How habits take shape in our brains—and how we can override them with new and (hopefully) better habits—is the subject of an exciting new book called The Power of Habits by New York Times writer Charles Duhigg.
I started reading it a couple of weeks ago and, ever the evangelist, have been talking about it to just about anyone who will listen since. You should all check it for yourselves, but here’s the opening premise:
For an act to become a habit, there must be a CUE, followed by a ROUTINE, and finishing with some sense of REWARD. When we start craving the reward before it happens, the act is transformed into a habit and imprinted so deep in our brains (literally) that even in some cases of severe brain damage, where most everything is forgotten, habits can still survive.
Example of a habit loop in action: If you’re a smoker—and FYI the lines between habits and addiction can often become blurred—talking on the phone might be a cue for you, the routine involves lighting up as you gab, and the feeling of reward could come from the nicotine itself or maybe the association between smoking and socializing.
The book posits—backed by exhaustive research—that if you want to change a habit, you must create a new one in its stead. So maybe instead of lighting a cigarette, you pick up a pencil and doodle while you’re on the phone, and when you’re off you admire your artistic skill and take pride in it. OK, pretty dumb example, but you know where I’m going with this. And if you don’t, Duhigg has created a helpful infographic on his blog (partially pictured above) to help people change their habits.
How does any of this relate to shampoo, or more importantly Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, that notoriously sketchy and stripping ingredient? For those not familiar with SLS (or its cousin SLES), it’s the stuff that makes most products foam and studies have shown that it’s often contaminated with a carcinogen. It’s also so harsh that it wreaks havoc on skin and scalps.
But part of why it was added to shampoos (and toothpastes, body washes and so many other things) is that studies by major personal care companies showed that consumers associated that foamy feeling with a reward (I’m oversimplifying here, but that’s the jist). And sure enough, if you ask anyone who’s ever tried natural shampoos, they all miss that foaming feeling at first. I’ve even had people tell me they’re addicted to it!
Can you think of other products that use the habit loop to sell more stock? Exfoliation comes to mind—people definitely crave that feeling! And just for fun: Any habits you’re trying to break these days?
As a former vegetarian of many years, I’ve seen this diet and lifestyle choice move from the marginal to the mainstream, and now—could it be?—back again.
It seems the current foodie crop is deeply obsessed with all things animal. And while it’s great to see a focus on local and so-called more sustainable snout-to-tail menu options, it feels like vegetarians are once again being left out in the cold. Have you noticed this?
Recent visits with my sister, who is still a strict non-meat eater, have really brought this into focus. On several occasions we’ve wanted to try some new hot spot restaurant, both in LA and Toronto, only to discover that there’s barely an item on the menu that doesn’t contain some kind of meat. It’s not that veggies aren’t prominently featured everywhere, they are, just not on their own. Even the former safe bastion—the side dish—is being adulterated by animal parts.
You’d be hard-pressed these days to find a side of roasted Brussels sprouts that doesn’t contain bacon, or a swisschard sans chorizo. Even french fries are being done in duck fat.
While I acknowledge that pork does make things extra delicious (though I’m sorry, duck fat fries = overkill), I’m wondering where vegetarians and non-vegetarians are supposed to break bread together these days. Sure, there’s always Indian food, but if she wants a steak—or say, pork belly tacos—and he wants something that doesn’t feature pig ears, lamb neck gravy, lardo or marrow—just a few of the items featured on two new trendy LA menus I glanced at—they’re going to have to cook at home.
I’m being a bit hyperbolic of course: There are surely still great steak houses where a vegetarian can get a side of mashed potatoes or mac and cheese, and most of these trendy spots are both overpriced and overrated. (I don’t know about you, but I tend to go to the same three restaurants on the rare occasions I’m not cooking at home.) But fast food places seem to have given up on any attempt at veggie options too.
Remember that moment in time when even McDonald’s had a veggie burger and maybe a few meatless wraps? No more. These days road trips don’t offer a whole lot other than fries or some nasty salad that you have to pick the ham off of.
The only spot I can think of is Harvey’s in Canada, which makes one of the meanest veggie burgers I’ve ever had, but it seems they keep closing down.
The irony is that this food trend is cloaked in some kind of hunter-gatherer cool that purports to be more planet-friendly—but eating more meat, even the local kind, will never be as sustainable as eating more veggies. And while I now like to eat both, I still think Brussels sprouts are often better without bacon. There I said it.
Have the vegetarians and vegans in the crowd been a little miffed at this latest food trend? Where do you guys go where you can find great options for all?
We’re loving this newish series from Well+Good. It’s kind of like Morning Routines but a little different, and it keeps opening our eyes to new products we haven’t tried yet, like these (a lil’ fancy) five from raw foodie queen Sarma Melngailis. Have you tried any of Sarma’s picks?
New York is humming with passionate vegans, raw foodies, and locavores that care deeply about the cleanliness of their cuisine.
But not all of them are as careful about what they put on their skin as in their mouths.
Sarma Melngailis, owner of Pure Food & Wine and One Lucky Duck, walks the talk.
The raw-food beauty only uses natural skin-care products, and she has great taste. Melngailis favors small-batch, indie brands made with love—almost all of which she stocks at One Lucky stores. Here’s the crop of products that are part of her beauty routine this season:
1. Dry Skin Brush ($9.99)
Dry brushing feels amazing before you get into the shower. It’s incredibly good for circulation and exfoliation— and it wakes you up. Just make sure to find a soft one. Some are hard and feel almost painful!
2. Simply Divine Botanicals Face the Day ($49.95)
I’m madly in love with this nourishing spray made with concentrations of seaweeds. It’s really good for sun damage. I find it incredibly refreshing and spray it on my face first thing in the morning, and sometimes during the day. I also never board a plane without it. It meets the carry-on requirement, and I can’t imagine tolerating the dry flight without it.
3. JUJU Natural Dry Skin Serum ($60)
I love serums, and this one is made of really special ingredients, such as baobab fruit, seeds, and leaves—from a tree native to Africa. It feels really healing and is loaded with antioxidants.
Keep reading Sarma’s faves here.
Holy allergy season Batman.
I’ve never had allergies until this year, but before you think I’m on some random non-beauty tangent… I beg differ! Incessant sneezing, red eyes, and a runny nose are all very real beauty problems. Not to mention that allergies feel like crap!
Word is they’re getting worse with climate change—something about a longer growing season, more pollination and something something. To boot, according to this NPR piece, pollen got going even earlier this year in LA, which may explain why I’ve felt like I have a cold for two months. A cold that mysteriously appears and disappears over the course of the day.
Another reason more people are suffering from allergies? We’re too clean and our immune systems are suffering for it.
I’m pretty sure that’s not my problem though: As many of you know we’re big proponents of being a little dirty (and skipping the soap sometimes). Whatever the cause, everyone seems to be suffering. Which has got me thinking about possible natural remedies.
Some quick googling lead me to peppermint tea, face steaming, and reminders to wash your pets. Oh, and don’t smoke if you have allergies, you guys. Real remedy gold here.
The Neti Pot was also mentioned on NPR as a good natural way to combat the achoos. It’s a tiny little pot that let’s you poor water through your nasal passage, known more formally as nasal irrigation. This apparently clears our allergens, which sounds like an awesome plan.
I tried a Neti pot once in ashram in India. I know, I’m embarrassed for me too. Anyways, it felt super weird, but I’d totally do it if it works.
Have you tried the Neti Pot? Know of any other good natural allergy remedies?
Here we go again. Ever since Siobhan asked how everyone’s preparing for the heat, my brain’s been on a one track loop that goes: highlights highlights highlights…
It’s a serious conundrum for a clean girl this whole hair dye thing, one we’ve talked about here and here and here (and about ten other places). There are many reasons not to do it of course. Par example, much like nail polish, there’s just no such thing as a totally clean dye.
Specifically for moi, getting highlights means: 1. some toxic exposure; 2. getting my hair washed and living with the subsequent frizz for a month; 3. feeling like a bit of a hypocrite. On the plus side the place I go to is sorta-natch, the highlights I get don’t touch my scalp, and freaking-A, they’re pretty!
A bit of a late bloomer on this, highlights were something of a revelation when I finally tried them last spring, lightly painted on in places where the sun would naturally lighten (if I surfed, like everyday). For a thick mop like mine, a little caramel color can go a long way in making my head look like less of a curl-helmut, as I’m sure some of you can relate.
And while I know I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions and all that, S and I have really taken to asking you guys for your (strong, ahem) opinions and advice! So let’s hear em.
More interesting still: What do you do with your hair? Highlights? Au naturelle 4life? And how weird is this picture choice?
This is a fairly regular occurrence for me: It’s 4am and I’m woken up by something. Maybe it’s a weird dream, maybe I need a glass of water, or I have to pee. And then I’m toast. No matter what I try, I just can’t fall back asleep for about two hours, until I hear the birds chirping and see the early light. Does that ever happen to you?
In Ayurveda, waking up at this time would quickly be diagnosed as a Vata imbalance—because Vata rules that time slot between 2am-6am. And even if your dominant dosha is not Vata, you could be suffering from one too. For a dosha refresher, go here.
A quick recap on the Vata thing: All doshas represent elements, and Vata is air. It’s quick moving and it’s easily aggravated by just about anything: season change, travel, too much wine at dinner, stress, and most other things that are part of modern life. This is why it’s so common that we experience its negative effects. Other telltale signs: Dry skin, anxiety, indigestion, and a sensitivity to cold.
Luckily, for those of us who are frequent Vata sufferers, the onset of warmer weather usually helps balance this out. Of course, for you Pittas out there, that can bring on a whole different kind of imbalance: excess heat in the body, a hard time falling asleep, impatience and irritability.
Anyways, back to the sleep thing. When it happens now, I don’t try to fight it. I know like clockwork that around 6am, suddenly the warm veil of sleep will come back over me. Until then I’ll do everything: meditate, read, come up with ideas for blog posts. I’ve been particularly susceptible lately, because I’ve been both traveling a lot and socializing a lot. Booze and travel will get me every time.
What do you do when you wake up like this in the night? And of course, if you know your dosha… Let’s hear it. I’m a Vata-Kapha, whereas Siobhan is a Pitta-Vata (but with a very strong Vata). So you can imagine this wake-up thing’s a problem for us!
If this isn’t a problem for you, by golly, tell us your tricks for staying balanced.
Sometimes you just want to indulge, and when you’re vegan (and maybe soy-free too) that can be tough. While totally delicious, a lot of the vegan desserts just don’t taste like the stuff we begged our parents for as children (you know: chocolate bars, ice cream sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies). And while I’m all for retraining taste buds to healthier treats—and would never turn my nose up at some raw-agave-coconut-chocolate number—every now and again you just want that feeling. The kid one.
So this week I thought I’d share my two absolute favorite “guilty” vegan treats. One is a new almond milk ice cream bar from So Delicious, and the other are these out-of-hand Uncle Eddies Vegan Cookies. Because I’m not actually vegan, you can rest assured that my love for these goodies is based on taste alone. Have you found any to-die-for vegan treats?
First, The Mocha Almond Fudge Bar
It’s no secret that Siobhan and I are often sent products to review, a major perk of this whole blogging-for-the-love-of-it thing. But when, a few weeks back, we received giant boxes to our homes, filled with dry ice and featuring special gloves to handle safely, we knew we’d hit some kind of jackpot. The people at SoDelicious had decided to send us products from their new line of frozen almond milk goodies. I’m talking multiple containers of ice cream here!
The sad part: Because I didn’t get home until the evening, and despite the elaborate packaging, my ice cream had turned into a slushier state. And yet, even though the refrozen texture was not the ideal way to taste and test, I was blown away by these ice creams. The flavor profiles were just SO GOOD (special shout-out to butter pecan). But the Mocha Almond Fudge Bar was really amazing, if a little mishapen from its travels. The outside chocolate shell with crunchy salty almond bits tastes as good as any I’ve had, and the mocha-fudge ice cream inside is spot on. There’s a hint of almond-milk taste, sure, but it works really well here.
Now Onto the Cookies
My friend Simone, who knows good taste in all things (see her blog to understand), brought these over for a dinner party one night about a year ago. They were and continue to be totally dangerous to have around because there’s no stopping at one or two. I’m a big fan of salt in my sweets, and these hit that perfect note. A great cookie can be hard to find, and regardless of dairy, these are among the best I’ve tried straight out of a bag. They’re all soft and chewy deliciousness. Recently, a coworker brought them to a meeting and then left the bag at the office. Those didn’t last.
I’ve been able to find both of these treats at my local Whole Foods. Have you had the chance to try them before?
Big points scored for team natural this week. It turns out that thyme, the herb we never really know how to cook with, could be a powerful topical treatment for acne.
Anyone who’s had it bad, knows that acne is the freaking worst. And while we always encourage people to look at potential internal imbalances (stress, hormones etc), we get that when your face is a mess you’ll do just about anything to stop it. We’ve both been there (and also done that). Enter the nation’s most popular acne treatment: the heinous benzoyl peroxide.
Why does benzoyl peroxide suck so bad? Aside from it’s skin burning-and-peeling, sun-sensitizing effects, studies have shown it to be free-radical-generating (not a good thing). It’s also caused tumors in mice. For these and other reasons, Europe has actually banned the stuff OTC.
But a new study by researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University tested three tinctures of thyme, marigold, and myrrh against the bacteria that causes acne. All had some effect, but thyme was found to be more powerful against the bacteria than benzoyl peroxide.
Here’s what the lead researcher said in this press release:
“The problem with treatments containing benzoyl peroxide is the side-effects they are associated with,” said Dr Gomez-Escalada. “A burning sensation and skin irritation are not uncommon. Herbal preparations are less harsh on the skin due to their anti-inflammatory properties while our results suggest they can be just as, if not more, effective than chemical treatments.”
Amen!
Have you tried BP over the years? What other topicals do you use for acne?
We like clay and tea tree oil (used carefully), but would be curious to try thyme for spot treating.
P.S. Happy Friday!
That’s what our friends at Well+Good are asking, so we thought we’d put it to you. Apparently tea smoking is catching on, at least with certain Etsy shoppers. We like to say that we’d try anything once—but is this more healing or hoax?
From the post:
Sure, you can steep and sip your tea for its health benefits. Or, you can go the route of some New Yorkers, and roll it up and smoke it.
That’s what Liz Neves suggests. She’s the Brooklyn-based creator of Vivid Visions, an herbal tea blend that’s meant to be smoked, not sipped. And it’s flying off the Etsy shelves.
Since Vivid Visions was featured on FoodCurated.com two weeks ago, she’s been unable to keep up with the demand, selling out of batches of 150 within hours.
So why are people so excited to toke their tea?
“There’s something taboo about smoking things, and people are drawn to that,” says Neves. “It feels like you’re getting away with something.” And given that wholesome Brooklyn foodies were the first to discover her, even healthy types like that.
But there’s also the effect of smoking tea that a cuppa can’t give ya (because the smoke enters your bloodstream much faster, while sipped tea has to make its way through your digestive system).
What is it? Well, as its name implies, Vivid Visions has some properties that are a little trippier than, say, your Celestial Seasons Tension Tamer.
Read more about supposed tea-toking benefits here.
I’m having a small case of the beauty blahs and I don’t know what to do… I want to feel fresh and new for spring but I’m a bit stumped on ideas. Who has done something totally drastic—but not totally chemy—in the last little while? Hair cuts, new makeup colors, awesome discoveries?
Here are my ideas so far…
1. White eye liner. Has anybody tried this? Word is that it really makes eyes pop.
2. A bold new lip color. Maybe coral? Suggestions?
3. More semi-natch highlights. Do I? Don’t I? I’ve trimmed off a lot of my golden pieces from last summer, but can I put myself through all that hair washing again?
One thing I’ve never gotten into at all is eye shadow. Maybe it’s time. I know there are some really fun colors right now, even among naturals. I just feel like shadow looks a little silly on me—even though I often love it on others. Is there a trick to wearing? Help!
