just anatomy. (And I personally think bulldogs are much cuter.) - Don't idolize the ultra-thin.
What some people don't understand when they're labeling people "fat" is that the opposite end of the spectrum is not always "healthy." All I'm saying here is that no good ever comes from judging someone by their size. A person might call someone "fat" who works out everyday and eats a healthy, balanced diet. Meanwhile, you might look at a ridiculously thin person and call it #bodygoals, but that body could be very unhealthily attained - which indicates poor physical health and even poorer mental health. So the people who look perfect might not be, and vice versa. Don't assume anything about a person's character by their body size. Especially yourself. - It really is all about confidence.
This is the hardest step for me, because it takes constant work and upkeep. But the power of confidence is undeniable. We've all seen those people who by no means have out-of-the-ordinary looks, and yet they light up a room. And that only comes from confidence. If you're feeling yourself in an outfit, that will come across! Don't be afraid to be one of those lucky people who don't doubt themselves. If you're thinking about how much you hate your arms, others will pick up on that discomfort.
I encourage you to continue to release yourself from the chains of negative self-image! You're worth so much more than that.
Nosh on These 35 Protein-Packed Snacks to Help You Hit Your Weight-Loss Goals
Experts recommend snacking on six to 10 grams of protein to help you stay fuller longer. You can also use snack time as a way to get more protein if you're having trouble meeting your daily quota. Here are 35 protein-packed snack recipes to satisfy your salty, sweet, creamy, or crunchy cravings.
I'm a Trainer, and This Is Why I Want You to Stop Training For Aesthetics to Transform Your Body
As a trainer and someone who's immersed in the world of fitness, one of the most common things I see people training for is aesthetics. Don't get me wrong - I fully support people wanting to look and feel their best, but whenever I hear people training for the sole purpose of getting "skinnier arms" - aka trying to spot-reduce - I cringe. It's not that I don't think you shouldn't want to work on and improve specific areas; it's the mentality that comes with it. Instead of obsessing over areas that "need improvement," I wish people would start training for performance and function.
I played sports my entire life, and one thing I have to credit my coaches for is the relationship they taught my teammates and I to have with our bodies as young women. I've heard disturbing stories of coaches telling their athletes they need to lose weight and eat less if they want to be the best, and I'm so thankful I never had to experience those negative remarks. Instead, my coaches taught me that my body had a specific purpose: to be powerful and fast, and that's what I was training for.
For example, I remember the day my teammate and I discovered we had stretch marks - I was 10 years old. It was a blistering, dry afternoon in Arizona, we were both in Soffe shorts (before cute workout gear was a thing), and we were talking about the weird lines we had found on our butt and legs. Curious as to what those marks meant, we showed our discovery to our coach. He could have easily dismissed our concerns or told us we were gaining weight, but instead, he told us that they were a sign of a strength. He said that our stretch marks were proof that we were building muscle, getting stronger and faster. After that day, we never worried about our stretch marks again. Our goal was to be the best sprinters possible, even if that meant acquiring stretch marks along the way.
Over the years, my coaches encouraged us to not worry about how our bodies looked, but how our bodies performed. They wanted us to focus on the bigger picture - how our biceps, glutes, hamstrings, back, abs, and the rest of our muscles worked together helping us as athletes and in our day-to-day lives. We were taught to train for function and performance - speed, explosive power, balance, agility, mental strength - not for our arms to look a specific way.
Whenever I hear people obsessing over "fixing" specific areas on their body, I always revert back to that story with hopes of changing their thought process. Fitness is about more than losing belly fat. And if you switch your mindset from training for looks to training for function and performance, you'd be surprised at how your body transforms overall. By training for a specific function like running faster, being able to walk up 10 flights of stairs without feeling exhausted, and squatting more than 75 pounds, you'll have to work multiple muscle groups in your body, which will not only target "problem areas," but help improve your overall fitness levels.
I'm not saying completely forget about wanting your butt to look better - there's a time and place for that type of motivation. What I'm saying is that by focusing on the bigger picture - function and performance - you'll ultimately achieve your original goal and then some.
Back to Basics: This Fundamental Workout Will Help You Strengthen at Any Level
Introducing strength training into your workouts can definitely seem like an intimidating move, but there are plenty of ways to ease into this new part of your fitness journey. For one, you don't have to jump straight into barbell work. Strength training encompasses bodyweight exercises that can also be enhanced with dumbbells. To help you narrow down your routine to the best beginner moves, Corey Phelps, nutrition expert, NASM personal trainer, certified BASI Pilates teacher, TRX and Spinning instructor, and creator of the fitness app Cultivate365, shared a strengthening workout that can help any level master fundamental movements.
Corey's biggest recommendation: "Keep it simple, start small, and build from there," she told POPSUGAR. "If you do too much in the beginning, you may end up overly sore, which can be discouraging and ultimately hinder you from keeping a consistent schedule."
Her workout below targets major muscle groups and serves as a helpful way to measure your progress. Once you're able to complete 15 reps with ease, it's time to move onto heavier weights.
The workout:
- Squats
- Walking lunges
- Shoulder presses
- Bicep curls
- Overhead triceps extensions
- Reverse abdominal crunches
Complete 10 to 12 reps for each move for a total of four sets. Not challenging enough? Increase your reps to 12 to 15 for a total of five sets.
See the moves ahead!
The 1 Full-Body Strength-Training Move Most People Neglect, According to This Trainer
Image Source: Burst / Shopify Partners
Ready to meet an all-around smart exercise that offers a laundry list of amazing benefits? Great, let's talk about the viking press, a versatile move that Westin's Global Run Concierge Chris Heuisler says is one people shouldn't neglect. The viking press is essentially a kneeling, twisted-overhead press. Here are several reasons you should incorporate it into your workouts, according to Chris:
- It works your butt and core (especially your external obliques).
- It naturally tones your shoulders.
- It moves you transversely.
- It elevates your heart rate.
Sounds awesome, right? Most of your power comes from the transverse (horizontal) plane, making rotational movements especially important in your workouts. For example, a straight jab doesn't generate as much power as a hook would because it doesn't generate as much momentum. But according to Chris, "We don't move like that anymore. If you've ever seen kids move, what they're not doing is what we're doing every day, which is going in a straight path. That's actually to our disadvantage."
The viking press helps combat that as it calls for a complete rotation and lengthens your entire body. "I'm teaching my body how to stabilize in transverse," he told POPSUGAR. "My right glute has to connect to my core to make this work, otherwise if that's off, my stability is off. You have to have stability before you have mobility."
How to Do It
- Begin in a kneeling lunge, keeping your left leg bent in a 90-degree angle and your right leg bent perpendicular to the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell slightly in front of your chest.
- Squeeze your glute, open your hip, and rotate your body to the left side, reaching up for the ceiling.
- Come back down in a slow, controlled movement to the front.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Nicole Yi
This move can also be completed with a kettlebell by turning it upside down.
A Trainer Says Doing This Style of Cardio Will Sculpt and Tone Your Booty
Did you know the gluteal muscles are among the most underused and undertrained muscles in the body? Crazy, right? One of the common causes of dormant butt syndrome, as some like to call it, is sitting. Yes, sitting. When you sit for extended periods of time (you may want to stand up now and continue reading this), your hip flexors tighten and your glute muscles turn off.
The good news is you can begin correcting and activating your booty muscles today (and start getting those gains). It's 100 percent OK to train your butt every day, just be sure to mix up the stimulus in order to prevent over-training and injury. If you're new to strength training, you'll want to begin with no more than three strength sessions a week, in order to allow your body to adapt to the new stimulus. Once you become comfortable with the movements and aren't extremely sore, you can begin to advance your programs.
Personal trainer Ryan Read has transformed a butt or two and told POPSUGAR that he likes to add walking on a treadmill at an incline into his programs to help with booty gains. "I base my whole program on building and burning," he said. "I have my girls lift heavy weights to build muscle and do incline and resistance cardio to burn calories and tone." Ryan said that the combination of lifting heavy weights and doing resisted cardio are "key to getting the lean, full look girls want."
How exactly does walking on an incline help? Glad you asked. Ryan said that it allows the glutes to stay involved while keeping the heart rate elevated and burning calories. "It's highly intense, fast-paced, and makes for a great workout to keep the muscles guessing, which is key to growth."
Start sculpting your booty today with Ryan's butt-transforming workout. And as a bonus, begin implementing these exercises into your strength sessions to really see a change in your assets.
Is Your Mouth Tingly After Eating an Apple? Do Your Ears Itch After Biting a Banana? Here's Why
Ever bite into a fresh peach or piece of melon and your mouth feels itchy, or your lips swell? It's not just in your head - it's called oral allergy syndrome (OAS). Also known as pollen-food allergy syndrome, it happens when you eat certain raw fruits, veggies, or nuts that contain cross-reacting allergens. If you suffer from seasonal allergies to birch, ragweed, grass, or mugwort pollen, your risk for OAS is increased. That's because your immune system can't tell the difference between pollen and the protein in certain trigger foods.
Aside from itching, tingling, or swelling around the lips, mouth, tongue, throat, or ears, other OAS symptoms include sneezing, nasal congestion, hives, dizziness, or diarrhea. Often symptoms are mild and show up immediately after eating the food, but reactions can take up to an hour. In some rare cases, shortness of breath or tightness in the throat can indicate a risk for anaphylaxis, similar to a peanut allergy. If you experience these life-threatening symptoms, call 911.
Here's a list of foods to watch out for. Note that OAS reactions can be worse if you consume these foods at the height of pollen season. You can avoid symptoms by simply avoiding your trigger foods, but you could also try peeling, cooking, or eating frozen versions.
It's also important to know that even if you do suffer from seasonal allergies to birch, ragweed, grass, or mugwort pollen, you could be totally fine eating these foods. If you've never had an issue, there's no need to avoid them. It is possible to develop OAS symptoms to foods that previously didn't cause issues, so just be aware if you notice any issues.
Activating Your Glutes Could Be the Secret to a Bigger Butt - Here's How to Do It
If you didn't already know, sitting down for extended periods of time is bad for your muscles. Over time, extended periods of sitting will cause your hip flexor muscles to tighten and eventually turn off your glutes, leaving you with a case of dormant butt syndrome.
Opting for a standing desk and taking breaks from working to move around are great options to begin to correct your dormant butt. On top of that, diligently working toward strengthening your gluteal muscles will keep them turned on throughout your day. To make sure your butt muscles are firing properly, we've rounded up our favorite booty strengthening and toning exercises for you to do.
Choose three exercises from the list ahead and complete two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise. Try to do these exercises three times a week to prevent dormant butt syndrome and build your booty. These moves should be used as an extension to your warmup, and always done before lower-body workouts. If you're an overachiever, feel free to use these moves as a quick booty workout.
I Have Depression, and I Really Wish People Would Stop Telling Me That Exercise Is a Cure
When I was 14, I was diagnosed with depression. I didn't understand it much at the time, only that I had finally found a word that encompassed all the feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, shame, and sadness that I was experiencing on a near-daily basis for years, which only got worse once I got to high school. When I wasn't in school or an after-school activity, I only wanted to sleep. My grades dropped significantly. I thought regularly about how I would kill myself and who would have to be the person to find me. And it wasn't situational; I had a fantastic childhood with a loving family and plenty of friends. The Zoloft I was prescribed quite literally saved my life.
I was also active. By no means a natural athlete, I still swam year-round, played tennis, and started working out weekly with a personal trainer in middle school. So why did I feel so horrible all of the time?
Depression is complicated, and while relying on the common explainer that it's caused by a "chemical imbalance in the brain" is a little too simplistic, it sums up what depression actually is: a mental illness that may require medical intervention in the form of prescription drugs and psychotherapy (which I also underwent once a week). Various lifestyle factors, such as eating well, getting enough exercise, and logging seven to eight hours of sleep a night, can also help ease depression, but they should not be considered a cure.
I should know: I quit Zoloft cold turkey my senior year of high school. That's the problem when antidepressants actually do their job; they trick your brain into thinking you don't need them anymore. And while I managed to do well my last year of high school, it all came crashing down when I got to college.
I spent my freshman year of college much the same way I spent my freshman year of high school: sleeping all the time, getting behind on school work, struggling to pass classes. I didn't want to rely on medication anymore, so instead I hit the campus gym. A lot. By second semester, I was working out up to two and a half hours a day. And while I felt better after I left the rec center all sweaty, I would eventually go back to feeling sad, helpless, and unmotivated. I wanted to ignore my depression and pretend like it wasn't a chronic illness I was saddled with; people in much worse circumstances accomplish much more than I was able to, so why couldn't I just buck up and pull it together? I figured I could handle it with exercise, eating well, and getting plenty of vitamin D (too much, in fact).
It took me five years instead of four, but I eventually graduated, arguably in a much better mental state than I was in my first year of college. But when I moved to New York several months later with just two suitcases, no job, and little money, it was like a shock to my system. My anxiety ramped up to levels I had never experienced before, and my depression was as bad as it was pre-Zoloft. I also started experiencing bouts of hypomania, where I would become super energetic and productive on little sleep. I chalked this up to finally being happy and freed from my mental illness, only to come crashing down to a dark depression days later. Throughout it all, I was still exercising regularly.
After finally seeking help by visiting several psychiatrists, and some truly horrible trial and error with medication, I was eventually diagnosed with bipolar II. Through the proper cocktail of medications, therapy, getting enough sleep, and, yes, exercise, I finally feel like I have my mental illness under control.
When people tell me I can just handle my mental illness with exercise, going outside, sunshine, or many of the other lifestyle factors that have been attributed to relieving depression, I want to scream. I tried handling my depression the "natural" way for years, and it came back worse than ever: I was struggling at my job, could barely peel myself out of bed, and suffered from suicidal ideation again.
There's no denying that exercise can help with mental health. The feel-good endorphins you get after you finish a tough workout instantly improve your mood, and a recent study that analyzed 1.2 million adults in the US found that those who exercised regularly had fewer days of poor mental health than those who didn't. I know that getting regular exercise is integral for me doing and feeling my best. But it's certainly not a replacement for the sometimes-necessary medication and therapy needed to not just survive, but thrive. For some people, exercise may be all they need to combat feelings of depression and put themselves in a proper state of mind, which, good for them. Unfortunately, I, and millions of others, aren't those people.
Before you try to offer "helpful" advice for people struggling with depression or another mental illness by suggesting they just need some exercise endorphins and sunshine, please remember that everyone's brain is wired differently. What works for you may not work for someone else, and that's OK. Just know that there's already a stigma facing people who choose to get medical help for their mental illness, and your comments could be the difference between life and death.
This Equinox Trainer's Fat-Burning, Bodyweight HIIT Workout Only Takes 10 Minutes
Despite what you may have heard, you don't need to spend hours and hours at the gym to tone up, shed fat, and feel amazing. Martel Martellus, NASM-certified trainer at Equinox, recommends doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training) sessions when you're short on time and want to get in a good workout.
"HIIT workouts can help you burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time," Martel told POPSUGAR. "They also keep your metabolic rate high after your workout so you burn extra calories, even after." That means you'll burn more calories throughout the day, long after you've wrapped up your sweat session.
Not only does HIIT equal more calorie burn, but "it adds as a post-exercise appetite suppressant," Martel said. "It allows for higher levels of fat oxidation in the muscles, which basically means that your lipid molecules (fat cells) are broken down into smaller sizes and used for energy rather than excess storage, which contributes to weight loss." Sounds good to us. Where do we sign up?
I did a HIIT workout with Martel last week, and it was a tough one. We did seven different exercises for 20 seconds and rested for 10 seconds before moving onto the next one. You go through all the exercises once, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat two more times for a total of three rounds. That only equals 10.5 minutes of work. You can do anything for 10 minutes! And the best part is, you don't need any equipment for this session.
Here are the exercises, and descriptions for each one are below.
- Split lunge jump + squat
- Plyometric push-ups
- Mountain climbers + burpee tuck jump
- Shuffle + curtsy lunge
- Reverse burpee
- Lateral hops
- Split lunge jumps
If Lower-Belly Fat Is Your Trouble Spot, Then Try This Ab-Focused Workout
Lower-belly fat is a common problem area for people looking to flatten their bellies and tighten their core. Although you can't specifically spot target fat loss - as you lose weight, you can't control which fat cells shrink from which body parts - you can target specific muscles with certain exercises.
To lose weight overall, it's important to eat a healthy diet in a calorie deficit, incorporate cardio and HIIT exercise, and strength train your whole body. But if you're looking to strengthen your lower ab muscles specifically, these 18 exercises are a great place to start. Best part? Most of them are equipment-free so you can do them right at home.
This Bestselling Workout Tank Is Under $10 on Amazon, and It Comes in 12 Colors!
We love it when a workout top doesn't cost more than a meal. Don't get us wrong, there are few things in life more exciting than knowing you've got a kickass gym outfit on and you're ready to conquer your workout, but you don't need to spend a fortune on said outfit. Case in point: we found this adorable workout top on Amazon! This icyzone Activewear Tank Top ($9) comes in 12 colors. The silhouette is basic enough that it'll go with any fun leggings you've got, and the material is both comfortable and sweat-wicking. In other words, it's a perfect workout top. Wear this on a run, to the gym, to boxing class, you name it. You can either buy one individually for $9 or try a three-pack with different colors for $20. Seriously. At those prices, sweep these up quick!
OMG, Aldi Is Bringing Its Wine Advent Calendar to the US This Year - Mark Your Calendars!
Wine-lovers everywhere experienced the ultimate high and low last year after learning that Aldi's wine Advent calendar existed - but only in the UK. Well, guess what, fellow Americans? This is our year, because it's officially coming to the US! Pour yourself a glass and allow that to sink in, because we'll have to wait until November to actually experience it.
The epic, adults-only Advent calendar - chocolate who? - comes with 24 miniature bottles of red, white, and bubbly wines including Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, and Malbec, according to Food and Wine. It's available to purchase in US Aldi stores starting on Nov. 7 for $70, so if this is already on your holiday wishlist, I suggest marking your calendar. This will absolutely sell out fast! Aldi knows that nothing goes with wine quite like cheese, so there's also a new cheese Advent calendar coming our way for $13. Wow, can we skip straight to December?
Don't You Dare Head Back to College Without These 14 Essentials
Can you believe it's already time to head back to school? Neither can we. Starting a new school year is exciting, and if you start the term out organized, there's a much greater chance you'll stay organized as the year goes on. Urban Outfitters, aka the mothership for so many college students, has everything you need to go back to school prepared and stylish, from fun notebooks to chic storage solutions. Now, if someone borrows a pencil, they'll definitely know it's yours.
New Study Suggests Weed Killer Is Hiding in Your Kid’s Cheerios - Here’s What to Feed the Family Instead
If this morning's headlines about trace amounts of a cancer-linked weed-killing chemical being found in some breakfast goodies sent you into a mild panic, you're not alone. The new report conducted by the Environmental Working Group identified a number of popular breakfast foods and cereals that might contain higher amounts of the herbicide glyphosate, including Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, and more (you can see the full list here).
Before you go into full alarm mode, there are a number of things to remember. Quaker has released a statement suggesting that its products are safe to eat, but if that's not enough to settle your stomach, there are plenty of products on the market that are glyphosate-free. Here are five alternatives.
This Family Has 3 Parents, and by All Accounts, It's a Pretty Good Setup
Lindsay Taylor, a 33-year-old mom of four and stepmom to two kiddos, has quite the setup when it comes to her living situation. She shares a home with both her ex-husband, Chris, and current husband Mike, along with all six children - and together, they make up the Taylor/Kelley family. And if Lindsay could be perfectly honest, she wouldn't have it any other way.
After having her daughter Rachel at 16, Lindsay met Chris, got married, and had two adorable kids, Lucas and Joanna with him. But unfortunately, the marriage didn't last and the pair divorced. Eventually, Lindsay married Mike, who had 21-year-old daughter Destiny and 19-year-old son Danny from a previous marriage. And before they knew it, Lindsay and Mike were welcoming a son of their own named Harrison.
Lindsay told POPSUGAR that living away from Chris post-divorce was problematic from the beginning, and that's when the notion of moving everyone under one roof came up.
"After Chris and I got divorced, I moved in with my mom in central Massachusetts for a few months," said Lindsay. "We didn't want the kids to move so I spent my days driving back and forth to be with them. Mike and I got an apartment together with his kids which was a little closer to my kids than where I was staying at my mother's, but it wasn't good enough."
"It wouldn't be easy at first, in the long run it would be the best ideal situation for our kids to have both parents under one roof again."
After the apartment they were renting was suddenly foreclosed on, Lindsay knew she needed to have a serious conversation about their living situation with her ex-husband.
"I sat down with Chris the next day and told him what was happening and we spoke about looking for a new place," she explained. "He was the one who suggested for all of us to move into his house in northeast Connecticut. He said that it wouldn't be easy at first, but in the long run it would be the best ideal situation for our kids to have both parents under one roof again."
30 Uncommon Boys' Names That You're Going to Put at the Top of Your Baby Name List
We know that picking a baby name can be tough (especially if, like me, you've had baby names picked out since you were 13 and continued to fall in love with new names throughout adulthood before even having one child). To help you choose a name you love for your son that isn't the name of every other boy in your mommy-and-me classes, we've dug through the bottom rungs of the Social Security Administration's baby names list to find uncommon but beautiful names for baby boys.
Which is your favorite on this list?
10 J.K. Rowling Quotes on Parenthood That Are Seriously Magical
There are few women with as great a knack for always saying the right thing as J.K. Rowling, and one of the subjects she speaks most eloquently on is parenting and motherhood. The Harry Potter author lived in poverty in Edinburgh, Scotland, before she introduced everyone's favorite boy wizard to the world, and during that trying time, she not only kept her family afloat, but did so as a single mother. Now, Rowling does everything in her power to dispel the notion that single-parent families are lesser as well as the idea that motherhood is a woman's obligation rather than a choice.
From Hermione Granger to Molly Weasley, the fictional characters of Harry Potter demonstrate the wide range of the female experience, but Rowling uses her platform to speak on behalf of her own experiences as well. Here are just 10 magical quotes from Rowling that demonstrate that women shouldn't have to choose between having a career and having a family, no matter what form that family takes.
- "I'd like to see widespread acceptance of the fact that families simply come in many shapes and sizes."
- "There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you."
- "I feel qualified to look anyone in the eye and say that people bringing up children single-handedly deserve not condemnation, but congratulation."
- "I would say to any single parent currently feeling the weight of stereotype or stigmatization that I am prouder of my years as a single mother than of any other part of my life."
- "What has lesser status and is more difficult than raising a child? And what is more important?"
- "People very often say to me, 'How did you do it? How did you raise a baby and write a book?' and the answer is, I didn't do housework for four years! I'm not Superwoman, and living in squalor, that was the answer."
- "I've got two daughters who will have to make their way in this skinny-obsessed world, and it worries me, because I don't want them to be empty-headed, self-obsessed, emaciated clones; I'd rather they were independent, interesting, idealistic, kind, opinionated, original, funny - a thousand things before 'thin.'"
- "Now, I consider myself to be a feminist, and I'd always wanted to show that just because a woman has made a choice, a free choice to say, 'Well, I'm going to raise my family and that's going to be my choice. I may go back to a career, I may have a career part-time, but that's my choice,' doesn't mean that that's all she can do."
- "My youngest child asked me the other day, 'Mummy, if you had to choose between us and writing, what would you choose?' And I said, 'Well, I would choose you, but I would be very, very grumpy.'"
- "I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is a very destructive thing indeed."
Check Your Pantries: New Study Suggests Weed Killer May Be in Your Kid's Breakfast Food
A new report conducted by the Environmental Working Group recently found that a number of breakfast foods and cereals may contain trace amounts of glyphosate, a commonly used weed-killing chemical that has been linked to cancer.
Researchers found that 31 out of the 45 food products they tested had higher amounts of the herbicide present than what some scientists consider safe for children to ingest. Although experts have been aware of trace amounts of glyphosate in products for a few years now, groups like the EWG are trying to ensure it stays out of the food we eat because it's been previously linked to cancer by the World Health Organization and scientists in California.
Scott Faber, the vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, told CBS that the findings were extremely unsettling: "We're very concerned that consumers are eating more glyphosate than they know," adding that glyphosate - aka the most active chemical in Monsanto's Roundup fertilizer - was found in "45 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats."
As for the foods to look out for? Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, Quaker Dinosaur Egg Instant Oats, Great Value Instant Oats, and Back to Nature Classic Granola were all found to have trace amounts of glyphosate in them.
Ken Cook, the president of the EWG, said the findings are unacceptable and that the EWG plans to petition the Environmental Protection Agency.
"No one wants to eat a weed killer for breakfast, and no one should have to do so."
"I grew up eating Cheerios and Quaker Oats long before they were tainted with glyphosate," he said. "No one wants to eat a weed killer for breakfast, and no one should have to do so . . . We will petition the Environmental Protection Agency to do its job and end uses of glyphosate that resulted in the contamination we report today."
Although medical experts aren't sure exactly how glyphosate affects children, they suggest that even trace amounts are too much to ingest. Dr. Jennifer Lowry, the head of the Council on Environmental Health for the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that the report is alarming, to say the least: "We don't know a lot about the effects of glyphosate on children. And essentially we're just throwing it at them."
Monsanto, the company that provides the genetically modified seeds used to grow the affected oat products, is denying these claims. The brand released a statement saying that "glyphosate does not cause cancer" and that the herbicide "has a more than 40-year history of safe use." Monsanto added that "even at the highest level reported . . . an adult would have to eat 118 pounds of the food item every day for the rest of their life in order to reach the EPA's limit."
Quaker also released a statement about the findings, ensuring parents that its products are safe to eat: "We proudly stand by the safety and quality of our Quaker products. Any levels of glyphosate that may remain are significantly below any limits of the safety standards set by the EPA and the European Commission as safe for human consumption."
But Zen Honeycutt, the head of Moms Across America, a group dedicated to raising health awareness, said those reassurances aren't good enough. "We want to trust that what is in the grocery store is safe, and the shocking reality is that in many cases it's not."
Can We All Please Stop Sending Our Sick Kids to School?
Dear Parents Who Send Their Sick Kids to School,
I'm going to get right to it - please, please stop.
And before you say that I don't understand what it's like, know that I absolutely do. I have two young kids who constantly bring germs home with them from school, the park, and wherever else they can touch their little hands. I know that having a sick child sucks. You have to take time off work or find a willing babysitter (both of which can be incredibly difficult and sometimes impossible), risk getting sick yourself by tending to your child's cough and runny nose, and constantly clean the house and wipe down surfaces to try to prevent the rest of the family from getting infected. And a lot of the time this lasts for days. It's not fun, it's not easy, and it can seriously disrupt your family's life. I get it.
But just because your child isn't vomiting doesn't mean they aren't very sick, and sending them to school with a cold, fever, or upset stomach isn't fair to their teacher, the rest of their class, and all of us fellow parents. Sure, kids fib about feeling sick sometimes to get out of going to school, but chances are you can spot such a lie immediately and get on with your day. But even if they're just coughing and sneezing and not giving you visible evidence of the flu in the form of projectile vomit that only kids can create, it doesn't mean you should write their symptoms off as no big deal and send them on their way. Please, keep them home. If you make them go to school anyway, they'll only infect everyone else.
Think of the other children in your child's class. There is likely a kid with a more sensitive immune system or condition that could be devastating for that child if they catch what your child has. How do I know? Because that used to be my kid. When another parent made their child go to school with a cold, my son caught it, it settled into his lungs, and it turned into pneumonia. Simple cold and flu symptoms don't mean the same for every child, and it's vital that all of us parents remember this.
Am I saying you should keep your child home if you hear them sneeze a few times? Of course not. You know your child best and you know when they're sick. Keeping them home for every cough you hear isn't realistic, and no parent wants their child to miss a lot of school. All I'm asking is to err on the side of caution, especially during the cold and flu season.
We all know how much even small colds can wipe our children out and drain all their energy, so if they go to school and push themselves, it could only make things worse. It could also make their illness last longer, which nobody ever wants. So, the next time your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home and let them rest and recuperate. Their entire class, and all of those kids' parents, would desperately appreciate it.
Sincerely,
A Fellow Parent
I've Been Holiday Shopping For Months Now, and It's the Best Thing Ever
Growing up, I was your average middle-class kid. My brothers and I started working at a young age by doing things like paper routes or babysitting, earning money to be able to buy the things we wanted. My parents didn't spoil us. But for Christmas every year, my mother always went completely overboard. When we would run downstairs on Christmas morning, far too many presents would be sitting under the tree. And the one thing I always recall my mom telling me about the holiday season was how she shopped for our presents all year long. And now that I'm a mother, I make sure to do the same thing for my kids. Not only does it save so much time, money, and hassle (shopping malls in December are my worst nightmare), but it also allows me to give my kids a little more than I usually do.
I'm also just crazy for the entire holiday season and can't help but get wrapped up (literally) in it all. It's a tradition in our house that we decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Our tree goes up, I put on classic Christmas tunes, and by the end of the day, it looks like the North Pole threw up in our house. The holiday season is such a magical time, and I do everything I can to embrace it.
Shopping for two young kids all year can be tricky, especially since their interests are constantly changing. But, overall, I think I've gotten it down. My son is easy - it's Legos everything, which I know he'll be obsessed with for years to come. I'll scour online deals and browse stores all year, picking up things here and there, which avoids the financial burden of getting everything in the same month. And if I think I've gotten too much, I'll save some for his birthday or as a reward for good grades.
My daughter is still relatively easy to shop for, too. While her interests change a little more rapidly than my son's, I know I can't go wrong with any kind of lip gloss or pretend makeup finds. And a lot of what she's into can be found at our local dollar store, which is even better. And throughout the year, I'm always searching for deals on books to add to their library. I get a little bit at a time, which adds up to be a pretty great Christmas for both of them.
By shopping early, I'm also able to avoid the crazy stress of last-minute shopping. I have more free time to attend holiday parties, take my kids to see Santa, and organize and partake in holiday activities in our area. I don't have to worry about standing in long lines or whether or not that Amazon order will make it to my doorstep on time. I have all of my presents bought and wrapped and can enjoy the holiday season at ease, soaking up those magical moments I might otherwise miss.
So, while I don't spoil my kids nearly as much as my mother spoiled my brothers and me on Christmas, I steal her trick of early holiday shopping to be able to give them a little bit more. They deserve it, and to be totally honest, so do I.
Is That Line on Your Face a Wrinkle?
I have an unhealthy relationship with my magnifying mirror, which sometimes causes me to wonder, "Is that a wrinkle on my 25-year-old face?" I try to reassure myself that I'm being dramatic, but I decided to talk to a dermatologist to find out what those lines on my forehead are once and for all. "A line on your face does not mean you have a wrinkle," dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD, explained. "It could be a fine line, which are normally one to two millimeters deep. A wrinkle, however, is anything more than two millimeters." She added that if the lines on your face have crinkled or crosshatch appearances (which mine do not), you probably have a wrinkle.
The best way to fight fine lines, if you so choose, is simple. "Keeping your skin hydrated will plump your skin and those lines will look less visible," she explained. That said, not all lines are fine lines. If you arose one morning to creases on your face, it could also be your pillowcase. "If you wake up and see lines that you didn't have before, your skin probably folded and crunched up against your pillowcase," Dr. Jaliman said. She recommends swapping out your traditional cotton for a silk pillowcase to prevent getting these "sleep lines."
See the New Lip Gloss Shades You Won't Leave the House Without This Fall
As you start stocking up on Fall beauty products, make room for new lip gloss in your stash. Our namesake brand, Beauty by POPSUGAR, recently added three new shades to its Be the Boss Lip Gloss collection (which already has four stars at Ulta), and they're perfect for the transitioning seasons.
These new additions have the same moisturizing, non-sticky feel as the original formula, but these shades are infused with fine flecks of shimmer. Fetish is a cabernet red with gold pearl; Drive Me Crazy is a deep raspberry with gold pearl; and Take a Bow is a baby pink with gold pearl. We swatched the glosses for our weekly Instagram Series Swatch With Us so you can see them up close before you add 'em to your cart. Check out the shimmery shades ahead, and be sure to follow us on Instagram to see swatches of buzzy beauty products every week.
This $30 Straightening Brush Is Getting Fantastic Amazon Reviews Because It's So Easy to Use
Achieving sleek, straight hair isn't always a simple task; it can take plenty of effort. That's why we were so excited to see this Kingdom Cares Professional Ceramic Hair Straightening Brush ($29). It's currently up 1,025 percent in sales right now; 170 customers have reviewed the brush, and 62 percent give the device a perfect five stars.
What customers love is that it takes very little effort to style their hair, saving lots of time. The ceramic heating plates take less than 40 seconds to get as hot as 265 degrees. All you have to do is comb it through your hair for transformative results.
"So easy to use. I have very thick hair. I end up with a crimp in my hair from other straighteners. I absolutely love the results with this straightener! I can't get over how easy it is to use!!" one review said.
This is currently the hottest styling tool on the site, so get it while you can! If you think on it too long, you'll miss out.
9 Colorful and Affordable Makeup Items to Transform Your Look This Halloween
One of the best parts of Halloween is the ability to transform yourself into whatever character or creature you'd like using makeup. Unfortunately, this wonderful holiday only comes once a year, so you probably won't want to spend a fortune on the beauty items you're using to complete your costume. The good news is there are tons of affordable options available with rich pigments and easy-to-work-with formulas that will help you achieve your spooky goals. With these tools, you'll look like Pennywise the clown from It in no time.
Ahead, you'll find some of the most vibrant and incredible makeup available that are perfect for Halloween (or any time you feel like trying out a daring hue) all under $20.
"Flannel Hair" Is the Coziest Fall Color Trend You Didn't See Coming
From your standard L.L. Bean button-up to trendy shirt dresses, flannel is a Fall mainstay. But the warm fabric is not reserved for fashion only. In the waning days of Summer, many celebrities are showing off what's to come via flannel-colored hair.
The subdued, slightly burnt copper shade looks all kinds of cozy, and it's a great gateway look to try before going all-out Winter wonderland with mulled wine hair.
How My Crochet Braids Shaped My Identity and Helped Me Find My Confidence
My hair and I have a complicated relationship.
Growing up, I never gave my hair the self-care it needed. I would tie it up into a ponytail, get relaxers on a daily basis, and refuse to use any product other than shampoo and conditioner (which also contained high levels of sulfate - a huge no-no for curls). Point blank, my hair was damaged and thick, and I didn't take the time to learn how to maintain my natural type 3C hair.
The only time I experimented with my hair and gave it an ounce of care that it needed was when I had braids. Sometimes I would leave the house in my usual ponytail and return home with anything from cornrows to dutch braids. I never got a massive haircut or color, so this was how I felt bold.
Braids were a way for me to connect with others and feel confident. Then I started high school, and I started to push away from the familiar styles I grew up with to fit in. I stopped wearing the style for fear of being put into a box with only people that looked like me, while also believing I wasn't "Latina enough" or "black enough" to embrace it in the first place.
I spent years during and after college trying to figure out my identity, which included embracing the features I once stripped away. I threw out all my hot tools, stopped getting relaxers, and finally put the ponytail to rest. I decided to give my curly, coil-y hair the love it deserved.
Still, braids were always in the back of my mind. This Summer, I looked around at the different styles, colors, and textures of braids and it gave me a wave of nostalgia. I started keeping a collection of inspiration from Instagram in hopes that I would find the courage to get my hair braided again.
However, I was anxious and nervous. Although I'm a woman of color, I feared I would misrepresent or squeeze my way into a community uninvited. The thought of wearing braids again, especially a newer style, made me feel like a fraud. Braids have been around as far back as 3500 B.C. from Africa as a sign of social status, unity, and simple pure art; yet time again, women of color, specifically black women, are scrutinized and judged for wearing braids or other natural looks.
So, I asked a trusted friend for her honest opinion. She put all my worries to rest, saying I shouldn't feel judged, and even volunteered to give me crochet braids - a protective style that uses extensions (which can be hair, yarn, or thread) and loops it into your actual hair with a crochet needle. It's also the perfect way to maintain my dense, curly hair in the hot Summer months.
While the braiding process itself was familiar to me, nothing prepared me for the finished look. I made my way into the bathroom and couldn't believe what I saw in my reflection. It was me, yet I felt like a totally different person. Physically, my hair was longer, but mentally, it was a little deeper than that. I felt the same way my younger self girl felt when I got my hair braided by her friends. I felt beautiful, confident, and unapologetically me.
However, the big test was leaving the confines of my friend's house and stepping into the real world. Once I headed to the train, I felt all eyes were on me. Maybe I was paranoid, but I felt like I was holding a big neon sign over my head that said, "Look at what I did!" Finally, I took a deep breath and lifted my head up high - because dammit, I felt good!
I spent the next three weeks with my braids and all the fears I had went away. I received countless positive remarks and compliments. My appreciation also grew for women of color who continue to be leaders of the natural hair movement and celebrate their braids in every shape and form. These women ignore society's perception of what it means to have "good hair" and continue to highlight their culture - our culture. My crochet braids didn't just provide me with a new look, but they also gave me the permission to be the person I've always been.
The Latest Sex-Themed Mascara Comes From Nars - and Oh Baby
Relationship goals: date whoever works in product development at Nars. The brand that gave us blush with a shade name that will make you, well, you know, has long been known for pushing the boundaries. The brand's latest mascara is no different: meet Climax ($24). This tube is just the latest in a storied tradition of brands communicating their thirstiness via mascara names. (See: Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara and Urban Decay's "sex-proof" Troublemaker.) But is Climax just faking it?
The red tube is ribbed for your pleasure, and the wand itself is thick. The formula looks and feels as soft as whipped cream paired with strawberries, which means it doesn't translate to stiff or flaky lashes. It swipes onto lashes like someone you actually want to slide into your DMs. Climax is supposedly voluminous, but I didn't feel as though it gave me a lash lift. Rather, it lengthened my lashes as if I'd put on pricey extensions and left behind an alluring curl. You can see the results in my before and after photo, below:
A pro of this mascara is that no matter how many times you apply it, it will. not. clump. This is helpful when you want to pull a Shakira and redo your eye makeup whenever, wherever, without having to worry about spider lashes. That makes this a great everyday, apply-on-the-subway-without-poking-your-eye-out type option.
Am I completely enraptured by Climax? No, only Adam Driver and Panera Mac and Cheese can give me those kinds of feelings. That said, sex sells - and I have a feeling Climax will, too.
This Is the Most Loved Reformation Dress on the Internet - You Can Buy It in 8 Different Colors!
Shopping at Reformation is always a dangerous game. Like clockwork, every time we browse, we end up falling in love with a handful of things. On a recent online browse, we discovered this Reformation Thelma Dress ($198) because it's a favorite on the website, and we can see why.
The flattering silhouette features a button-down front and our favorite: convenient pockets. It's easy to mix and match with everything you already own. Dress it up with heels and a clutch for your next event, or go for a more casual look with sandals or white sneakers for work or on vacation. Need more convincing? The popular dress comes in eight pretty colors and designs, ranging from black and white to pretty plaids for Fall.
If you've had on your eye on this piece for awhile, don't wait too long. Just like everything else from the trendy retailer, sizes sell out fast. Get yours before it's too late.
10 Plaid Blazers You'll Never Guess We Uncovered on Amazon - They're Too Good
Nothing screams Fall quite like having the perfect on-trend blazer. This season, don't get stuck in the same old one you've overworn; instead, treat yourself to something new. You don't need to break the bank to do so either. We shopped on Amazon because the giant retailer carries just about everything you could ever dream of, including stylish clothes. We rounded up a list of 10 chic plaid pieces we think you can't live without - take a look.
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