July, 2016

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Can Virtual Reality Meditation Get You Closer to Mindfulness? I Tried It to Find Out + MORE

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started a review blog to help inform the public. We hope this beauty review
helps to enlighten your life and encourage good health.

One Big Interviewing Mistake You Should Try to Avoid

– www.health.com

Say you’re in the running for your dream job, but it’s on the other side of the country. The higher-ups call you for a final interview, and give you a choice: You can video conference in, or fly out to meet with them face-to-face.

You might be tempted to choose the easier option that doesn’t involve travel or additional expenses. But it may be wise to make the trip: A new study suggests that in-person interviews tend to leave better impressions on both the hiring company and the candidate.

“We live in a world where we increasingly rely on technology, but this study reminds us that personal interactions should never be underestimated,” study co-author Nikki Blacksmith, a doctoral candidate at the George Washington University’s Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication, said in a press release. Blacksmith and her colleagues wanted to see how tools like telephone and video interviewing might affect overall decision making, so they analyzed the findings of 12 studies published between 2000 and 2007.

Their results, published Monday in the journal Personnel Assessment and Decisions, found that overall, technology-mediated interviews resulted in lower ratings—for both parties involved—than face-to-face interviews. Video interviews received the most negative rankings, followed by telephone and computer interviews.

Initially, the researchers assumed that these differences would have lessened over the years, as people became more accustomed to technology in the workplace. But they were surprised to find the opposite: The ratings were actually more negative in the later research. (They do point out, however, that even the most recent study took place seven years ago.)

“Considering the rate at which technology has changed, it is clear that we lack understanding of the modern interview,” the authors wrote.

Senior author Tara Behrend, PhD, director of the Workplaces and Virtual Environments Lab at George Washington University, says the study was not able to determine what, exactly, was wrong with technology-mediated interviews—but does offer a guess.

“On the phone I can’t shrug my shoulders, roll my eyes, wink, or nod my head to show that I understand,” she told RealSimple.com. “That means that the interviewer can easily misinterpret something I say.”

On top of that, she says, taking turns is harder in a video or phone setting. “The chance of accidentally interrupting the interviewer would be much higher,” says Behrend. “If you’re afraid of interrupting, then you might have a long awkward pause instead. Neither option is going to give the perception that you are a strong communicator.”

It’s also difficult to engage in what Behrend calls “impression management”—doing things to make the interviewer like you—when you’re not face-to-face with them. You might not be able to make friendly small talk or show that you’re attentive by smiling and sitting up straight if you’re on the phone or staring into a webcam, she says…

Can Virtual Reality Meditation Get You Closer to Mindfulness? I Tried It to Find Out

– www.health.com

I’ve been meditating, off and on, for the past 14 years. The technique I learned in meditation class many years ago is old-school and austere: Find a place to sit, close your eyes, feel your feet on the floor, and focus on the in-and-out breath at the tip of your nose. No music, no mantras, just the moment-by-moment struggle of bringing your attention back to breathing every time your mind wanders away (which is just about every time you breathe). The point, and the challenge, is to train your mind to let go of distraction, to detach from thoughts, to simply “be here now.” 

Mindfulness meditation is a welcome (some say necessary) respite from the hustle and stress of modern life, and from the incessant pings, buzzes, and chimes of personal technology.

So I was intrigued when I received an invitation from the folks at Oculus, the virtual reality shop at Facebook, to test out the latest application for this booming technology: guided meditation. I wondered: If being mindful requires disengaging from the diversions of modern life, can we truly meditate while mind-melding with state-of-the-art computer processing power? Is it possible to “be here now” if that “here” is a digitally-synthesized someplace else?

At Oculus’ pop-up showroom in New York City, I was first given a quick tour of the capabilities of their high-end Rift system.  I was menaced by a life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex (cowering in virtual terror as the beast stomped past/through me) and dropped onto the ledge of an 80-story Times Square skyscraper (dropping reflexively to hands and knees and crawling backwards to safety). 

RELATED: A Meditation to Start Your Day

After the stress test warm up, I strapped on the Samsung Gear VR, for a downshift into Oculus’ meditation offerings.

The Guided Meditation VR app, developed by Cubicle Ninjas, gives you a choice of environment, voiceover, and chill-out music. I picked a fall foliage setting called "Autumnshade" to start, and the "Relaxation" audio track. 

The 360-degree view was splendid: Crisp brown leaves floated from trees between shafts of golden sunlight. In the narration, an English woman likened our thoughts to hummingbirds, and indeed, my mind was flitting from voice to scene (with multiple perspectives available at the push of a button) and back again, with nary a thought of my breath.

I switched to a tropical seaside setting ("Costa del Sol"), with waves sloshing on the shore, then toggled again to an icy mountain ("Snow Peak"): Blood red sky reflected in an iridescent blue lake. Somewhere behind me I heard a crunching sound, like the calving of icebergs (or the footfall of a hungry snow leopard). Each time I picked a new setting, the device asked me to press my finger to a sensor to measure my heart rate, part of the app's biofeedback feature. I started out around 76 beats per minute, and hovered in that range throughout the experience…

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The Fitness Machine That Shook Up My Pilates Routine for the Better + MORE

I’m taking an exercise class at Moving Strength, a boutique Pilates studio in New York City, and, well, I’m struggling. My body feels like it’s buzzing with electricity. My triceps are burning, my quads are shaking, and my heart rate is growing quicker. Don’t get me wrong&mda.... More »

This Is the Legging Trend You'll Be Seeing Everywhere in 2019 + MORE

The biggest legging trend for 2019 will look pretty familiar to anyone who lived in Adidas track pants back in the '90s. Workout tights that take a cue from the brand's iconic tri-color side stripe are everywhere right now. And while the original is still cool, we're also seein.... More »

3 Sports Bras for Big Boobs That Actually Work + MORE

Is going out for a run, getting into a downward dog, or doing burpees, jumping jacks, and box jumps a pain in the chest? That uncomfortable bouncing is a sign that your sports bra is not supportive enough—something that can not only hold you back during your workout, but can also be bad for yo.... More »

Adele's Makeup Artist Has the Most Genius Hack for Your Under Eye Concealer + MORE

[brightcove:5187515756001 default]   This article originally appeared on InStyle.com. Especially in summer's ever-climbing temperatures, keeping our concealer from creasing into those fine lines underneath our eyes (we should have started with the eye cream earlier, we know). Setting sp.... More »

9 Bottles of This Dreamy Face Serum Sell Every Minute Around the World + MORE

This article originally appeared on Instyle.com.  You’ve got the silk pillowcase and you stashed your phone in your bedside table 30 minutes before bed, but if you’re really trying to establish a transformative nighttime beauty routine, you’ll need to get your hands on a revi.... More »

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One Big Interviewing Mistake You Should Try to Avoidwww.health.com
Can Virtual Reality Meditation Get You Closer to Mindfulness? I Tried It to Find Outwww.health.com

The Weird Way Harry Potter Could Affect Your Political Views + MORE

Hair extensions and hair treatments are just one way that Invisiblend Hair Studio helps to increase our client’s quality of life. A hair technician or hair salon specialist is more than just a stylist, they are a friend. A person to vent your week to, express your joy and life achievements, there is more than just beauty when it comes to our hair stylist.We hope the reviews and blogs and posts help your day go smother

The Weird Way Harry Potter Could Affect Your Political Views

– www.health.com

Come November, your fiction preferences might have a real-life impact on your choices at the polls. People who have read Harry Potter novels tend to have a lower opinion of Donald Trump, according to a new study—and the more books they’ve read in the series, the less favorably they view the Republican presidential nominee.

These findings held true regardless of a person’s political party, gender, age, level of education, or religious beliefs, says study author Diana Mutz, professor of political science and communication at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication.

The massive popularity of the series, by British author J.K. Rowling, made such research possible; more than 450 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide, and Mutz found that both Republicans and Democrats were equally likely to have read them.

To gauge people’s opinions of the controversial businessman-turned-politician, Mutz surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,142 Americans. (In addition to Trump and Harry Potter, she also asked them about hot-button election issues such as waterboarding, the death penalty, and the treatment of Muslims and gay people.)

She found that each book people had read in the fantasy series lowered their evaluations of Trump by about two to three points on a 100-point sale. “This may seem small,” Mutz acknowledged in a press release, “but for someone who has read all seven books, the total impact could lower their estimation of Trump by 18 points out of 100.”

To a lesser extent, Harry Potter readership was also associated with a more positive attitude toward Muslim and gay people, and a more negative one toward questions about the use of torture and killing terrorists.

Mutz believes that the books’ message of tolerance and respect for each others’ differences may play a key role in influencing readers’ political views.

For example, she writes, Harry Potter advocates for oppressed house-elves and opposes the evil Lord Voldemort’s quest for “blood purity” among wizards. Trump, on the other hand, has called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, and made comments about minorities, including women, Mexicans, and disabled people.

The protagonists in Rowling’s books are also reluctant to use violence to settle disputes, she writes, while Trump has supported waterboarding and bombing terrorists’ families.

Finally, Mutz writes, “it may simply be too difficult for Harry Potter readers to ignore the similarities between Trump and the power-hungry Voldemort.”

The study will appear in a special election edition of the journal PS: Political Science and Politics. Mutz concludes—with obvious bias of her own—that she’s not sure if Harry Potter can “defeat Donald Trump” in this year’s election, but that her research raises hope that the values the book preaches could prevail…

Why Can't I Meditate? 7 Solutions to Common Meditation Blockers

– www.health.com

Meditation might be the biggest self-care trend since yoga, and for good reason—it’s been shown to help with everything from easing anxiety to boosting your sex life. Problem is, meditation isn't quite as simple as it seems, and it doesn't come easy for everyone. If you’ve tried (and tried, and tried) meditating to no avail, you’re not alone. Here, Elisha Goldstein, PhD, co-founder of The Center for Mindful Living in Los Angeles and featured expert on Meditation Studio, solves the most common meditation problems so you can finally find your Zen. 

I can’t clear my mind

Legs crossed, eyes closed, body relaxed—you’re all ready for a meditation session. There’s just one problem: you can’t stop thinking about all those errands on your to-do list, that fight you just had with your sister, or what you’re going to make for dinner. Sound familiar? Try as we might, sometimes it’s downright impossible to totally empty our minds. “It’s easy to get frustrated because we have certain expectations about what meditation is supposed to be like,” says Goldstein. “There’s this misconception that meditation is supposed to be concentration. But it’s not.”

If you’re having trouble staying focused, Goldstein suggests trying mindfulness meditation. With this type of meditation, the goal is not to completely clear your mind of all thoughts; instead, it's to be fully aware of your thoughts and surroundings in the present moment. “If your mind wanders that’s perfectly fine, just realize your mind is going off and be aware of that,” Goldstein says. Most importantly, he points out: “It’s perfectly okay to be imperfect about this practice.”

RELATED: A Meditation to De-Stress

I get restless

Many people feel fidgety when they try to meditate. Just because you struggle to sit still, though, Goldstein says you shouldn't assume meditation is not for you. “The only way we can be more at ease and at peace with our lives is to learn how to deal with that restlessness differently, and to learn how to settle it down,” he says. Test out different types of meditation. Your restlessness may be well suited for a walking meditation, in which you focus on staying mentally present while moving your body.  

It’s physically painful to sit still

When you imagine somebody meditating, you may picture them sitting cross-legged on the floor. That may be the ideal position for some, but ultimately, you just need to get into a comfortable position that allows you to relax and breathe, whether you're sitting on a mediation cushion or a chair, or even lying down, Goldstein says. Take a few deeps breaths, and really try to soften your muscles. The main goal: “Come to a place where you’re settling in and taking the time for you,” Goldstein says…

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Why an $80 Artificial Knee Outruns a $1,000 Version + MORE

Contrary to what many people may believe, it’s not war or landmines that are the primary causes of amputations in impoverished countries. In places like Kenya or India, amputations are often the result of more commonplace and unfortunate incidents, like automobile accidents or train mishaps i.... More »

5 Mental Tricks to Feeling Amazing, Even if You Miss a Few Workouts + MORE

[brightcove:5603078603001 default] Your plan was to relaunch your regular gym and clean eating regimen on January 1. More than a week into the new year, that's mostly fallen by the wayside. Logically, you know that your self-worth doesn't rely on perfect attendance at .... More »

Tight on Workout Space? Try This Body-Weight Circuit for Small Spaces

As the weather warms, it’s easy to start slacking on your workouts—but fitting in exercise is worth it. So we’re here to help with this body-weight routine that can be done in a small space (hello, tiny hotel room). “It involves strength and stability, and gets your heart.... More »

20-Minute Pilates Butt Workout for Stronger Glutes + MORE

[brightcove:5686478888001 default] This article originally appeared on DailyBurn.com. When you think of Pilates workouts, it’s all about the core — from your lower abs to the transverse abdominis to your obliques. But what you may not realize is that your core also inclu.... More »

5 Easy Barbell Exercises for Beginners + MORE

Cardio is great—in fact, it’s a must. But there’s another beneficial component to physical fitness that many women are ignoring: weight lifting. And we’re not just talking about picking up those little 2-pound weights and doing a few bicep curls (though there’s noth.... More »

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The Weird Way Harry Potter Could Affect Your Political Viewswww.health.com
Why Can't I Meditate? 7 Solutions to Common Meditation Blockerswww.health.com

In a Scientific First, Blind Mice Regain Eyesight + MORE

Beauty and health are wonderful areas to dedicate one’s
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In a Scientific First, Blind Mice Regain Eyesight

– www.health.com

Once the optic nerve that’s responsible for sight is damaged, it’s impossible to see again. At least that’s been the dogma. But a group of U.S. scientists has upended that thinking and helped mice with destroyed optic nerves to see again. It does not have immediate implications for humans yet, but it points researchers in promising new directions.

Andrew Huberman, an associate professor of neurobiology at Stanford University, and his team describe their advance in a study published in Nature Neuroscience. To learn about the way vision nerves grow, they crushed the optic nerve in one eye of mice. Once destroyed, the long finger-like extensions sent out by nerve cells from the eye to the brain start to shrivel, eventually severing any connection to the brain and resulting in blindness. Huberman and his colleagues, however, found that a combination of visual stimulation of the nerve, along with nerve-growing chemicals, can rescue these extensions, called axons, and coax them to stretch out again. Not only that, but the axons are able to find their appropriate connections to the correct sight-dedicated parts of the brain to restore vision. Mice with similar damage to the nerve that didn’t receive the treatment did not show much regrowth of the axons.

About three weeks after the optic nerves in the mice were damaged, the researchers saw evidence of axons extending back into the brain from the eye, something that previous efforts to regenerate eye nerves haven’t done with much reliability. The combination of keeping the damaged but remaining axons stimulated, by exposing the mice to bars on a screen that are moving in different directions, and the nerve growth factors lead to a 500-fold increase in axon regrowth. Granted, not all of the axons managed to sprout again, but those that did were able to do so with impressive speed and distance to reach the brain.

When the researchers conducted four different tests to verify how much of the regrowth contributed to actual restoration of vision in the animals, the animals passed two of the tests that detected large objects and movement.

“For the longest time people in the field wondered if neurons could regenerate and form the correct patterns to connect to the brain, and we found that they did,” says Huberman.

The most compelling finding is that the study suggest that once nerves are coaxed to grow again, they retain the instructions to find their proper connections in the brain’s visual center. If nerves growing toward the brain are like visitors to New York’s Grand Central Station, these nerves are like well-equipped travelers with maps and specific instructions for finding their destination. “It means that neurons remember the way home; they never forget,” says Huberman.

That’s encouraging him and his team to start considering how to translate the results to treat blindness in people. Keeping the axons stimulated by exposing them to stimuli is an easy first step; if these axons are kept alive, then they have a chance of regrowing again, as the mouse study showed…

7 Things to Know Before You Donate Blood

– www.health.com

The summer’s no vacation for blood banks, and this one has been especially hard: Just after the fourth of July, the American Red Cross issued an emergency call for blood and platelet donations. This time of year, “blood donors are typically out of town and unable to give," explains Justin Kreuter, MD, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center in Rochester, Minnesota; or they may not be eligible to donate after traveling to certain areas outside the United States. “It really hits us in the summer months,” Dr. Kreuter says. Your community needs your help now; here’s what you should know about pitching in.

Eligibility is always changing, and Zika’s a concern this year

The Red Cross maintains an alphabetical list of eligibility criteria for potential donors—from acupuncture (thumbs up) to Zika (thumbs down)—and can give you the latest information on whether or not you’re good to give. There have been no reported cases of Zika transmission via blood transfusion so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but there’s a strong possibility that the virus can be transmitted that way. “What we’re doing now, per the FDA, is deferring [donors who may have been exposed to Zika] for 28 days, which is twice the known period of infectivity,” Dr. Kreuter says. Because Zika can be transmitted by sexual contact (via semen) as well, women with male partners who have visited Zika-affected areas are deferred for three additional months.

RELATED: 4 Unexpected Benefits of Donating Blood

The FDA regulates donor blood just as aggressively as it regulates drugs

“It takes a lot of money to do the infectious-disease testing that we do [on donor blood], and when we create blood products out of the donation, that’s done to the same standards as any drug manufactured in this country. The FDA holds us to those same standards, so it’s a very high level of quality and also resources that are invested,” Dr. Kreuter explains. “These tests and high standards are what’s keeping the blood supply safe, so that if my wife or one of my daughters needs a blood transfusion, I can feel assured that I can just sit at their bedside and hold their hand rather than worry about what that might result [in] for them later down the road.”  

You’ll get a mini-physical before you donate

The flip side of donor blood screening (which ensures that it’s safe for the eventual recipient) is confirming the donor’s health (which ensures that the blood draw won’t have a negative effect on them). “We check blood pressure and pulse, we do a pinprick to check red blood cells to make sure they’re safe—we don’t want to make our donors iron deficient,” Dr. Kreuter says. He makes no specific suggestions about what you eat and drink prior to donation; just be sure you have breakfast and lunch under your belt, and take it easy on caffeine…

Fresh Box

Steal Ashley Graham’s Killer Upper-Body Workout + MORE

Ashley Graham is definitely about that gym life. And we know this because the 29-year-old model has been posting her sweat sessions on Instagram as of late. Her workout of choice: hitting it hard with Dawin Peña, co-founder and trainer at The DogPound, a boutique training studio in NYC. Than.... More »

Can You Shrink Your Pores? + MORE

The age-old idea that you can shrink your pores—using anything from a splash of ice-cold water to an egg-white mask—is a fantastic one. Sadly, it’s also a fantasy: “Pore size is genetically determined,” says Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist in New York City, and you can.... More »

4 Reasons a Daily Walking Habit Is Worth It + MORE

We're bombarded by fitness messaging that tells us that to be healthy, we must go to extremes ("no pain, no gain). But really, it doesn't have to be that hard. Simply going for a walk (especially if you do it regularly and outdoors) is an underestimated but low-stress, low-impact, .... More »

The Mental Tricks Laurie Hernandez Uses to Summon Crazy Confidence + MORE

Team USA gymnast Laurie Hernandez is blowing us away in Rio: Her talent is obviously out of this world, but what’s just as impressive is the poise and confidence the 16-year-old first-time Olympian exhibits pretty much every time she’s on camera. Take her performances so far. At the Oly.... More »

Lawsuit Claims St. Ives Apricot Scrub Damages Skin + MORE

If you are a devotee of St. Ives Apricot Scrub, you may be wondering if you should switch to another face wash now that it's the subject of a class action lawsuit. Many people love the old-school scrub (it's been around for nearly three decades) for its ability to slough off dea.... More »

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In a Scientific First, Blind Mice Regain Eyesightwww.health.com
7 Things to Know Before You Donate Bloodwww.health.com

?I Have Vitiligo. Here’s What It’s Like to Live With This Rare Skin Condition + MORE

Hair extensions and hair treatments are just one way that Invisiblend Hair Studio helps to increase our client’s quality of life. A hair technician or hair salon specialist is more than just a stylist, they are a friend. A person to vent your week to, express your joy and life achievements, there is more than just beauty when it comes to our hair stylist.We hope the reviews and blogs and posts help your day go smother

3 Simple Steps to Mindful Eating (And Why You Should Try It)

– www.health.com

Mindfulness is a major buzzword right now—and rightly so. In my experience, becoming more mindful is life-changing. It can help you react more calmly and thoughtfully in any situation, whether you’re stuck in traffic, dealing with a difficult boss, or making food choices. And mindfulness isn’t just a new age theory; its benefits are backed by plenty of research. Studies have found it may help reduce inflammation (a known trigger of premature aging and disease), lower stress hormone levels, boost happiness, shrink belly fat, improve sleep, and curb appetite.

Mindfulness can also be pretty powerful when it comes to your eating habits. With my clients, I've observed how mindful eating can totally transform a person's relationship to food. (That's why I devoted an entire chapter to it in my book Slim Down Now.) Mindfulness can help you eat less and enjoy your food more. Plus, feeling relaxed while you nosh helps improve digestion and reduce bloating. And while becoming mindful doesn't happen overnight, the process is actually pretty simple. Here are three steps you can take today.

RELATED: Do These 5 Things Every Day to Live Longer

Practice slowing down

If you find yourself eating too fast, or making spontaneous food decisions often (like grabbing a handful of M&Ms from the office candy jar), start by slowing the pace of your day. One way to do so: Pop in your earbuds and listen to a five-minute guided mindfulness meditation. You’ll find many options on YouTube, and through apps like Headspace, Meditation Studio, and Calm.

At meal times, try putting your fork down in between bites. You can also try an app like Eat Slower which allows you to set an interval (anywhere between 20 seconds and 3 minutes) between bites; a bell lets you know when it's time to lift your fork again. Even if you don’t do this at every meal, regularly practicing slow eating will help you become accustomed to unhurried noshing.

RELATED: 49 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Feeling Full

Take smaller bites and sips

When clients really struggle to quit a speed eating habit,  I often recommend that they cut their food into smaller pieces. I also advise choosing  “loose” foods. For example, it's helpful to eat popped popcorn kernels or nuts one at a time, and chew each well before grabbing another. Grapes, berries, and grape tomatoes can also work well for slowing the pace.

RELATED: 5 Superfood Snack Recipes You Can Make at Home

Eat without distractions

As efficient as multitasking may be, it’s not a great idea for meal or snack time, since it’s extremely difficult (if not impossible) to really pay attention to more than one thing at a time. So step away from your computer, TV, phone, and even books during meal time. By removing distractions, you can really pay attention to the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food, and better tune into your hunger and fullness levels…

?I Have Vitiligo. Here’s What It’s Like to Live With This Rare Skin Condition

– www.health.com

Have you heard of vitiligo? I hadn't either, before I was diagnosed with it at age 17.

I was on a beach trip when I first noticed the uneven white patches all over my body, including around my eyes; my friends joked that I looked like a raccoon. I figured it was just a weird sunburn, and for the rest of the summer, I lathered on sunscreen and tried to stay in the shade. But the white patches just spread even more, and my family took notice. Before I started college, my mom thought it would be a good idea to talk to a dermatologist.

I expected the derm to lecture me for getting a tan. Instead, I learned I have an incurable condition. “It’s called vitiligo,” the doctor told me in a cold, matter-of-fact way. With vitiligo, cells that make color in the skin (called melanocytes) are destroyed, causing white patches to appear randomly all over the body, according to the National Institutes of Health. Michael Jackson had it, and fashion model Winnie Harlow has made headlines for landing high-profile campaigns despite her spots.

RELATED: 12 Famous People With Psoriasis

Experts aren't sure what triggers the condition (which affects about 1% of the population), but some believe it may be an autoimmune disease. With autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly attacks a healthy part of your body—in this case, the melanocytes. Others theorize vitiligo may be caused by genetics, while some say emotional stress or a sunburn can trigger it. 

In my case, I wouldn't be surprised if emotional strain were the trigger, since at that time I was more stressed than I'd ever been in my life. I was in the midst of my high school graduation, my final days with a dance studio I had considered a second home for nearly 10 years, and a heart-wrenching breakup from my first serious boyfriend. Everything in my life was changing, and now my body was, too. 

RELATED: 3 Ways to Become a More Resilient Person

I was stunned by my diagnosis. Whenever I'd had a medical issue before, I could just take a pill or see another doctor to make it better. Topical creams, oral medications, UVA light treatments, and surgery may ease vitiligo symptoms, but there's no cure. It can come back at any time, for any reason. I felt totally powerless. 

I started college feeling even more stressed. To even out my skin tone, I globbed concealer on my face and slathered tanning lotions all over my body. Some of the white patches would stay put, some would get brighter, and new ones would pop up, but none of them ever went away. Doctors gave me a topical cream to put on the patches, but they said it probably wouldn’t do anything anyway. My self-confidence plummeted. I felt ugly. 

RELATED: What It's Like to Have Your Immune System Attack Your Hair

My plummeting self-esteem wasn't an unusual way to react to a vitiligo diagnosis…

Fresh Box

The Surprising Secrets to Living Longer—And Better + MORE

[brightcove:5596869363001 default] Old age demands to be taken very seriously–and it usually gets its way. It’s hard to be cavalier about a time of life defined by loss of vigor, increasing frailty, rising disease risk and falling cognitive faculties. Then there’s the unavoidable .... More »

Hot Yoga Is No Better for You Than Regular Yoga, Study Says + MORE

[brightcove:5532322486001 default] There’s something undeniably satisfying about leaving a fitness class dripping in sweat. When it comes to yoga, though, new research suggests there’s little reason to crank up the heat. Bikram yoga has attracted a loyal following due to its steamy cla.... More »

Even Optimists Tend to Expect the Worst + MORE

Even if you consider yourself to be pretty upbeat, it’s easy to get caught up in feelings of dread as you wait to hear about uncertain news. As the moment of truth draws nearer, people often find themselves increasingly convinced that bad results are ahead. These emotions may feel stressful a.... More »

7 Reasons You're Not Building Muscle Even Though You're Lifting Weights + MORE

You've been spending tons of time in the gym trying to get Michelle Obama arms, but you don't seem to be building any muscle. What gives? Several things could explain why your arms are as noodly as ever (or why your butt isn't getting any bigger or your shoulders don't look any .... More »

I’m Obsessed With Amazon’s Insanely Comfortable Build-Your-Own Leggings + MORE

One of the best perks of working at Health is that I'm lucky enough to test a lot of activewear. As a result, I've become very, very opinionated about leggings, and prefer different brands for different activities: supersoft Manduka leggings are my go-to for .... More »

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3 Simple Steps to Mindful Eating (And Why You Should Try It)www.health.com
?I Have Vitiligo. Here’s What It’s Like to Live With This Rare Skin Conditionwww.health.com

8 Ways to Actually Unplug on Vacation + MORE

When it comes to invsablend reviews there are a lot of
sources. Making sure accurate and relevant information is accessible we have
started a review blog to help inform the public. We hope this beauty review
helps to enlighten your life and encourage good health.

8 Ways to Actually Unplug on Vacation

– www.health.com

After months of lamenting to your friends, coworkers and cats that, “Ugh, I need a vacation”—but refusing to take one—you’ve finally given in and put in for a few much-needed PTO days. Hooray!

But if your first question is “Can I get WiFi?” you’re not alone. In a culture where we earn our vacation days yet don’t always take them, it can be difficult to let go, unplug and relax once we’re physically out of the office. But it’s so important.

“Taking time off allows us to physically, mentally and emotionally recharge, and allows us to gain perspective, which boosts our creativity when we return,” says Brandon Smith, also known as “The Workplace Therapist” and faculty member at Emory University’s Goizeuta Business School.

Here’s how to snap into vacation mode ASAP so you don’t waste half your trip trying to chill.

RELATED: How to Get the Most Out of Your PTO

8 Ways to Make Your Vacation Time Totally Worth It

1. Stay within your budget. If a two-week European luxe vacation is out of the question, consider a long weekend or opt for a resort within driving distance. “Taking shorter breaks more frequently can be more beneficial than just taking one long break once every year or two,” says Melanie Greenberg, PhD, a clinical psychologist in California and author of the upcoming book The Stress-Proof Brain. You don’t want to return from your trip to a negative bank account balance, which will no doubt cause even more stress than what you had before you left.

2. Get yourself in order before you go. You’re not going to be able to chill and eat cake by the ocean if you’re thinking about that deadline you missed or the email you were supposed to send. “Try to work extra hard before you leave, and let people know you’ll be gone,” says Greenberg. Smith adds, “In addition to setting your out-of-office notifications, provide a person that can be reached in your absence.” (Just be sure to give that person a heads up.)

RELATED: 7 Fitness Retreats You Can Actually Afford

3. Remind yourself that, yes, you deserve a vacation. People tend to feel guilty for taking time away for themselves. But don’t! “Relaxation is something we often view as only appropriate for the weekends or vacation time,” says Lodro Rinzler, chief spiritual officer and co-founder of MNDFL in New York City. Rinzler reminds us that we need to take breaks during the week, too, and enjoy the things that make us feel relaxed and happy.

“For many of us, the fact that we’re physically and emotionally unable to relax during the week takes a toll on our bodies. We need to walk away from our work life for a bit in order to recharge and come back to full health.”

RELATED: 17 Positive Affirmations That'll Change the Way You Think

4…

Stress Is Contagious In the Classroom

– www.health.com

When teachers are stressed, so are their students, according to a new study.

In the report, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, researchers assessed the burnout levels of 17 teachers of fourth through seventh grade. They also assessed levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their students—more than 400 of them—by taking saliva samples at three different times during the school day.

The researchers found that students had higher levels of cortisol if their teachers reported higher burnout levels. “Teachers who experience higher levels of burnout report to be more stressed, less effective in teaching and classroom management, less connected to their students, and less satisfied with their work,” the study authors write.

The study is the first to link teacher burnout to physical stress changes in their students. Occupational burnout has been shown to take a toll on job success and contribute to health problems; in the case of physicians who experience stress and burnout, both doctors and their patients are affected.

“Considering that classroom teachers can take on many roles for elementary school students, including mentor, role model, and parental roles, it is possible that spending most of the school day in interaction with a stressed and burned out teacher is taxing for students and can affect their physiological stress profile,” the researchers write.

Burned out teachers may also have fewer resources and support, which could also contribute to student stress. The study, however, could not definitively connect students’ cortisol levels to their teachers. More research is needed to understand how people’s stress could impact the stress levels of people around them.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

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8 Ways to Actually Unplug on Vacationwww.health.com
Stress Is Contagious In the Classroomwww.health.com