Health

Ah, the elusive headstand. It can be the pose that draws people to yoga in the first place—or it repels them away entirely because they don’t ever want to have to try it. Sure, the headstand pose can be to flex on your Instagram, but yoga as a whole, and the headstand specifically, is truly about so much more than looking like a badass. There is an incredible amount of concentration, patience, balance, humility, strength, breath, and control that comes with finding your way to balancing on your head—all of which translates off the mat, too. But as you can probably tell from simply looking at photos of the headstand pose, it’s not exactly a simple one to execute. As a result, there’s also a risk of injury if you rush the process and just try to throw yourself up there. And many people try to do just that, by kicking their way to a headstand.So let’s get this out of the way: Please, I beg you, don’t kick your way to a headstand! As a yoga instructor, I’m like a broken record in my classes about this: If you ask my students what my number one rule is when it comes to the headstand, they’ll answer loudly, in unison, “no kicking!” I don’t allow kicking for a handful of reasons, the biggest one being that it can set the stage for injury. Kicking up inherently involves momentum, and momentum when someone is trying to balance on their head—which, of course, is attached to their neck and part of their spine—is just a recipe for no, nope, and nuh-uh. Head and spinal injuries can be very dangerous and can cause long-term damage. Besides upping the risk of injury, relying on momentum also means that you may lack the proper control, strength, or mobility in your core or upper body to get into the optimal position to go up to headstand. Most of the time, people are kicking because they can’t get themselves up otherwise.

Prime tick season is approaching, and those creepy little arachnids are carrying all sorts of diseases, including a rare one that’s becoming more prominent: Annual reported cases of babesiosis—a tick-borne disease that can trigger flu-like symptoms, and lead to life-threatening complications in vulnerable people—doubled in the United States between 2011 and 2019, and the true number of infections is probably much higher, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Babesiosis is now endemic—meaning it occurs regularly but is contained to specific regions—in at least 10 states in the Northeast and Midwest, but the disease has been detected in many others. Babesiosis is not nearly as common as Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne disease in the country; 16,456 cases of babesiosis were reported to the CDC between 2011 and 2019, while roughly 30,000 cases of Lyme are reported to the CDC each year. Both diseases are likely underdiagnosed and underreported: Lyme is believed to affect up to 476,000 people in the U.S. each year, and the true burden of babesiosis remains unclear, as it’s not required to be reported in all states.While it’s still somewhat rare, it’s not exactly great news that babesiosis is gaining traction. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, which are “loosely related to syphilis,” Thomas Russo, MD, an infectious disease expert at the University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, tells SELF. The pathogen that causes babesiosis, Babesia, “is a parasite that invades red blood cells. It’s a completely different beast.”Curious about what that means? Here’s what you should know about babesiosis, including where it’s stirring up the most trouble so far, the symptoms it can set off, and how to protect yourself from tick bites as you enjoy the warmer weather.Where is babesiosis spreading?Babesiosis is mainly transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick (aka a deer tick), which is also known to carry Lyme-causing bacteria, among other harmful pathogens. Most human Babesia infections are caused by the microscopic parasite Babesia microti.Because these parasites infect red blood cells, babesiosis can also spread via blood transfusions, during organ transplants from infected donors, or from an infected pregnant person to a fetus. “The expansion of babesiosis risk could have implications for the blood supply,” the CDC report notes. “[People] who acquire babesiosis through contaminated blood have been shown to have significantly worse health outcomes and a higher risk for death than do those who acquire the disease from a tick bite.” (Note: the Food and Drug Administration recommends blood donation screening for babesiosis in 14 states and D.C.)Babesiosis is considered endemic in the following states: Connecticut; Massachusetts; Minnesota; New Jersey; New York; Rhode Island; Wisconsin; Maine; New Hampshire; and Vermont.Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire are recent additions to this list due to “significantly increasing incidences” of the disease in these states, the CDC notes. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island also saw significant increases.

There’s no denying the satisfaction you feel after a seriously good fitness class. When the sweat is dripping, your heart is still pumping, and you just know that you absolutely crushed it—you get it. Peloton has done an excellent job at recreating that feeling at home, but it comes at a relatively high price point that a lot of folks can’t justify: say, roughly $1,445 for the original Peloton Bike, and $44 per month for the Peloton All-Access Membership. The best Peloton alternatives offer an at-home cardio boost with many of the same features—and costs less than the real deal.When we say “Peloton alternative,” we’re not talking about any standard indoor exercise bike. The Peloton alternative bikes we selected offer a group fitness or coaching experience from the comfort of home, either through a built-in screen or a connected app that you can stream from your phone, tablet, or laptop. Ahead, we tapped a handful of certified cycling instructors for their advice when you’re ready to saddle up.What are the benefits of using a Peloton alternative?Opting for a Peloton alternative versus a standard indoor bike will give you more of a community-driven workout experience than a bike without a screen or connected app. Why’s that so important? “Research shows there are multiple possible benefits from working out in a group, like sparking motivation, improving workout performance, and increasing intensity,” Charlie Meredith, NASM-CPT, chief curriculum lead for Barry’s RIDE, tells SELF. Having a certified instructor leading you in a ride is probably a safer alternative to buying an indoor bike and winging it—especially if you have little cycling experience. And if you choose to use the attached screen to coast along to your favorite show on Netflix or take a virtual scenic ride, it might distract you from how tough those intervals are feeling.A benefit of opting for a non-smart bike that has a tablet or laptop stand is that you can try out a bunch of different workout apps, like Peloton, JRNY, Zwift, or Equinox+ instead of being tied to the one that comes with a smart bike. “I highly recommend testing the water out,” Amanda Margusity, a Spinning-certified lead instructor at Cyclebar in Stamford, Connecticut, tells SELF. “Do some research, sign up for a free trial, and ask friends what they like. The most important piece of your fitness journey is that you are excited to show up for it.”What should you look for in a Peloton alternative indoor bike?Like we mentioned before, the mark of a true Peloton alternative is that there’s some way to take fitness classes, via an attached screen or a tablet holder. Beyond that, Jordan Reichert, NASM-CPT, lead instructor at Cyclebar in Kansas City, Missouri notes that “the key features are those that lend to the bike’s accessibility: Adjustable settings to accommodate a range of bodies and potential injuries, and adjustable resistance for riders of all levels.” That said, check the bike’s weight capacity to make sure you’ll be supported both in and out of the saddle. You’ll also want to ensure that the bike can be adjusted to your height. According to our experts, most bikes they’ve come across cater to folks between 4’10” and 6’10,” but always double check on the brand’s site.

Ask and you shall receive. On March 23, Christina Applegate took Candace Owens up on her call to be educated about inclusivity. In her latest show of faux outrage, conservative talking head Candace Owens went on a rant about a Skims ad campaign that featured a model in a wheelchair. “I don’t really understand how far we’re going to take this inclusivity thing,” Owens said on her namesake podcast of the ad for Skims’s disability-inclusive Adaptive Collection, per Newsweek. The line in question features a range of undergarments with added hook-and-eye closures for accessibility.Seemingly bothered by people with disabilities having access to underwear and bras, Owens continued, “If I’m wrong again, educate me; today, I just want to be educated in the comments. I don’t know why this needs to be done. I’m getting tired of this all-inclusivity thing. It seems ridiculous.” Applegate, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, took to Twitter in the early hours of March 23 to respond to these “fucking gross” comments. “Yes late tweet. But woke to see the most horrifying thing,” Applegate began. “This Candace person making comments about companies who see we need help. It’s fucking gross.” She ended the initial tweet with the hashtag “you should know better” but offered to educate Owens anyway in a follow-up post. Twitter contentThis content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.“I thought my last tweet was enough. But then my heart said something else,” Applegate added. “No rage. If Candace wants to get on the phone with me and be educated on being disabled I will not come with anger. I will come with love. Because she needs to hear that. I pray for her tonight. Sincerely.”Twitter contentThis content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

If you’re exploring different types of birth control methods, you might know that finding one you jive with can take some trial and error. As you go, consider looking into the birth control implant, which is often referred to by the brand name Nexplanon. It’s a 1.6-inch plastic rod that’s inserted beneath the skin of your upper arm. It pumps out small amounts of progestin, a hormone that prevents your ovaries from releasing eggs and thickens your cervical mucus so sperm can’t swim to the egg, to prevent pregnancy (99% of the time!) for at least three and up to five years. Like IUDs, the main perk of Nexplanon is that it’s long-lasting—once it’s in your body, you can kinda forget about it. As great as birth control pills are, you need to remember to take one at the same time every day. It sounds simple enough, but an estimated 50% of people on the pill forget to take it at least once a month, increasing their risk for unintended pregnancies.1 (As someone who failed miserably at taking the pill on a set schedule, I get it. No alarm or pillbox could help me adhere to my medication regimen.)  With Nexplanon, you don’t have to do anything aside from having the device implanted, then getting it removed or replaced when it expires, or sooner if it’s not working for you. Jill Purdie, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and medical director at Pediatrix Medical Group in Atlanta, Georgia, tells SELF that Nexplanon is one of the “the most effective reversible contraception [options] available.” Basically anyone who, one, wants birth control, and, two, can tolerate a hormonal option is a good candidate for it, she adds.As is the case with any drug, there are potential side effects that could occur—we’ll get to those in a bit—but most people do just fine after they have the implant placed. Here’s what to expect from the procedure to determine if you want to give Nexplanon a whirl.  How the birth control implant is placedThe implantation process is quick and only takes a few minutes. Dr. Purdie, who’s been performing the procedure for over 15 years, breaks it down: First, an anesthetic will be used to numb the area of your arm where the device will go—which, by the way, is typically the inside of your non-dominant upper arm. Then it’s straight to insertion. The implant will already be pre-loaded into an insertion device, and your doctor will push the tip of the device into your skin until the plastic tube is rooted into the layer of fat just below the skin, explains Dr. Purdie. Then you’re good to go.When you get to your appointment, your health care provider will walk you through this entire process, so if you have any questions upfront, they can answer them right there and then. They’ll also do a urine test to make sure you’re not pregnant, Josie Urbina, MD, an ob-gyn and a complex family planning specialist with the University of California, San Francisco, tells SELF. (You can get the implant placed right after having an abortion or giving birth). Then, it’s on to the procedure. Once the implant’s in place, they’ll wrap your arm in bandages, go over what you can expect in the short- and long-term, and send you on your way. How you might feel after getting the birth control implantYour arm will remain numb for an hour or two after the procedure, though you may start to feel some pain and soreness a few hours later when the anesthetic wears off. Some people will develop a bit of bruising, says Dr. Purdie. The soreness shouldn’t be too bothersome, but if it is, over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen—plus putting some ice on your arm—can help, says Dr. Urbina.

So what should you do before your first use? Give your new pan a quick wash with soap, water, and a gentle sponge, Chayanin Pornsriniyom, chef-instructor of plant-based culinary arts at the ICE, tells SELF. This will help remove any potential contaminants or debris from processing and packaging. How should you cook with a nonstick pan?According to Pornsriniyom, there are just a couple special things you need to keep in mind when cooking to preserve that nonstick surface.Perhaps most importantly, avoid using metal tools of any kind—whether that’s a steel spatula for flipping meat or steel wool for scrubbing up afterward—and instead stick with rubber or silicone utensils and soft sponges and washing pads, Pornsriniyom says. This is vital because metal can scratch and remove the layer of Teflon. As a result, food will be more likely to stick, and you may inadvertently consume some of the non-stick Teflon compound as it flakes off. (Research remains inconclusive on the potential health implications of PTFEs in cookware, and the US Food and Drug Administration still authorizes these pans for safe use. Keep on reading to find out when it’s a good idea to toss your pan and buy a new one.)While you likely won’t need oil in the pan to prevent your food from sticking, that doesn’t mean you should skip the oil when cooking, says Handal. Using oil can still benefit the flavor and texture of whatever you’re cooking.“Oils and fats add flavor to food, and also act as heat transfer agents that allow food to brown and cook without scorching,” he explains. “They allow the heat of the pan to transfer to food in an efficient manner.” Using a nonstick pan without oil of any kind, although possible, may make the cooking process take longer and lead to food that’s unevenly cooked. Finally, for nonstick pan care, medium or medium-high heat is going to be your friend here: Avoid extreme overheating with your nonstick pan. You don’t want to use temperatures higher than 500 degrees Fahrenheit, Pornsriniyom says. That’s because it can cause the release of gasses and chemicals which can degrade a pan’s non-stick qualities, Handal says. In rare cases, this can be harmful.“This may cause temporary illness in humans, sometimes referred to as polymer fume fever,” Handal says.But this high temp isn’t usually an issue, because most stovetop cooking at home doesn’t exceed this temperature in the first place, says Pornsriniyom. Many residential stovetops and ovens often only reach 500 degrees at the highest setting, and food cooked on stovetops generally doesn’t exceed 350 degrees or so.What destroys a nonstick pan?There are three main things that can destroy a nonstick pan’s coating: the metal utensils and high heat that we mentioned above, and improper storage. Improper storage can harm the nonstick coating, which can cause scratching and make it less effective. For example, if your nonstick pan is stored among other cooking tools (such as cast iron, stainless steel, and even meal prep essentials like glass food storage containers) it may get scratched up in the process, says Pornsriniyom. 

Conversations around menopause have often been swept under the rug or discussed in hushed tones—which is why a number of celebrities are now speaking about what, specifically, menopause looked like for them. CBS This Morning host Gayle King and actor Drew Barrymore talked about their experiences with perimenopause by sharing the first symptoms they noticed in a new segment aired on Wednesday.A little refresher: Perimenopause (which translates to “around menopause”) simply refers to the time menopause starts, and it can strike at different ages. It can start during a person’s 30s, but most people experience it from ages 40 to 44, according to the Mount Sinai Health System.Barrymore, now 48, said this transition changed the frequency of her periods. “I realized that I was in perimenopause when I started having my period every two weeks,” she said. When King, now 68, asked if she was having a heavy flow, Barrymore said, “Yes, like a teenager.”This was the telltale sign for King. “I went to the doctor because—not to get too graphic—but it looked like a crime scene,” she said. She also said she experienced hot flashes. As King explained, “It feels like you’re burning inside. It just feels hot, for me it was just a physical heat. Then you can sometimes have dripping, drenching sweats.” She joked that you can’t control when and where a hot flash will strike. “It can happen at the most inopportune times,” King said. “I’ve been on the red carpet where a photographer will say, ‘Gayle, are you okay?’ I go, ‘It’s just a hot flash,’ and they say, ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry.’ It’s like they’ve said something very bad about you.”This is part of the reason King and Barrymore are trying to start more discussions about what menopause actually feels like. “I’m just glad we’re having this conversation because I didn’t even know the phrase perimenopause [when it started for me],” King said.The pair also talked about the importance of educating all children—not just little girls—about natural bodily processes. “I don’t want little boys going, ‘Ew,’ [when they hear about menopause],” King said. “I don’t want that because it is something we go through. And it’s just male and female—there are differences, and those differences are okay.”Related:

Ed Sheeran revealed he struggles with disordered eating in a new interview from Rolling Stone published Tuesday. The 32-year-old singer and songwriter also denounced the stigma associated with eating disorders among men.“I have a real eating problem,” he told Rolling Stone. Sheeran explained that, like his mentor Elton John, he’s had issues with binge eating and purging, and added that it’s been difficult to speak about these problems because of the shame associated with them. “There’s certain things that, as a man talking about them, I feel mad uncomfortable,” Sheeran said. But this is one of the reasons he’s choosing to share his story, he added: “It’s good to be honest…because so many [men] do the same thing and hide it.”This stigma is fueled by outdated ideas about who can—and can’t—have an eating disorder, Kimberly Dennis, MD, a member of the Clinical Advisory Council at the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), tells SELF. “It’s been a pretty persistent, long-held myth that [eating disorders] are diseases that impact skinny white girls,” Dr. Dennis says. “That harms large portions of the population, [including] men.” According to data from NEDA, about one-third of all people with eating disorders are men.Because most of the messaging around eating disorder warning signs has traditionally been focused on women, many men don’t understand that they’re susceptible to these diseases, Dr. Dennis adds. Often, when they start to experience symptoms, “The men themselves don’t know it’s a disorder,” she explains. “They often feel shame about it because they think, This is a women’s disease. Why am I experiencing this?”Even men who know they have a problem may be less likely to try to get help, she adds. “Because of the concepts of toxic masculinity, the cultural norms of what a man is—a lot of that messaging and the psychosocial aspects of being a man in our culture can interfere with a man seeking eating disorder treatment,” Dr. Dennis says. Research has shown men are less likely than women to receive a mental health–related diagnosis, and traditionally masculine social expectations may be to blame.  Even some men who turn to their doctors for help may not get the care they need, she adds: “This a myth that pervades most medical specialties, and primary care doctors get very little training in eating disorder [protocols], so unless it’s more of an extreme case, they often miss the diagnosis.”This is especially troubling, given the huge toll an untreated eating disorder can take on a person’s overall health and well-being, says Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, founder of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness and the author of Unapologetic Eating. She adds that among all mental illnesses, eating disorders are the second deadliest, second only to opioid use disorder. “Untreated eating disorders can go on for years, if not decades, and contribute to physical and mental health issues,” she tells SELF.It’s crucial to change the narrative and make sure men know they, too, can experience eating disorders, Dr. Dennis says. All institutions that provide information on these conditions need to take this into account, she adds: “The messaging that starts very early on in most school settings needs to center that men have eating disorders, too, and treatment settings need to intentionally address the unique needs of men” with eating disorders. This means identifying that many men grow up hearing that they shouldn’t—or can’t—struggle with an eating disorder, acknowledging that this is incorrect, and helping them find a treatment option that works best for them, she adds. According to the Mayo Clinic, useful interventions could include taking medication, working with a therapist, or working with a registered dietitian.It’s also important for men who have firsthand experience to share their stories—like Sheeran did—when they feel comfortable doing so, Dr. Dennis adds. “It’s always helpful when men speak about having an eating disorder or having recovered from an eating disorder. When we don’t [highlight these stories], men internalize the idea that I shouldn’t have this,” she explains. “That propels shame and interferes with people getting help. And help works.”If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, you can find support and resources from the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). If you are in a crisis, you can text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at the Crisis Text Line for immediate support.Related:

During cold and flu season, it can be difficult to figure out what’s wrong if you start to feel sick. There’s a lot of overlap among the warning signs of illnesses that spike during fall, winter, and even early spring, like the common cold, COVID-19, influenza, and strep throat.If you or someone you’re caring for has strep, chances are the throat pain will be more intense than that of common viral illnesses—even including COVID-19, Cory Fisher, DO, a family medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. Though it’s very pronounced, a sore throat isn’t the only symptom that strep can cause: The infection, which occurs when bacteria known as group A Streptococcus infect the throat and tonsils, can also cause fever; pain when swallowing; red and swollen tonsils; white patches or streaks of pus on the tonsils; swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck; and tiny, red spots on the roof of the mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).All of this is to say: You’re likely going to feel pretty run down for a few days if you have strep throat, which spreads through the respiratory droplets of, or direct contact with, an infected person. While leaving your house to trek to the doctor’s office might be the last thing you feel like doing, it’s really important to seek medical care if you think you have strep throat.Not everyone needs to take medication for strep throat, per the CDC. Specifically, “carriers” of the bacteria—or people who test positive, but don’t have any symptoms—usually won’t need treatment. But if you’re symptomatic and you test positive for strep, your doctor is probably going to recommend a treatment plan that includes antibiotics.A recent warning from the CDC about an uptick in invasive group A strep (iGAS) cases in children means you should also monitor any kids in your life for strep throat symptoms if they’re sick. Act quickly if you think they’ve been infected, since iGAS can be life-threatening for children in some cases, as SELF previously reported.Below, experts answer questions about strep throat treatment options, and why it’s truly a bad idea to try to “ride it out” without seeing a doctor.How to get rid of strep throatIf you think you have strep throat, you should make an appointment with a primary care provider so they can test you for the infection ASAP, Waleed Javaid, MD, epidemiologist and director of Infection Prevention and Control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York, tells SELF. If you don’t have a go-to primary care provider or have trouble making a last-minute appointment, you should go to a local urgent care center to be tested.The gold standard for treating strep throat is a course of oral antibiotics, Dr. Javaid says. This will help control the infection and minimize the risks of potential complications, which aren’t anything you want to mess with: An untreated strep infection can lead to scarlet fever; inflammation of the kidney; rheumatic fever; a condition called poststreptococcal reactive arthritis, which causes inflammation of the joints; sinus or ear infections; as well as the development of abscesses (pockets of pus) around the tonsils or neck. In severe cases—when the infection causes invasive disease (iGAS)—the bacteria can spread to the skin or bloodstream. However, these complications are rare: Out of millions of strep infections each year, only 14,000 to 25,000 are classified as iGAS cases, per the CDC.

If your nails are anything like mine, they become flimsy and papery after a gel or acrylic manicure: They peel, tear, and fold over themselves when I do so much as clasp a necklace. It seems that in order to have nice-looking nails, I might as well get a mani every week—but I don’t have the disposable funds for that.Recently my inbox has flooded with beauty brands touting the benefits of their new topical nail strengtheners. According to Ivy Lee-Keltner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the medical director of Direct Dermatology, most nail strengtheners create a protective, hydrating film on top of the nail, which should make it less likely to peel, break, or split. But are these products worth the hype—and your money? Dr. Lee says there isn’t significant scientific evidence that proves the efficacy of over-the-counter nail strengtheners (most of it is anecdotal). However, anything that hydrates or protects your nails probably won’t hurt—just avoid any topical products that are formulated with formaldehyde, she says, as the chemical can cause serious irritation in some people. In my quest for hand-model-worthy nails, I learned that there’s an inexpensive, more versatile alternative to these products that I already had in my medicine cabinet: Aquaphor. “Applying an ointment like Aquaphor or Vaseline to the cuticles can help seal the cuticle and promote healthy nails,” Fatima Fahs, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Dermy Doc Box, tells SELF. Apparently, TikTokers called this “nail slugging” in 2022, but this is one “trend” that likely won’t go away. Dr. Lee notes that she also recommends products like Aquaphor or Vaseline to her patients who are concerned about brittle nails. “In my clinical experience, I have had patients self-report improved durability of their nails when they hydrate the nail fold with a moisturizing ointment,” she says. How does petrolatum strengthen your nails?The main ingredient in ointments like Aquaphor and Vaseline is hydrated petrolatum (a.k.a. petroleum jelly). “[It’s] an occlusive moisturizer, which forms a barrier that seals water in,” Dr. Lee says. “Applying this to the proximal nail fold and cuticle helps hydrate the area where the nail plate starts to grow. This results in a smoother and more durable nail plate.” (The proximal nail fold is the skin bordering the lower end of the nail; this is where your cuticle grows over the nail. The nail plate, often just called the nail, is the part you paint with polish.)Petrolatum-based ointments can help your cuticles hold onto moisture, which is key for overall nail health. “Open, irritated, or ragged cuticles can contribute to weak nails and a weak nail bed,” Dr. Fahs says. Your first instinct might be to grab the cuticle nippers and snip extremely dry skin around the nail or push the cuticles back, but your best move is to keep them moisturized and otherwise leave them alone. “The cuticle is essential to protecting the nail from bacteria and other germs entering the body [that can] cause infections,” Nada Elbuluk, MD, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at the University of Southern California, previously told SELF.