Month: July 2020

When Hamilton first hit Broadway in 2015, it blew audiences away with its creative storytelling and musical performances. Now, a whole new audience is getting introduced to the award-winning musical with its movie release on Disney+. Whether you've seen the show live or you're watching for the first time, there are so many intricate details throughout, you might need to rewatch a few times just to catch them all. Case in point: the innovative way death is portrayed throughout the show.

While Hamilton, Burr, and Eliza play big roles in the story, one of the most significant characters is the Bullet. Played by ensemble cast member Ariana DeBose in the Hamilton movie (pictured above on the right), the Bullet is quite literally death personified. In fact, the Bullet is one of the first characters to die in the show. After King George III sings “You'll Be Back,” she is discovered acting as a spy and a redcoat snaps her neck.

On multiple occasions, the Bullet foreshadows t..

Just because a move is simple in nature, doesn't mean there isn't room for error. Take the side plank, for example. It's one of the most classic and effective core-strengthening moves — when done correctly.

However, when your form is lacking, you'll not only miss out on physical results, but you could also experience physical pain in different parts of the body, like your shoulders.

To get more details on proper side plank form and to prevent shoulder and even elbow pain while doing the move, we reached out to Chyna Bardarson, a NASM-certified personal trainer and Tone It Up App trainer.

Bardarson confirms that the side plank is an amazing tool for targeting your oblique muscles, but in order to get the most out of the move and to reduce pain or stress felt in your shoulders, proper core engagement is essential. “The correct side plank form is to lay with your forearm flat on the floor and the elbow lined up directly under your shoulder. Keep legs extended out..

As more studies are conducted, what we know about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it spreads changes. For one, the CDC states that transmission of the virus is most likely caused by ingesting respiratory droplets as opposed to touching infected surfaces — though that can still cause infection. But, how long do these droplets stay in the air? And, how does the size of these droplets affect that transmission? An open letter supported by over 200 experts from 32 countries argues that virus-containing “microdroplets” dispersed from people can be airborne, even though the World Health Organization (WHO) says results are still inconclusive.

A group of experts wrote to WHO back in April, and the debate around airborne transmission has been ongoing ever since. This specific open letter is signed by 239 experts asking for accountability from WHO and stating that smaller particles can infect people and can stay in the air for long periods of time. For background, there's a differe..

Nope, this isn't clickbait just in case you were wondering. We know that there are a lot of myths about boosting your metabolism: eating spicy foods and drinking water first thing in the morning are a few. It is possible to speed up your metabolism naturally and it's actually rather easy to do. According to experts, you can and should begin to eat more high-protein foods and healthy fats because your body has to expend more energy (which means a greater caloric burn) to process them.

Another easy way to boost your metabolism is to begin lifting weights. Strength training will allow you to burn more calories and build more muscle. If you're wondering why you should do more strength training instead of pilates (not that pilates is bad), it's because you build muscle when you lift weights, and muscle is metabolically active. The more muscle mass you have, the more energy energy your body produces, which will increase your metabolic rate, which is your body's abil..

Spending months at home since this pandemic began, I have more time to tap into my creative side, and it's been so positive for my mental health. Playing music and singing with my husband, learning to play piano with my kids, watercolor painting, doing Zentangle, sewing masks — those are just a few of the creative outlets I've been enjoying. And while looking on YouTube for inspiration, I discovered a new crafty hobby: mindful lettering.

What Is Mindful Lettering?
Mindful lettering uses the art of hand lettering (or brush lettering) as an inspiring meditative practice by writing powerful, positive, and thoughtful affirmations or quotes. It's minimalistic in nature since all you need is paper and a brush pen or paintbrush.

What makes mindful lettering meditative is the fact that not only are you concentrating your attention on writing meaningful, uplifting words, but the very act of drawing each letter is slow and deliberate. The focus and intent helps to slow down your..

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As soon as bananas become speckled and brown, they know their fate — Read More – Source

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I swear that my subconscious thinks I'm a professional acrobat. My morning neck and back pain are proof of my many nights spent kicking, turning, and tossing to the point that all blankets and pillows flee the scene.

You don't have to be a sleeping gymnast, like me, to know the pain of waking up on the wrong side of the bed, though. That's because no specific sleeping positions (unless you snooze on a couch, chair, or uncomfortable mattress) cause muscle pain, says Dr. Charla Fischer, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone's Spine Center.

Since there isn't one definitive way to get ahead of sleep-induced muscle soreness (we recommend speaking to your doctor for a more personal evaluation), Fischer suggests easing discomfort by stretching for 5-10 minutes a few times a day.

I can attest to this approach, too. My night tumbling hasn't stopped, but I have felt better since reaching out to Lauren Lyons, an ASTYM-certified physical therapist assistant and ..

In my opinion, taking time for yourself to work out is one of the best forms of self-care. Instead of letting stress creep up as you scan the gym to figure out which machines are free and if you can snag a squat rack, I recommend coming in with a plan. Whether you're following a four-week workout plan or showing up already knowing what you're going to do for the day, preparation makes your workouts a lot smoother.

If you have no idea what to do at the gym, and aren't sure if doing 10 squat variations in one day is OK (hint: don't do it), I've got you covered. Instead of doing every squat known to man, try this eight-move full-body workout. You'll be working your shoulders, biceps, back, glutes, quads, and abs, and it shouldn't take more than 45 minutes to do.

The 45-Minute Full-Body Gym Workout
Equipment needed: two sets of dumbbells; one set should be medium/heavy and the second set should be light. This guide will help you choose the right weight…