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 12 mars 2019
The Bachelorette's Jason Tartick and Kaitlyn Bristowe Are Still Dating (and Still VERY Cute)
Love is in the air! Jason Tartick confirmed that he and Kaitlyn Bristowe were an item in late January, just weeks after they went on a date. On an episode of The Today Show, Jason put rumors to rest, saying, "Right here, right now, yeah, that's true. [It's] Kaitlyn Bristowe."
The camera then panned to Kaitlyn as she flaunted a bright smile. "I was going to use my podcast to break the news," she said, referring to her podcast, Off the Vine, on which she and Jason first met. "But I guess The Today Show beat me to it." Jason then confirmed that they've been together for "about a month or so."
Both Jason and Kaitlyn were part of The Bachelorette squad: Jason was a contestant on season 14 with Becca Kufrin, while Kaitlyn was one of the leading ladies in season 11. The news comes just a couple of months after Kaitlyn announced her split from Shawn Booth. Kaitlyn and Shawn were together for three years and planned on getting married before they decided to call it quits. "This difficult decision comes after thoughtful, respectful consideration. Even though we are parting as a couple, we're very much committed to remaining friends," they shared in a statement to People at the time.
Bachelorette fans who closely follow cast members online pretty much called Jason and Kaitlyn's budding romance. Even before their date, they were getting rather flirtatious on social media. So we knew this was coming, but now we know for sure. See all their cutest photo moments together, ahead!
Sheila and Joel Are Back and Bloodier Than Ever in Santa Clarita Diet's Season 3 Trailer
It seems to be business as usual in Santa Clarita Diet's season three trailer . . . by which we mean Sheila (Drew Barrymore) and Joel (Timothy Olyphant) are still luring Nazis and other criminals to their kill room so that Sheila can attack and eat them. An average, totally normal couple activity, right? Fortunately, Sheila has a few reservations . . . well, kiiiiind of. ("I want to be about more than just eating people, but I also really enjoy eating people," she says.)
This time around, in addition to figuring out how they can sustain Sheila's gruesome habit, the couple also begins to realize the full ramifications of what her being a member of the undead truly means: she's immortal. Since Joel very much isn't, will he let his wife bite him so they can live together forever? Watch the trailer above to get a taste of what they'll be going through before Santa Clarita Diet season three arrives on March 29.
Here's Where You've Seen Captain Marvel's Lee Pace Before (It's a Long List)
Captain Marvel brought some familiar faces back into the Marvel universe, including Lee Pace, who reprises his role as Kree villain Ronan the Accuser five years after he first debuted the character in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy. Pace is one of those actors who's been steadily working for years, across film, television, and even theater (one of his most recent roles was in the 2017 revival of Angels in America). Although Pace isn't necessarily an A-lister, he's definitely been in some of your favorite movies and shows, from small indie films to two of the biggest film franchises of all time. Ahead, check out some of his best roles over the course of his varied, often quirky career so far!
Colton's Breakups During The Bachelor's Season Finale Were Absolutely Brutal
Warning: spoilers for The Bachelor ahead!
Part one of The Bachelor's season finale aired on Monday night, and it included a number of highly dramatic moments. No, we didn't get to find out if Colton ultimately ends up with Cassie, but the show did pick up exactly where we left off last week: with Colton jumping over that fence. Once the show repeated the fence-jump moment about 6 trillion times, accompanied by footage of Colton sobbing as he speed-walked through the dark countryside in Portugal, we moved on to the episode's more emotional scenes - the big breakups he had to carry out after professing his love for Cassie.
Since Colton spent all of the previous episode saying that he didn't want anyone else in the competition other than Cassie, it was nice to see that he wasn't taking it back all of a sudden even though she rejected him; instead, he knew he had to break up with the remaining two women - Tayshia and Hannah G. - because he knew in his "heart of hearts" that he couldn't "be in love with more than one person."
First up was Tayshia, whom Colton surprised in her hotel room in Portugal. Since she'd been with him in the overnight Fantasy Suite date just a day before, she was thrilled to see him. However, things quickly took a turn when Colton told her the real reason he was there. He explained that he was in love with Cassie - which earned him a very tense (and warranted) "Mhmm" in response - and then Tayshia asked if they could step inside to chat things out away from all the cameras.
The pair still had their mics on (of course), so audiences were able to listen in to everything that went down between the two. The result? Well . . . mostly it was a back-and-forth of muffled cries and apologies from Colton, who promised he never meant for this to happen.
He said similar things to Hannah G. when he stopped by her room after chatting with Tayshia, but their conversation got a lot more heated. The interaction began with a confessional from Hannah, who said she'd just finished writing a love letter and was ready to finally say that she was in love with him. Unfortunately, he burst her bubble pretty much immediately after that, telling her, "I thought it was gonna be you."
"I really thought it was for sure going to be us," she tearfully responded, clearly blindsided. "I don't know how to take this right now."
The real fire from Hannah came when Colton told her that she made him "better."
"That's what I do. I make everybody better, and they don't want to stick around," she said. "I'm so angry right now. I think I just want to get out of here because I'm so embarrassed . . . I didn't think it was possible for there to be a better connection than what we had."
Even though he told her that she doesn't "deserve to be anybody's backup plan," Hannah told him, through tears, to leave. She wasn't the only one crying, though - as soon as he left her room, Colton had a breakdown in the hallway, needing to be consoled by a producer on the show. "That's literally how much I love Cassie - I'm willing to walk away from someone that great," he sobbed.
The level of messiness involved in these breakups naturally has Bachelor Nation in an uproar. See the best reactions to both Hannah and Tayshia's exits, ahead.
OMG: Amber and Prince Richard Are Having a Baby in Netflix's Third Christmas Prince Film
First, we watched Amber (Rose McIver) and Prince Richard (Ben Lamb) fall in love in A Christmas Prince. Then, Netflix blessed us all by making a second film, all about Amber and Richard's wedding. And now? The royal couple are welcoming a baby!
On Monday, the streaming platform announced that a third film in the series is on the way, titled A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby. Netflix's official description reads: "It's Christmastime in Aldovia - and a royal baby is on the way! Amber and Richard host royals from a faraway kingdom to renew an ancient truce, but when the priceless 600-year-old-treaty disappears, peace is put in jeopardy and an ancient curse threatens their family!"
An ancient curse?! A faraway kingdom?! A vanishing treaty?! It sounds like dirty diapers are going to be the least of the prince and princess's worries. As we all await for the movie to premiere - we have months to go, people - check out Richard and Amber's crown-wearing (and mildly creepy) unborn child in the sonogram announcement ahead.
Some personal news... pic.twitter.com/LXjzFc6U9D
- See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) March 11, 2019
Did You Realize This Actor Has 2 Roles in Captain Marvel? We Sure Didn't
Marvel's latest film, Captain Marvel, has a cast packed with major Hollywood names. Since much of the film focuses on the conflict between two alien races - the Skrull and the Kree - many of those big-name actors spend some serious time with their recognizable faces obscured beneath layers of prosthetics and makeup. One such actor is Ben Mendelsohn, the Emmy-winning actor who plays Talos, one of the shapeshifting Skrulls who plays a key role in Captain Marvel. But he gets to spend a little time out of makeup in the film as well (spoilers ahead!).
Mendelsohn technically only plays one character (Talos), but there's a twist. Nick Fury's boss, Keller, actually turns out to be Talos in disguise. When he's playing Talos in Keller's form, Mendelsohn appears as he usually does. Playing an apparent villain is nothing new to Mendelsohn: his most famous role in recent years was in the Star Wars anthology film Rogue One, in which he played evil Imperial officer Orson Krennic. He also played the villains in Ready Player One and Robin Hood, and he won his Emmy for the TV drama Bloodline.
No word yet on whether or not Mendelsohn will reprise his role in future Marvel films. In the meantime, check out a gallery of his past roles ahead!
Captain Marvel: The Way Nick Fury Loses His Eye Is Kinda Perfect (Don't Tell Him I Said That)
Warning: eye-related Captain Marvel spoilers below!
You might sit down to watch Captain Marvel and think you're going to see a movie all about ass-kicking human turned ass-kicking alien Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and how she learns to fully embrace her jaw-dropping powers, but the true heart of the film is actually a love story - a love story between one Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Goose the "cat." But theirs is a tragic love story, one that ends with Fury losing an eye. So, you know, not exactly ideal.
Not long after Carol, a Kree alien, crash-lands on earth and begins investigating the scientist who an enemy alien race, the Skrulls, are after, she bumps into blossoming S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury. Although they don't exactly get along at first - he sees her as a Blockbuster-ruining criminal dressed to play laser tag, to be fair - they eventually become thick as thieves, helping each other out of sticky situations as they come to realize the full scope of how the Kree-Skrull war has affected both sides, as well as the truth behind Carol's origins.
But anyway - back to Goose.
Related: Captain Marvel: Don't Forget About This Important Item - It Plays a Big Role
The scientist that Carol is investigating is actually her former Air Force commander (Annette Bening), whom she doesn't recognize at first since her memories were wiped upon becoming an alien six years earlier. As she looks into the woman's past, she has memory flashes of the woman having a cat that was fond of Carol. She meets the same cat, Goose, when she goes to a government facility with Fury to find files about the scientist, which is where Fury and Goose's love affair is born.
Fury can't help but stoop down and immediately cuddle with and compliment Goose, who takes an instant liking to him.
A few scenes later, in the facility's file room, we discover that Carol's Air Force superior wasn't actually human but an undercover Kree named Mar-Vell. Oh, and her former pet, Goose, isn't actually a house cat, but a Flerken, aka an alien race that presents as an average-looking tabby. But Flerkens actually have a myriad of incredibly long (and strong) tentacles that can extend from their mouths, which have the power to incapacitate full-grown soldiers.
Despite knowing that a terrifying intergalactic beast is housed within his insanely cute exterior, Fury gets on great with Goose, who only ever chooses to sick his tentacles on the bad guys. But toward the end of the film, after a few stressful fight scenes, Fury holds up Goose in front of his face to coo at him. That's when Goose decides to let his annoyance at being held be known by swatting Fury across his left eye - something my own cat has attempted to do to me on more than one occasion.
Related: Both of Captain Marvel's End Credits Scenes Are Important, but For Very Different Reasons
Fortunately my cat doesn't have the kind of bacteria in her claws that, when it comes in contact with a human eye, will result in a serious, incurable infection. The same can't be said of Goose, whose split-second scratch ends up being the reason Fury loses his eye a few days later. But Goose and Fury's love runs deep, because the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent still adopts the little troublemaker, even putting a cat bed in his office so Goose can come to work with him. Rather than select one of the many glass eyes that a young Phil Coulson presents him with in his office, Fury decides to rock an eye patch instead.
At first, I found myself surprised at how remarkably chill he is about the fact an alien furball took out his eye, but then I remembered Goose's face and it all made sense. Thanks for the history lesson, Captain Marvel!
You Haven't Watched the Original Queer Eye Yet? What Are You Doing, Hunny?
If you're a true Queer Eye fan, then you must know that the Fab Five we know and love from the hit Netflix series are not the first to transform lives (and wardrobes). Fifteen years before Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, and Jonathan Van Ness stepped on the scene, the original Fab Five debuted on Bravo. The series - which was originally called Queer Eye for the Straight Guy before it was shorted to Queer Eye in its third season to expand its scope - was the first of its kind and a surprise success, and we couldn't be more grateful for it, as it later led to the Netflix reboot we know so well.
Rather than Antoni, Tan, Karamo, Bobby, and Jonathan, the original Queer Eye starred Ted Allen, Carson Kressley, Jai Rodriguez, Thom Filicia, and Kyan Douglas, known as the Food and Wine Connoisseur, the Fashion Savant, the Culture Vulture, the Design Doctor, and the Grooming Guru, respectively. Just like Netflix's reboot, each episode began with the Fab Five in an SUV discussing their subject, whom they would make over and prepare throughout the course of the episode for a big debut in the end.
While you're waiting for the third season of Netflix's Queer Eye to debut, there's no better way to spend your time than to catch up with the original that inspired its reboot, because - in our opinion - you can't appreciate the all-new series until you've watched the one that came first. Luckily, you can still enjoy the early-aughts series - can you believe? Amazon Prime Video gives viewers the option of buying individual episodes for $2 each or buying a whole season for $10, and there are also plenty of episodes available to stream on YouTube. Get ready to binge and thank us later, hunny.
Both of Captain Marvel's End Credits Scenes Are Important, but For Very Different Reasons
Warning: MAJOR Captain Marvel spoilers below, so proceed with caution!
Brie Larson has officially made her bigscreen debut as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, and we couldn't be more thrilled. Marvel's latest ass-kicking superhero is the first woman at the center of one of their action-heavy films, and she fits in great alongside the rest of the Avengers we've come to know and love over the years.
But aside from sharing traits with other films in the MCU - like pithy one-liners, dazzling battles, and furry sidekicks - Captain Marvel also includes what has become a staple of most Marvel movies: a hint-laden postcredits scene. Actually, there are two postcredits scenes in Captain Marvel, and both are very important, albeit in very different ways.
If you're one of the many flocking to movie theaters over the next few days to catch Carol in all of her glowing, super-powered action, but you have a few questions about the extra scenes that play once the credits begin their painfully slow crawl, you've come to the right place. The first and most important scene happens relatively quickly, functioning as more of a midcredits scene. The second is much more lighthearted, but contains a special nod to one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most powerful objects, so it's not to be missed, either.
Ahead, you'll find explanations for what happens in each, as well as what they mean for the future of the franchise.
She May Not Be a Working Royal, but Princess Beatrice Definitely Works For a Living
You might think that Princess Beatrice of York has nothing better to do than shop for fabulous hats all day and go on dates with her multi-millionaire property developer boyfriend, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, every night, but believe it or not, the 30-year-old actually is more than just a socialite. Yes, Beatrice may attend garden parties and the annual Trooping the Color (and she may regularly go on vacations with her celebrity pals, like Karlie Kloss and Ellie Goulding), but unlike her cousins Prince William and Prince Harry, Beatrice and her younger sister Eugenie aren't 'working royals,' which means their calendars aren't filled with obligatory engagements from the queen.
Unfortunately for them, this also means they're not supported by the Sovereign Grant, also known as the revenue from the Crown Estate, which includes the royal palaces and other properties. This tax-funded salary is given annually to fund the queen and other royals in their official duties, including the girls' father, Prince Andrew. However, we think the sisters are doing okay money-wise. It is made clear on Prince Andrew's website that he helps his daughters out with rent, stating that he "supports both of his daughters financially from his private income."
The sisters also have enormous trust funds to help support them (according to The Telegraph, £1.4 million of their mom Sarah Ferguson's £3 million divorce settlement was set up a trust for the princesses, not to mention the money they'll eventually come into from the queen). But even if she doesn't necessarily need the money, what does Beatrice do all day if she's not shaking hands and attending events?
Though Beatrice struggles with dyslexia, she certainly hasn't let that hold her back from pursuing her career goals. In 2011, the princess earned her degree in history and history of ideas from Goldsmiths College in London, and now she's living the busy life of a working woman, splitting her time between London and New York City. Besides supporting several charitable organizations, Beatrice has added an impressive number of job titles to her resume over the years, a rare feat for a royal. As she pointed out in an interview with Vogue, "We are the first: we are young women trying to build careers and have personal lives, and we're also princesses, and doing all of this in the public eye."
In the past, Beatrice has worked as an actress (in 2009 she became the first royal to appear in a non-documentary film, The Young Victoria, where she had a small non-speaking role) and as a research analyst for her mother's charity, Children in Crisis. She also has experience working as an associate at Sandbridge Capital (a small investment firm), and later for Sony Pictures as a business development associate. Currently the princess works for Afiniti, a US-based technology company. According to the Afiniti website, Beatrice serves as Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy, responsible for managing client development and company growth.
What does the royal family think of Beatrice being a modern working woman? Her father Andrew couldn't be prouder. "As a father, my wish for my daughters is for them is to be modern working young women, who happen to be members of the Royal Family," he said back in 2016, "and I am delighted to see them building their careers."
John Oliver Trolled the FCC Because He's Fed Up With Robocalls, and So Are We!
As far as newsworthy trolling goes, there's pretty much no contest when it comes to John Oliver - and his most recent prank on the Federal Communications Commission has us muting our phone ringers in solidarity. In an era of rushing to answer your phone only to find that it's some pre-recorded telemarketer instead of a family member or friend, it's no surprise that the Last Week Tonight host couldn't hold back from expressing how fed up he is during his Sunday night segment.
"Hi, FCC. This is John from customer service," Oliver said in an actual voicemail message for the FCC. "Congratulations! You've just won a chance to lower robocalls in America today. Sorry, but I am a live person! Robocalls are incredibly annoying, and the person who can stop them is you!" In an effort to prove to the FCC just how annoying it is to receive frequent and repetitive robocalls, Oliver dramatically revealed - via a giant red button pushed by an equally as giant hand - that his message is set to go out to the FCC every 90 minutes, followed by a sound clip of bagpipe music.
According to Last Week Tonight, robocalls increased by 57 percent in 2018 alone, resulting in nearly 47.8 billion robocalls. And, despite the fact that nearly 60 percent of complaints directed at the FCC are about robocalls, according to CBS This Morning, the agency continues to insist that it's the individual's responsibility to prevent large companies from gaining access to their contact information. The FCC does have the authority to combat robocalls - and even solved the spam call problem a few years ago - but pushback from major companies has led the number of robocalls to skyrocket once again. Oliver described the situation by saying, "We basically got our one-year sobriety chip and celebrated by drinking a bottle of Captain Morgan."
Watch the full clip above, and let's all hope Oliver's message gets the point across once and for all.
15 of the Prettiest Prom Dresses We've Seen, Made Especially For Curvy Girls
There are few dresses in life that are quite as important as your prom dress. It's something so many girls dream of, and your chance to feel like the best version of yourself. If you can't wait to get shopping, start here. We've scoured the internet to find the 15 dresses we think you'll really love, and they're made especially for girls with curves. Happy shopping!
5 Things I Really Wish I'd Known Before Being in an Open Relationship
Relationships are tricky business. Some say monogamy is overrated; some believe it's the only way. After my divorce, I decided that I should try out a variety of relationship styles to figure out exactly what I wanted. I'd been in a committed relationship for the majority of my adult life, and jumping into another one felt off somehow. "If this one didn't work out, why wouldn't another turn out just the same?" I asked myself. Of course, that was just my post-breakup brain talking. Committed, monogamous relationships are wonderful, but I was ready to try something new.
As I dipped my toes into the world of open relationships, I started by asking Google some questions: What is an open relationship exactly? How do you find other people who are interested in this setup? What books should I read about polyamory and the like? What if I don't want to be someone's secondary relationship?
Google didn't let me down, providing at least one billion different links to read (seriously). A book that continuously popped up was The Ethical Slut. A friend also suggested reading Mating in Captivity, just to feel out both sides of this precarious coin. Soon, I found a new relationship and shared what books I was reading with him. I cringed slightly, awaiting his response to my suggestion that we have an open relationship when we had only been seeing each other for a couple of months. Surprisingly, though, he was open to it. I was excited, but as it turns out, I was so unprepared for what it was actually like. Here are five things I wish I had known about being in an open relationship before actually being in one.
- A foundation of healthy communication is critical. Relationships bring out every emotion and feeling, and that's before you add in extra people. If you struggle with healthy communication, i.e. no yelling, name calling, shaming, passive aggressiveness, and so on, then adding other romantic relationships into the mix might just exacerbate things. Opening your relationship isn't necessarily a solution for a couple who are already struggling. Healthy communication should be your starting point. Do you really want to be in this primary relationship? If so, what are your reasons for wanting an open relationship?
- Set some ground rules beforehand. Do you have dealbreakers when it comes to an open relationship? Maybe you only want things to be open at certain times, like when visiting a sex club. Or maybe you're OK with hookups that are mostly physical, but you're against your partner developing a more romantically intimate relationship with someone else. Maybe sex is OK, but no sleeping over at each other's houses. Whatever your MO is, vocalize it. Your partner won't know what your needs are if you don't share them.
- It's easier to accept the idea of your partner having sex with someone else than actually navigating it in real time. That communication thing will come in handy here. Setting some ground rules is essential before venturing into open relationship territory. But even if you talk about everything that might make you uncomfortable - BAM! - something you least expected to bother you will. It's just part of the deal and something that you have to work through together. When we first ventured into other relationships, I asked my partner to share the first time he had sex with someone else so I could process it. I wasn't expecting the grief that I felt, but it was important for me to feel that so I could make an informed choice about whether I could do this thing or not.
- Be secure in who you are as a person. This seems obvious, and maybe others don't struggle with this, but there are times when my partner would be sharing things with me about a different partner (communicate if you want to hear about other partners), and what was being shared was completely opposite of how our relationship was. That inner critic began to pipe up in my head, saying, "She's better than you are. Prettier. More fun." Bat that critic down, and love yourself because you are enough. Your partner's affection for someone else doesn't diminish who you are as a person in the slightest. I don't want to be like someone else, and neither should you. If fears of "What if my partner decides to be with that other person?" pop into your head, acknowledge them. None of us are obligated to anyone else. If our partner, or we, decide to leave a relationship, that's OK. It's OK to move on. And it's also OK to grieve those losses if they occur.
- Know that everything is temporary. I often have an all-or-nothing mentality (maybe it's the Scorpio in me). When I say everything is temporary, I mean that every second of every day, things change. Some things are out of our control, and some things aren't. If something isn't working for you, voice it. Change it. If you were comfortable with something before but no longer are, say so. Just because you choose a path doesn't mean it's set in stone. If you or your partner want to continue this lifestyle and the other doesn't, that's OK. It might mean having to walk away from the relationship, or it might mean redrawing some boundaries that everyone is comfortable with.
Being in an open relationship isn't for everyone. I grew up in a very rigid, close-minded area where I didn't know such a thing existed. Allow yourself, if you want, to consider the idea, especially if it's something that has piqued your interest in the past. Treat yourself with compassion, patience, openness, and probably a healthy dose of humor (because, hey, it makes for good stories) if you decide to give an open relationship a try. You might just love it. Or you might not. But that's the beautiful thing about life; you can always change your mind.
This Photographer Planned Her Own Travel-Themed Baby Shower, and It's Nothing Short of Amazing
Alexandra Peterson has been a newborn photographer for over eight years, and last year she got to celebrate the birth of her own precious little baby. After making a career of capturing heartwarming moments in other family's lives, Alexandra is more than qualified to create spectacular moments to capture in images.
"I finally got to celebrate my own little baby as I'm expecting my first child this Winter!" said Alexandra, who is thrilled about her own journey to motherhood. "This [photo shoot] is a recap of my travel-themed baby shower, designed by fellow creative entrepreneurs that I have met during my time as a photographer."
The travel theme was incorporated in many adorable ways, from the paper goods and shower games to the sweet treats. She had delicious cookies in the shape of hot-air balloons and some remarkably detailed cake pops and sugar cookies that resembled globes. The place mats also featured the world map, and the phrase "Welcome to our greatest adventure" was used for signage. All these detailed treats and decor fit a pastel color palette with prominent pink and blue tones.
Make sure to see these lovely photos from this spectacular travel-themed photo shoot!
This Lion King and Aladdin Swim Line Means No Worries For the Rest of Our Summer Days
Ready to be the main event, like no king (or queen) was before? Just in time for Disney's latest live-action movie releases, the Disney Store and Shop Disney have collaborated to create the ultimate Oh My Disney swim collection - and it's inspired by The Lion King, Aladdin, and Mickey Mouse! The OMD Swim collection features pool essentials like a magic carpet pool float, sequined Princess Jasmine sandals, a hakuna matata beach towel, and so much more. Check out the adorable beach accessories ahead and be prepared to spend Summer feeling like Disney royalty.
Pop Culture and American Politics Continue to Obscure Working Moms' Realities
Midge Maisel at work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Photo courtesy Everett Collection.
I didn't have childcare arrangements for my final class of the teaching semester. My usual sitter had a final exam, relatives were working, and back-up sitters weren't around. I called my eldest son's nursery school and arranged to pay the fee for him to stay late, but I had no one to watch my 10-month-old. I emailed the office to inform them I would have to bring my infant to class. "Sounds like you have taken into consideration that there should not be a disruption in your students' learning," the English coordinator responded. "So it should be all right."
"I rarely see TV shows that capture the gritty truth of a working mother's experience."
I did my best to occupy my son, who whined and thrashed in my arms. I let him crawl on the dirty floor while listening to my students read from their memoir essays. Halfway through the class, I had to excuse myself to change his diaper on the floor of the women's bathroom; my office was full of other instructors meeting with students and there were no changing tables or family bathrooms available. The whole scenario felt right out of a sitcom, as my son tried his darndest to escape the small pad separating his bare bottom from the restroom tile - except I rarely see TV shows that capture the gritty truth of a working mother's experience.
Mothers have faced scrutiny and discrimination since they've pursued equality in the workforce. Today, 70 percent of mothers with children under the age of 18 work outside the home. In the 1960s, only 11 percent of women were the breadwinners, compared to the 40 percent of working mothers who are the sole or primary household earners today, but policies like paid leave or proper nursing rooms to accommodate working mothers lag far behind the sheer number of us in the workforce.
Last year, 102 women were elected to Congress, several of whom have young children. Change on Capitol Hill began with the installation of nursing stations and changing tables, but extensive reform is needed to keep women in positions of power.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand reenacts her swearing-in ceremony with her family by her side. Photo courtesy Getty Images.
A current policy bans lawmakers from using official funds on childcare needs, but the congressional schedule makes it difficult for parents to get home to relieve sitters or have dinner with their kids even three times a week. A single mother to three school-aged children, like California Democrat Katie Porter, needs childcare before and after school and during the many overnights, which could easily overwhelm her salary. Many women, like Senator Gillibrand, move their families out of the home states they serve to DC and enroll them in local schools because of the time commitment expected.
Howard and Bernadette dote over their baby on The Big Bang Theory. Photo courtesy CBS.
As is our reality, pop culture often reinforces stereotypes that make it difficult to advocate for the reform working mothers need. In wildly popular shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Big Bang Theory, children hardly factor into the storyline or, in some cases, are reduced to mere whines in the distance. It's easy to forget Howard's wife, Bernadette Wolowitz, has any children as a working mother.
Midge Maisel, an embodiment of the privileged elite, is more mythical than marvelous as she's never had to drag her kids to a nightclub because of a childcare conflict, and hardly receives pushback from her husband, parents, or community for the amount of time she spends away from her children working both a day job and a night gig. At the end of season two, when Midge decides to accept an offer to perform on a world tour for six months, she does so without hesitation or consideration for her children. As refreshing as it is to see a woman make a bold career move without thought of the family she leaves behind, it's grossly unrealistic and problematic, especially when it hurts real working women with all-encompassing careers who need employers who respect familial responsibility. As a mother watching in 2019, the scene feels highly unlikely given it's set in the late '50s. Careers like Mrs. Maisel's exist - see music artist Pink on tour with two kids - which is why it's that much more important our television breathes life back into these real-life complicated scenarios.
It may say something that many of the contemporary shows honoring the complex reality of working motherhood are produced outside of the country. In the British sitcom Catastrophe, Sharon - a grade school teacher and new mom of two - begs her principal to let her come back early from maternity leave after months of isolating childcare at home and a bout with postpartum depression. She has no qualms complaining about the drain her children pose on her body, sex life, and overall well-being.
A still from the Amazon series Catastrophe. Photo courtesy Everett Collection.
If American entertainment portrayed more complexity facing parents in the workforce, maybe the women in Congress would have less of an uphill battle trying to pass reasonable family leave that sustains a working family. For example, in Australia's The Letdown, mothers are judged if they don't work and judged if they work too much, and stay-at-home moms are denied participation in career day at their child's school, which feels a bit more real.
"Little will be done in way of real reform in our government policy if popular culture doesn't accurately reflect our reality."
Many of the policies put forward recently that seem like a great step for families and working mothers fall egregiously short. Ivanka Trump's six-week family leave proposal, which would deplete Social Security benefits even farther for a generation that isn't guaranteed any, simply won't cut it. Senator Amy Klobuchar's former plan, for parents to work three times the leave they took - or pay it back - certainly wasn't it either.
Though we're at an all-time record-high number of women in the workforce, America is still the only developed nation without a mandatory national parental leave across the board from employers. More exposure to the reality we face in entertainment will help to address the other large issues that continue to harm working mothers today, such as the large gender and racial wage gaps, or the limited availability and affordability of good childcare. Something American television could use more of are working moms maintaining both their identities as caretakers and contributors to their communities, and as women who adore their children and sometimes resent the burden they place on their lives. If TV better reflects our reality, maybe our political leaders will be more motivated to address it.
Show creator and star Frankie Shaw in a still from SMILF. Photo courtesy Everett Collection.
There are some US television shows that are helping the cause. SMILF's struggling single mother Bridgette often has to tote toddler, Larry, to her tutoring job, and once had to leave her son with his father's girlfriend because he had to see the doctor when she had to work. Homeland's Carrie is another example of a woman striving to balance motherhood with her demanding career as a freelance ex-CIA agent. Eventually, she surrenders custody to her sister after her job overruns her ability to provide a safe environment for her daughter. This Is Us's Beth, mother of two, asks husband Randall to drop out of a political race when it seems unlikely he'll win. This moment becomes an issue in their marriage after he promised to give her the time to put her career first for once. Allowing women to make these choices onscreen opens possibilities for other women to make difficult work decisions in their own lives - and helps hold fathers accountable as equal partners in child-rearing.
American politics and popular entertainment often hinge on the family, but gendered policies and outdated tropes hurt families. When a baby is born, most men still have limited opportunity for parental leave, and those who do, don't tend to use it. Mandatory paid parental leave for fathers helps women get back to work sooner, keeps them on a leadership track, and prevents gender discrimination in the hiring process. On average, only 13 percent of companies offer paid parental leave and men are unlikely to take more than two weeks because of peer pressure in the office. Like family leave, a nationwide policy should mandate that all public men's restrooms include accommodations for changing their children's diapers. Even as we expect more of fathers than we have in previous generations, we haven't made necessary changes that encourage stay-at-home fatherhood or won't harm a two-father family. In Canada's Workin' Moms, there is a stay-at-home father who enjoys raising his daughter while his wife goes to work.
I spent the drive home from the last day of class worried over my student evaluations. I imagined a few would mention my son on the last day and how it made me less professional than other instructors, affecting my desirability to be hired by the college as an adjunct in following semesters. But as I got home and picked my oldest up from school, I reconsidered the benefits of bringing my child to a college class. I showed my students that you can have a career and a family, you can teach a class and parent at the same time, and that working motherhood is complicated, but most importantly possible. When I checked my student evaluations, not one mentioned my infant. In fact, one student said, "she is really professional and competitive."
Little will be done in way of real reform in our government policy if popular culture doesn't accurately reflect our reality. And as our policies continue to fall behind our growth as a society, it becomes easier for this misrepresentation in our entertainment to continue. It's time to stop celebrating when a show features a female protagonist or when Congress has a record number of women elected, and start fighting for a world where a woman can run a company and a household - even a country - in all the complexity that entails, without scaling unnecessary hurdles that intend to stand in her way.
Take Advantage of the Season and Spring Clean Your Health, Too
Think beyond the disinfectants, sponges, and sprays associated with Spring cleaning - it's time to give your health a seasonal makeover. From your workouts to your diet, here are six ways to bring the focus of the season to your body and mind.
Why 2 Experts Say You Should Clean Your Medicine Cabinet - and Their 5 Key Tips
Cleaning out your medicine cabinet isn't just a matter of organization or getting your bathroom up to KonMari standards. Keeping track of your medications and expiration dates, as well as how and where you store them, actually has a lot to do with safety - and not just yours, but that of the people around you, too. But where to start? POPSUGAR talked to Sean Mackey, MD, professor and chief of the pain medicine division at Stanford, and clinical pharmacist Ann Schwemm, Pharm D, MPH, to clear up misconceptions and get the facts on how to read medication expiration dates, throw out old pills, and keep your medicine cabinet organized and safe.
If You're a Runner, These 21 Genius Products From Amazon Are Calling Your Name
Running sounds easy, right? But it's more than just going outside and taking off. You'll want to make sure you have supportive shoes for your feet and a place to store your keys, phone, and so on. To help you get fully fitted for your next run, we uncovered the 21 coolest running products on Amazon. From leggings to water bottles, no doubt they'll improve your workouts. Keep scrolling to shop our favorites.
Related: Amazon Prime Has the Most Affordable Workout Clothes and They're So Damn Cute
Walmart's Workout Clothes Are Next-Level Cute and Seriously Affordable
It's no secret Walmart carries just about everything you could ever need, from stylish furniture to flattering swimwear, but did you know the retailer has insanely cute workout clothes? We shopped so you don't have to and hunted the absolute best picks for prices so good, you almost won't believe it. We're talking $10 tees and $15 leggings. Keep scrolling to shop these hot finds before they're gone.
These 81 Healthy Snacks Are So Craveable, Anyone Can Find a New Favorite
When we think about great snacks, we want options. Some days we might be feeling like a sweet treat, and other times cravings for a salty snack might strike. So, having a well stocked pantry or snack drawer at your desk is absolutely essential. Always wanting to keep it healthy, we've rounded up every single one of our favorite snacks, so all you have to do is shop!
This 1 Strength Move I Did as a Gymnast Will Destroy Your Core
Gymnasts are not just textbook strong; they flip their bodies around defying gravity, so their biceps, abs, and quads need to be downright powerful. Trust me: I slipped on my first leotard at 4 years old and competed for more than a decade, so I know. Learning how to work out at the gym once college came around and my gymnastics days drew to a close was foreign territory, and while the eight-pack I once had is nowhere near where it used to be (and that's OK), my strength is still intact. (Fun fact: I worked out in my rhinestone-studded velvet spandex for the first few months until my roommate finally told me I might want to find something else to wear. At practice, the more sparkly your shorts were, the better, so of course I had them on hand!)
In order to keep up with the physical demand of the sport, we used to do half-hour conditioning sessions at the end of every practice (see some of those moves here). But there was one exercise that always had me and my teammates clutching our core, complaining of how much it burned. Introducing hollow body rocks: the move I still find hard to this day. And if you're familiar with it, I've added some variations you might want to try.
15 Deliciously Low-Carb Ways to Cook With Beef
If you could use some low-carb inspiration to breathe some life back into your meal prep, you've come to the right place. For this roundup, we're serving up beef ideas - just one of the proteins you probably keep tucked away in your freezer (right alongside those chicken thighs). While you shouldn't eat red meat more than once or twice a week, beef makes the list of approved low-carb foods. But just like so many other staples, it can get boring after a while when you're making the same old seasoned steak with veggies. Consider that one problem solved - just browse these flavorful recipes, and you'll see why.
If Climbing Into a Cozy Bed Is Your Favorite Part of the Day, You'll Love These 23 Memes
Isn't sleep the best? If cuddling under the covers is one of your favorite things ever, these memes about sleep were basically written for you. But no matter how much you love sleeping, if you find yourself not being able to fall asleep or you toss and turn during the night, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure your bedroom environment is suitable for sleep. Keep the temperature on the cool side, use blackout curtains to block out any light, and keep your bedroom clutter-free and quiet.
- Exercise during the day. This uses up energy, so when your head hits the pillow, you'll fall asleep faster.
- Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake at the same time every day (yes, even on weekends!) to get your body into a natural sleep-wake cycle.
- Stop eating and drinking at least two hours before bed, and eat a light meal so you don't go to bed on a full stomach and don't wake in the middle of the night needing to go to the bathroom.
- Only have coffee before noon, since the caffeine can keep you up.
- Stop using a screen at least 30 minutes before bedtime. If you want to get lost in something, open a relaxing book or write in your journal.
- Try taking CBD oil.
- Take a hot shower, meditate for 10 minutes, or do some yoga to encourage sleepiness - you can even do these poses in your bed!
I Was a Gymnast For Over a Decade - Here's How Striving For a Perfect 10 Taught Me to Embrace Imperfection
Gymnastics is all about striving for perfection. I loved and still love it, but it's kind of like riding a merry-go-round in the hopes that you'll actually get somewhere: the task at hand is near impossible because the sport is a) subjective and b) set on tearing you down when you perform. With judges searching for the smallest of deductions - a flexed foot, the slightest wobble, a tiny toe shuffle on a landing you swear you stuck - it's hard to look at yourself as anything but imperfect. It took me some time after leaving gymnastics behind my freshman year of college, but eventually, with some retrospection, I realized just how much the sport taught me about seeking the unattainable.
With the exception of elite level rules where the scoring surpassed the perfect 10 in 2006 and different leagues that have varying rules (I competed in the Jersey Optional Gymnastics Association, or JOGA, for many years, where your numbers tended to be lower because you scored up instead of deducting down), a 10.00 is most gymnasts' idealized number. And sure, you can get a perfect 10 - Katelyn Ohashi has received a handful of them this NCAA season - but another judge out there could deem that your perfect 10 was actually a few tenths lower. Plus, there's this constant pressure to do better even if your scores indicate you've reached your peak; it's a lot to handle.
"I guarantee you, if you talk to Katelyn Ohashi, she'll say, 'I know what I'm going to be doing when I go back to practice on Monday to make this even better,'" Jennifer Roitman-Seamans, MA, a coach in the field of sports psychology with over 20 years of experience supporting gymnasts and other athletes through mental blocks and performance anxiety, told POPSUGAR. "There's always something to strive for. And while the judges might say you're perfect, you might ask yourself, 'OK, well, if I'm up here and on top, what do I need to do to keep myself up here?'"
I get that. Throughout a decade of competitive gymnastics, I would always be the last person to finish my conditioning at the end of practice because I needed to do every single leg lift, hollow hold, and pull-up exactly right or I couldn't move on. If I fell on beam at a competition (ask any gymnast and she'll tell you it's almost always the easiest skills, like the dreaded full turn, you'll mess up), my whole world would seem to come crashing down. It was hard for me to stop beating myself up enough to focus on the little successes I might have accomplished - the successes I couldn't see because failure was too crippling. Then, it translated to other parts of my life. I held myself to almost impossible standards in school (an A- was an F) and at home (a fib to my parents meant I'd punish myself for weeks with guilt). It's safe to say that, while the gifts gymnastics gave me - structure, persistence, confidence - have stuck with me to this day, the self-deprecating perfectionist I'd been sculpted into was someone I needed to shed for the better.
Jennifer tells her clients to try to focus on success outside of numbers. "They have to get a certain score to qualify for States or for Regionals or for whatever it is, so I'm not telling them to not think about scores," she said. "But if they put forth their best effort and they have a great attitude regardless of what happens, then their performance is going to get better. And a better performance means a better score." Jennifer wants gymnasts to remind themselves that "any progress is good progress." Life, she stated, is about challenges, but at the same time, setting goals that you know you can achieve is satisfying. "So when somebody is feeling like they're a failure, I'll question them and say, 'Well if you didn't fail, what did you learn? If you're not failing something, how are you going to make something better?'" she explained, adding that she wants gymnasts to look at these failures as perfect because they're able to grow from their mistakes.
Jennifer continued, "Even in failure, you can pull from that what we call 'perfect' because it's perfect for the situation. Even though it's not great, we can turn it into something good because it's a lesson we're taught for the next turn, a lesson we're taught for the next day." And that's what I learned looking back: that practice makes progress, not "perfect," and that's OK. Chasing a 10.00 in gymnastics (and in life) may result in positive self-discipline, but it's more about how you strive for your successes without becoming caught up in the demand of that goal. Even still, like Jennifer said best, there's perfection in everything you do; you just need to get out of your own way to find it.
Say Goodbye to Restless Nights With This $35 Weighted Sleep Mask on Amazon
By now, you've probably heard all the rave about weighted blankets that promise to keep you warm and cozy and help you sleep better. The benefits don't stop there. Because weight is being distributed on and around you, the blanket provides a hugging effect as it grounds you (read more about that here).
Not only will the blanket make you feel like you're getting the best cuddles ever, that hugging feeling also affects your hormones and releases oxytocin, aka the love hormone, that's been associated with everything from female reproduction to social bonding and stress reduction. And it keeps getting better. The hormone serotonin, known to improve mood and cognition, is also released.
If you aren't ready to invest in a weighted blanket, you don't have the space, or you want to take baby steps, we've got a solution: the Gravity Weighted Sleep Mask ($35). It'll provide all the benefits of the weighted blanket at a fraction of the cost. "Using the same deep touch pressure stimulation as the Gravity Blanket, the Weighted Sleep Mask primes your body for sleep by blocking light and distributing light touch across key relaxation pressure points," according to the Gravity website.
The mask distributes 0.75 to one pound of weight and is made with "micro-plush fiber and imitation cashmere." It also has an adjustable Velcro strap, so you don't have to worry about it being too small or too large for your head.
Get ready to catch some zzz's with the Gravity Weighted Sleep Mask.
It's Time to Do Something About the Dropout Rate of Girls in Sports - and You Can Help
When Nike invited me to join forces with them and the city I love for Women Coach LA - a new program to encourage young women to embrace their athleticism - I was humbled and ecstatic. If you saw Nike's powerful "Dream Crazier" ad during the Oscars, you'll have an idea of what's motivating this effort: the dire need to shatter stereotypes around girls and women in sports.
Today's generation is the least active in history, and with Women Coach LA, we're setting a goal to recruit hundreds of new adult women in the city to become coaches - coaches who can serve as role models to girls by introducing them to the transformative power of sport, and by simply giving them someone to look up to. It will all culminate in the first-ever Nike Legacy Summit, where a new wave of women will be trained as coaches and leaders. Along with 29 incredible women - including football player Toni Harris and Nike Trainer and ultramarathoner Bec Wilcock (who happens to be my running coach!) - I'm working to get the word out in LA communities and invite other female athletes to set an example.
This is an effort that's especially meaningful to me. I personally know what a difference sports have made in my life, as a dancer, as a runner, and as someone who just likes to get moving. To get the chance to pass that on to the next generation feels like a culmination of all of those lessons and triumphs and failures. Lessons I've learned from the women who mentored me, triumphs and failures I've shared with the women I've called teammates.
As a mentor with Write Girl, I see how it transforms young girls to get in touch with their voices and put their ideas out into the world - to give themselves the permission to speak up and out. I want young women to know that you can be artistic and athletic. To value their bodies for what they can achieve in a society that too often evaluates them for how they look. To discover the joy that comes from competing against the person you are now to become the person you'll be tomorrow.
Join us on Saturday, April 6, at the inaugural Nike Legacy Summit. It promises to be a day filled with inspiration, education, and training for women aspiring to be role models and coaches to girls across LA. You can click here to register and learn more.
Yes, Pizza Can Be a Part of Your Low-Carb Diet - We've Got Proof on Amazon!
Pizza, for us, is basically a food group. We love everything about pizza, but when we're trying to eat low-carb, it's understandably one of the first things to get nixed from our diets. But not anymore. There is such a thing as a low-carb pizza. We repeat, you can have a low-carb pizza, and these eight options are all available on Amazon. From cauliflower crust to almond flour to classic whole wheat, have your pizza and eat it, too.
The New Game of Thrones Adidas Collection Could Help You Outrun a White Walker
Gather 'round, Game of Thrones fans: we have an announcement that's going to add some fire (and ice) to your sneaker collection. Ahead of the highly anticipated final season of the show, HBO has teamed up with Adidas to release a limited-edition collection of six Ultraboost sneakers to represent the different houses and factions of the beloved series. Each sneaker features subtle designs unique to the factions of Westeros, and the little details have us really freaking excited.
The sneakers are $180, and each design features the relevant faction's sigil on the tongue and the motto on the back of the shoe. The two House Targaryen sneakers (one representing the dragons, the other representing Daenerys and her lineage) have a dragon on the tongue and read "Fire and Blood" on the heel. If you secretly stan Cersei, the House Lannister kicks have a lion on the tongue and read "Hear Me Roar" on the heel. House Stark's shoes have a direwolf on the tongue and read "Winter Is Coming," for the Team Arya fans out there. The White Walker pair has "Winter Is Here" on the heel, and the Night's Watch pair reads "Night gathers and now my watch begins" on the back of the tongue.
While season eight of the show doesn't premiere until April 14, the Game of Thrones Adidas collection is available online and in select stores on March 22. We highly recommend acting quickly, because the six sneakers are guaranteed to sell out faster than Drogon can wipe out a slew of White Walkers. Ahead, see the six unique designs and get ready to outrun said White Walkers with the fresh Ultraboost kicks.
I Tried the New Ben & Jerry's Vegan Flavors - This Is Why They Were Sold Out at 5 Stores
Ben & Jerry's now offers a total of 11 non-dairy pints, and the newest flavors are Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocolate Caramel Cluster. Living in Vermont (where Ben & Jerry's all began) and being dairy-free, it was my civic duty to get my hands on these pints to try them out.
I'll tell you, they were not easy to find. I called six different grocery and health food stores to find them, and five were sold out! On a side note, I must have sounded a little crazy calling specifically to see if they had these two flavors; they must have thought I was newly broken up with, or pregnant, or maybe both?.
And poor me, I had the difficult task of doing a taste test with these delicious pints. It was hard, but I did it for you. Here's what I thought of these two exciting new flavors. I've also included the nutritional info, not as a buzzkill, but just so you know that while these pints are dairy-free, they're definitely not low in calories. Now, on to the tasting!
Want a High-Protein Breakfast? Grab a Bowl and One of These 7 Healthy Cereals
Cereal gets a bad rap as far as healthy breakfasts go, and there's definitely some truth to it. Cereals can be a big source of empty carbs, sugars, and calories without adding much nutrition to the mix, which doesn't exactly help you start the day off on a healthy foot. It's pretty hard to find a cereal that doesn't have a decent amount of carbs and sugar, but you can make it a little less of an empty calorie bomb by choosing an option with other nutritional value - like satiating, macro-hitting protein. To keep you satisfied and start off your day strong, we rounded up the best cereals that pack a serious protein punch. Grab the milk and get ready to dive in.
This Is Exactly How Brie Larson Trained For Captain Marvel, According to Her Trainer
All you need to do is take a quick peek at Brie Larson's Instagram to see just how strong she is. From the look of it, she went all out training for her role as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel.
To find out exactly what it took for Brie to transform into a real-life superhero, POPSUGAR spoke to her trainer, Jason Walsh, about her diet and exercise routine.
These Are the 15 Bodyweight Exercises You Should Do to Improve Your Upper-Body Strength
Getting sculpted and strong arms is going to take time, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. If you're new to working out, we recommend beginning with bodyweight exercises to strengthen your arms. Once you've built up your strength, you can begin to incorporate a few beginner dumbbell exercises into your routine as well.
In order to make your life easier, we've rounded up 15 bodyweight exercises that will help strengthen and sculpt your arms. Just a friendly reminder that this is not a workout, and doing all 15 exercises at once will make you extremely sore. Instead, choose three to five exercises that work different muscles in your arms (i.e. push-ups, mid-rows, and pull-ups) to make a workout.
Once you've got a strength foundation, be sure to progress to more intense movements in order to keep building muscle and prevent hitting a plateau. In the meantime, put your arms to work with the 15 strengthening exercises ahead.
Related: An Expert Explains Why You Need to Do More Than Bodyweight Workouts to Lose Weight
Think About All the People Who've Touched Your Avocado (Eww!), Then Follow This Expert Advice
Now that I know that amazing storage hack for keeping avocados from turning brown, I recently stocked up on at least eight (my family is obsessed!), especially since avocados were on sale this week at my local grocery store. But as I was picking up each avocado to gently squeeze and test for perfect firmness, I watched as four other people were doing the same thing. Then the germaphobe in me started to think about the hundreds of other people who've been manhandling these exact same avocados and how many germs must be on the skin - eww!
If you stop to think about all the dirty hands on the avocados you bring home, you'll be so grossed out and will definitely want to follow the advice of registered dietitian Brenna O'Malley, creator of the health blog The Wellful. She said, "The trick with produce like avocados is that even though we don't eat the peel, when we cut it, that bacteria or dirt can transfer into the edible part of the food. The FDA does recommend washing all produce before preparing or eating, whether we eat the skin or not!"
So this tip isn't just for avocados. Registered dietitian Leslie Langevin, MS, author of The Anti-Inflammatory Kitchen Cookbook, says that you should wash melons and oranges not only to get rid of germs and dirt but also to wash away sprayed-on pesticides. As for bananas, registered dietitian nutritionist and NASM-certified trainer Whitney English (@whitneyerd on Instagram), MS, says those are OK to eat without washing, since you're not cutting through the peel.
Leslie says you could use a special produce cleanser that contains citric acid. But Whitney says she just thoroughly rinses produce under running water, scrubbing with a produce brush or her hands, and drying with a clean towel. Do this every time before slicing into your avocado (and other produce with a peel) to avoid the bacteria that could be lurking on the surface.
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