Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2024 i Women's Health

CARDIOLOGY Jennifer H. Mieres, MD Professor of cardiology, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell; senior vice president, Center for Equity of Care, Northwell Health DERMATOLOGY Mona Gohara, MD Associate clinical professor, department of dermatology, Yale School of Medicine Ellen Marmur, MD Founder, Marmur Medical Joshua Zeichner, MD Director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City FAMILY MEDICINE Navya Mysore, MD Primary care physician; sexual and reproductive health expert FERTILITY Sheeva Talebian, MD Fertility specialist and reproductive endocrinologist, CCRM New York FITNESS Ariel Belgrave, CPT Board-certified health and fitness coach; Under Armour athlete; creator of the L.E.A.N. Method; DEI wellness expert Ben Bruno, CFSC Certified functional strength coach and private trainer Sohee Carpenter, MS, CSCS Evidence based fitness coach and certified sports nutritionist;…

Reframe Your Fitness Mindset “Movement should be something that brings joy to our lives, that we actually appreciate, not a punishment.… That’s what makes people want to come back to a gym space.”—Chrissy King, author of The Body Liberation Project @iamchrissyking Go All In “If you do have something you love, just tell yourself, ‘Keep going.’ Have the pictures up on your wall, write about it, read about it, study it, take all the classes, do everything you can to learn about it, and just go for it. And if you don’t have a passion, try different things so you can find that passion.”—Olivia Bowman-Jackson, former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company member and Ailey Extension instructor @oliviabowman jackson Embrace What Makes You You “I never thought I’d get here.…

BEST SKIN TINT “The coverage is sheer, and it adapted to my skin tone for a nice boost,” our tester says of the eight shades. Bakuchiol and tranexamic acid help improve texture and radiance. CoverGirl Simply Ageless Skin Perfector Essence, $21, ulta.com BEST MASCARA “My lashes never look this long when I use other mascaras,” one tester says. “It adds volume and length, even after just one quick pass.” Maybelline The Falsies Surreal Extensions Washable Mascara, $13, ulta.com BEST LIPSTICK You’ll be impressed with this matte formula’s rich color payoff. “The texture is light and silky, and it stays on all day without slowly peeling off,” says our tester. Hourglass Cosmetics Unlocked Soft Matte Lipstick, $38, ulta.com BEST LIP & CHEEK TINT Too much pigment can make some stains hard to work with,…

BEST NAIL POLISH For a shiny, gel-like finish, try this polish along with the topcoat (not pictured). UV lamp not required. Essie Gel Couture Be Dazzled Longwear Nail Polish, $13, ulta.com BEST CUTICLE OIL No drips or spills here! The sun-flower and jojoba oils in this treatment are applied with a nomuss, no-fuss rollerball. Dr. Dana Nourishing Cuticle Oil, $18, drdananails.com BEST NAIL TREATMENT Bond builders aren’t just for your hair: The patented strengthening technology in this serum addresses cracking from inside the nail. OPI Repair Mode Bond Building Nail Serum, $25, opi.com BEST HAND CREAM “This super-hydrating hand mask achieves the same results as leaving petroleum jelly on my hands all night—without the awkwardness.” Paume Overnight Hand Hydration Mask, $38, mypaume.com Oral Care Whiter, brighter—you’re on your way there with this collection of…

Shawarma-Spiced Chicken With Cucumber Salad TOTAL: 30 MIN. SERVES: 4 ½ cup plus ¾ cup Greek yogurt, divided2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice2 Tbsp shawarma seasoning1 large clove garlic, grated Kosher salt4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced4 scallions, thinly sliced1 jalapeño, thinly sliced1 cup cilantro leaves 1. In medium bowl, combine ½ cup Greek yogurt with lemon juice, then shawarma seasoning, garlic, and ½ tsp salt. Add chicken and coat thoroughly. Let marinate 5 min. 2. Remove chicken from marinade, pat dry, and season with ¼ tsp salt. Heat oil in large cast-iron skillet on medium and cook chicken, adjusting heat as needed to prevent burning, until deep golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 min. per side. Transfer to…

From calming capsules to post-workout powders, the supplement aisle can feel endless. If you’ve perused the options lately, you’ve likely come across magnesium, a mineral that is abundant in your body and plays a role in over 300 systems, from muscle and nerve function to blood sugar control. You can take magnesium supplements in pill, gummy, or powder form—and there are a variety of types (magnesium citrate, chloride, oxide, and glycinate, to name a few). Magnesium can help reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, says Alona Pulde, MD, a family medicine physician and the chief executive officer and cofounder of WeHeal. But it’s pretty easy to get enough from a balanced diet, she notes. “Only take a supplement if directed by…

WH ASKED… Describe your body in one word (or two). The responses gave us chills—and tears. A selection… If you were brought up with parents who ragged on their bodies (or yours), or if you have ever matched a friend’s “I hate my arms” with “Ew, look at my stomach”—or ragged on yourself for whatever reason—then you’re well versed in the kinds of insults that can course through your mind. They’re intrusive, damaging, and—eff!—hard to get rid of. When you have to unpack a lifetime of these messages, undoing the damage can feel like a no-go zone. “It’s possible, but it takes work,” says Jennifer Harriger, PhD, a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University. That exploration, though, is worth it. Not only is a positive body image linked to better…

At our cover shoot in California, I stood about 20 feet away from the set and witnessed Megan Thee Stallion gamely baring her body for our Body Issue. While the camera clicked, she smiled, tossed her hair, and gave 100 percent like the megawatt star she is, but it was how Megan carried herself between takes that blew me away. Each time the photographer finished several minutes of snaps, MTS would slip into the robe waiting for her off-set. Then she’d stand right next to me and peek at the monitor as the images flashed by. Her face? Neutral, content, peaceful. She didn’t point at perceived imperfections on the screen; she made no demands to nix an image from consideration. “Did we get the shot?” she’d ask. Or, “Want me…

Before On a work trip to Los Angeles last year, the Women’s Health team drove past the Magic Castle, a private clubhouse for magicians. Guests must be either a member or accompanied by one, and once you get the coveted invite, you must follow a strict dress code of formal wear. I was enchanted by this mecca of magic, world-famous for more than 60 years. It became my mission to find out what it takes to get in. The problem: I’d never attempted a magic trick before, and I’m not much of a performer. Back in New York, I booked private classes at Brooklyn Magic Shop, a storefront and performance space in Carroll Gardens owned by husband-and-wife duo Daniel and Diana Morales. They opened it in 2021 with a mission…

There’s nothing quite like the rush of optimism you feel flipping the top on a new product. Is this the one that’ll finally clear up your skin, or make those curls pop, or impart a fresh-from-the-gym flush even on rest days? These hopes can so easily be dashed when a formula doesn’t perform as promised. And then it’s on to the next. We want you to always grab a winner, so we did the choosing for you. Say hello to the recipients of the 2024 Women’s Health Beauty Awards. Over the course of the past year, the WH beauty team searched for the best of the best—interesting formulas, luxurious scents, cutting-edge ingredients. We tried nearly 400 finalists and got the entire staff in on the testing fun. After months of living…

BEST CLEANSER This cream-to-foam wash removes dirt and oil without leaving squeaky-clean tightness in its wake. A tester had softer skin after two weeks. Clark’s Botanicals Heal + Hydrate B3 Cleanser, $50, clarksbotanicals.com BEST MICELLAR WATER An excellent makeup-removing product, yes, but this brilliant two-for-one also exfoliates with a blend of gentle acids. Skin is left clean and glowy—a win-win! Garnier SkinActive Micellar Gentle Peeling Water, $12, ulta.com BEST TONER The lush serum-meets-essence texture is miles away from the drying astringents you’ve tried in the past. “It’s really hydrating, and it has antioxidants that protect the skin,” our tester raves. Pixi Skintreats Antioxidant Tonic, $15, pixibeauty.com BEST EXFOLIATOR Anyone with breakouts or discoloration should pick up this bottle of liquid gold, which gently sloughs it all away. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid +…

I go for walks all the time—with my dog or pushing my daughter in a stroller. But to be honest, I rarely return thinking, Whew, workout accomplished. I moved and got some steps in, sure, but it often didn’t feel as intense or challenging as my other sweats. Lately, though, I’ve totally rethought that somewhat shortsighted view. Walking has received a major glow-up in recent years, with countless hashtags (#hotgirlhikes, #silentwalks, #12330, and more) taking over social media. The activity has become downright cool: Now, 52 percent of exercisers say outdoor walking is essential to their general fitness routine, according to Mindbody’s 2024 Wellness Index. Additionally, in the past few years, with guided classes being offered on major platforms such as Apple Fitness+, Peloton, iFit, Aaptiv, and Obé, walking has…

In the search for the healthiest food options, a few factors typically take center stage: freshness, nutritional value, and quality of ingredients. Soil quality? Not so much. But it turns out this just may be the most important piece of the puzzle…and many of us have been ignoring it completely. It’s time to think about where (and how) our food is grown, for the sake of our well-being and the planet. In recent years, soil quality has severely declined, with soil erosion in parts of the Midwest estimated at up to 46 percent due to current ways of farming. Regenerative agriculture, on the other hand, increases the quality of soil and therefore boosts the healthiness of our food. (Stay with us.) When researchers compared crops grown using regenerative organic agriculture…

“YOU’RE SO YOUNG TO HAVE THAT SCAR.” That’s what Naesha Parks often hears when people see the mark on her chest from the open-heart surgery she had at age 35. On hot summer days in her hometown of Evans, Georgia, the raised scar peeks out from tank tops. “You had a heart attack?” they ask in disbelief. In 2008, several days after the birth of her son, the former school administrator was hanging out with a friend when she started feeling off. She was exhausted and sweating, and she felt pressure in her chest. Parks told her friend to call 911. Then she blacked out and woke up three days later in the hospital. “The way my surgeon describes it, it was like I got run over by a car,…

Picture this: You’re in bed for the night and just picked up your phone to do a routine social media check before turning off the lights. An hour later, you’re Instagram-stalking your brother’s childhood best friend and wondering why his fiancée disappeared from his feed. By the time you put your phone down, you’re straight-up exhausted—and not just because you’ve had a long day. You’re experiencing what’s known as “digital fatigue,” which refers to tiredness directly caused by technology (not getting tired of tech), says Jana Korunovska, a research and teaching associate at the Institute for Information Systems & Society at Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria. To fully understand the energy factor, you first have to understand that technology—specifically, apps optimized for phone or tablet use—is…

a FEW MONThS AGO, Kellie Owens, PhD, answered a call from her mom, who was on the way home from a doctor’s office in rural Michigan. Her mom wasn’t calling to share her blood work results or say that she didn’t need a hip replacement—it was to tell Owens that the doctor had used Ambient.ai, a tool that listens to, and generates notes from, patient-provider conversations. Owens, who is a medical ethicist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, says her mom knew she’d be intrigued that AI had been used in the office. “She was like, ‘l’ll show you what my notes look like after they’re generated by this chatbot!’” Owens, an assistant professor in the department of population health, recalls. “She was into it.” Taking over clinicians’ note-taking duties…

SINCE I STARTED making lifestyle content on YouTube around nine years ago, I’ve always tried to advocate for being okay with having your disability. It’s our body, so we can’t escape it—and we might as well find ways to love it. And for people with disabilities—the community I target with my content—I feel we have much bigger issues, in so many ways, that sometimes, body image is the last thing I’m concerned about. It’s like, we may love or not love our bodies. But it’s still unfair that I can’t get into this building because of an accessibility issue. As I kept posting videos and content online, so many people sent messages, left comments, and shared their experiences and tips based on their particular disabilities. I thought, How cool would it…

THIS YEAR, I’M TURNING 40. I’m not fearful about getting older—I’m just excited about the future. I feel strong and empowered about where I am in my life. I married my wife, Shelly, last August, and we opened our new café, One Trick Pony, in Westhampton Beach, New York, in June. Physically, I’m feeling very confident too. So, when I found myself debating whether I should take a weight-loss drug that had been prescribed to me, it was an unsettling experience. I first heard about Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes medication that’s prescribed off-label for weight loss, the way most people did: on social media. It felt as if it came out of nowhere and suddenly became the word on everyone’s lips. I didn’t think my path would ever collide…

“GIRLS! I’M NOT GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN: Flush the toilet, wipe the toothpaste off the countertop, and close the cap on your vitamin C serum—it’s going to oxidize!” That’s an actual sentence I yelled to my kids recently. If you overheard me, you might’ve assumed I have college-age children. Nope, my girls are 13, 10, and 6 years old. None of the pop-culture-driven kid phases we’ve been in—American Girl (check!), Barbie (love her!), the Disney princess machine (been there, still doing that!)—prepared me for the phase we’re currently in: high-end skin care. And I’ve been a beauty editor and writer for more than two decades (hence, my vitamin C knowledge). My kids’ bathroom rivals any magazine beauty closet I’ve worked in, stocked with various serums, face (and butt?!) creams,…

Before she made a living as a writer—first as a journalist and then as an author sharing thoughts on self development and mental health in books like The Pivot Year—Brianna relied on writing as a tool for enlightenment. “Writing was my joy; it was my processing,” she says. And even as it became her vocation, Brianna continued to turn to writing as a mode of discovery—the only difference being that now, millions of readers also benefit from her hard-earned insights. When it comes to acting on those insights (i.e., making meaningful life changes), Brianna favors a “microshift” approach: tiny changes that add up to something big. “A lot of the time we’re looking for one tipping point, a before and after,” she says. “Anything new, no matter how good, is…

SHANTI LOWRY ACTOR AND DANCER I’ve become a morning person since the birth of my 2-year-old, Elora. My daughter wakes me between 4:45 and 5:30 a.m., and the first thing I do is chug coconut water. Then I breastfeed Elora for about half an hour. I use that time to reflect on the things I’m grateful for—big and small. My husband brings me coffee (doctored with oat milk and a little hot chocolate powder), and he takes our daughter downstairs to start breakfast. That’s when I pop on my phone to see what’s going on for the day. After, I do a stretching routine for 15 to 30 minutes and my manifestations—goals I want to accomplish either that day or in my lifetime. After manifestations, I finish my stretching by…

GOTHAM GREENS CLASSIC PESTO A tablespoon instantly ups the ante on whatever I’m eating. I fold some into chopped eggs for an easy sandwich filling, or I’ll add a splash of vinegar and oil for a flavorful vinaigrette. —Kate Merker, chief food director REAL GOOD FOODS LIGHTLY BREADED CHICKEN STRIPS These crisp up beautifully in the air fryer, and they have 23 grams of protein per serving! I always keep a bag in the freezer. —Abigail Cuffey, executive editor EZEKIEL 4:9 SESAME SPROUTED WHOLE GRAIN BREAD It’s the perfect (flourless!) toasted vehicle for a variety of toppings, from PB&J to cottage cheese, tomatoes, and flaky salt. —Joy Cho, assistant food editor TRADER JOE’S JICAMA STICKS I keep a stash in the fridge, so I can scoop up tuna or chicken…

BEST ACNE BODY WASH Salicylic acid unclogs pores to show pimples and ingrown hairs the door, while vitamin B3 addresses uneven tone and texture. Olay Skin Solutions Hydrating Body Wash With Salicylic Acid, $9, olay.com BEST BODY EXFOLIATOR Rough, flaky skin is no match for this cocktail of glycolic and mandelic acids. “I don’t use body scrubs, so to have a serum that exfoliates is great,” our tester says. U Beauty Resurfacing Body Compound, $128, ubeauty.com BEST SUNSCREEN SPRAY A mess-free mist that shows up on skin when it’s first sprayed (so you know what spots you may have missed) but disappears immediately after. No white residue here! EltaMD Skincare UV AOX Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 40, $45, amazon.com BEST BODY RETINOL The fast-acting serum uses a blend of retinol and acids to…

BEST DANDRUFF SHAMPOO Just nine ingredients—including zinc and citric acid—align to give your scalp a much-needed refresh. Head & Shoulders Bare Pure Clean Dandruff Shampoo, $12, target.com BEST CONDITIONER Hyaluronic acid helps hair retain moisture, to send frizz packing. “My ends went from fried to silky after just one use,” one tester says. Garnier Fructis Hair Filler + Hyaluronic Moisture Repair Conditioner, $10, ulta.com BEST HAIR MASK With vitamin E and patent-pending “bioactive keratin ferment,” this treatment (from Beyoncé’s brand) strengthens hair that’s been damaged by color and chemicals. Cécred Reconstructing Treatment Mask, $42, cecred.com BEST HAIR-LOSS TREATMENT This helmet uses LED light to promote growth and has built-in speakers so you can listen to music during your sesh. CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Growth Helmet, $859, us.currentbody.com BEST MOUSSE “The product practically melted into…

FULL-BODY ACTIVATOR LEVEL Lululemon tights and sneakers, lululemon.com for similar styles; Outdoor Voices bra, outdoorvoices.com WHY WE LOVE IT: Hey, warm-up skippers! No more excuses, thanks to this one-stop-shop mobility move. “It targets the abs and glutes and involves biceps, triceps, shoulders, and calves,” says Taylor Rae Almonte-Roman, CPT. “It also acts as a dynamic stretch for the hamstrings and back.” We can’t forget to shout-out the cardio upside too: It elevates your heart rate, without impact. While it may look simple (bend and plank, right?), there are nuances to proper inchworm form. How to nail it… STEP 1 STAND tall with feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Maintain good posture, with your core braced. STEP 2 BEND forward at the waist, reaching arms slightly in front of you so you can…

SPICY PUFF Sorghum, an ancient grain, is used to create the base of these gluten-free snacks that have more staying power than your average puff. Plus, the umami-rich taste—thanks to seaweed, paprika, and a hit of chili—is seriously craveable. Sea Monsters Sweet Chili Baked Seaweed Puffs PICKLE POWER Slices of pickled cukes are packed with a killer combo of potassium and sodium, key electrolytes that help you remain hydrated. The crisp chips boast a classic dill flavor—tops for salty tang. SuckerPunch Classic Kosher Dill Pickle Pack CRUNCH CRUSH Granola fan? These poppable pumpkin-and-sunflower-seed clusters have the ultimate balance of salt and sugar—and offer muscle-supporting magnesium. Go Raw Organic Sprouted Sweet & Salty Clusters MIGHTY MINIS The jerky sticks serve up energy-enhancing iron and four grams of protein that’ll keep you…

WHEN I ROWED at The Ohio State University, I was never ashamed of my weight. Rowing is power per pound, and we knew how to leverage our bodies. Being tall and being bold were celebrated. It wasn’t until I got into the real world outside of athletics that I was like, Oh, wait, people think I’m not capable. But I have a championship ring, honey! I know amazing athletes who are two times my size. Rowing is an honest and beautiful sport. I love the discipline, the teamwork, the rewiring of your brain when things are hectic. I built an inner dialogue that allows me to know what is true and what is not. I can say, Okay, this 2,000-meter row is uncomfortable right now, but I’m not dying. I…