You know that feeling when you roll out your yoga mat with the best stretching intentions…  and suddenly forget every stretch you’ve ever learned? If this sounds familiar, you may benefit from an everyday stretch routine that you can memorize once—and feel the benefits throughout your lifetime. And luckily, Clara Baini, founder of Good Day Pilates, made you the perfect sequence.

On this week’s episode of Trainer of the Month Club, Baini dreamed up a five-move everyday yoga class that unwinds the muscles of your neck, side body, shoulders, hips, hamstrings—you name it. In total, this bite-sized class comes out to be about five minutes long—so it’s easy to slot into your morning ritual, lunch break, or pre-bed routine.

Pretty soon, you’ll know these stretches by heart. But for now, go ahead and grab your comfy clothes, queue up the video, and start moving.

Baini’s 5-move everyday stretch routine

1. Seated cat-cows

Come to sit on your shins (or on a block, if that’s more comfortable for you). Lift your arms up overhead. Interlock your fingers at the top of your neck and gently drop your head into this makeshift cradle, lifting the chest as you do. Look up at the ceiling and breathe. Slowly, come back to the center and tuck your chin towards your chest, curling your back like a cat as you do so. Move back and forth between opening and closing off your chest.

2. Seated side stretch

Staying seated, walk your left fingertips about a foot away from your hips. Reach your right arm up alongside your right ear, gently bending toward the left without letting your chest spiral toward the ground. Feel the stretch up your entire right side. Return to center and repeat on the other side.

3. Thread the needle

Come onto your hands and knees. Take a moment to double-check that your hips are directly above your knees and your shoulders are directly above your wrists. Reach your right arm up to the ceiling on your right side, allowing your gaze to follow. Then gently thread that right arm underneath the chest. Place your right cheek and right shoulder onto the mat. Spiral your right chest to the right side. Breathe. Come out of the pose slowly, and then switch sides.

4. Downward-facing dog

Come back to all fours. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up to the sky, keeping a generous bend in the knees. Do what feels good here: Shift your weight from side to side, bend the knees to touch the chest, or lift one leg at a time to open up the hips. You decide.

5. Standing forward fold

From your downward-facing dog, walk the hands back to meet the feet. Keep your knees bent enough that your chest drapes over them, and you feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Let your fingertips graze the floor or grab your elbows with each hand.

This content was originally published here.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be an extremely limiting condition, with nagging pain that doesn’t seem to go away despite trying every possible wrist brace your local pharmacy offers. The good news is that, in addition to stretches that can help, there are some strengthening exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome that may help alleviate your symptoms and get you on the road to recovery.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition marked by discomfort and functional limitations in the wrist and hand due to excessive pressure on the median nerve, which runs down the inner arm through the center of the wrist to the hand.

“The pressure can happen anywhere along the route of the median nerve, but is commonly seen in the neck as a result of a herniated disc,” explains physical therapist and founder of Fit Club NY, Kellen Scantlebury, DPT.

That compression leads to numbness, tingling, and potentially weakness into the hands, wrist, and even elbow, which are all hallmark signs of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The median nerve innervates the thumb, index, and middle finger, along with the inner surface of the ring finger, so any or all of these fingers can be affected. “Typically someone with carpal tunnel syndrome will notice that these fingers get numb often during sleep, computer work, or other activities involving the hands,” shares Dr. Scantlebury.

How can strengthening exercises prevent and alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome?

According to Dr. Scantlebury, strengthening exercises can help reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, and alleviate symptoms. “Exercises that strengthen the finger flexors and extensors as well as the wrist flexors and extensors are most effective,” he says.

However, there’s an important caveat: Carpal tunnel strengthening exercises (as well as general strength training exercises) must be done properly and with good form. “Many need to be performed with a neutral wrist to reduce pressure on the median nerve,” says Dr. Scantlebury.

Dr. Scantlebury notes that one of the primary symptoms—weakness—can make general strength training difficult (“push-ups need to be avoided,” he says), but doing targeted strengthening exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome can help counteract this issue.

“Training your postural muscles is also important. Many times, posture habits are the main contributing factor leading to carpal tunnel syndrome,” he says.

Five easy exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome

Although seeing a physical therapist is usually the best approach for getting a rehab program tailored exactly to your needs, Dr. Scantlebury walked us through some basic carpal tunnel exercises you can try at home.

1. Towel or ball grips with wrist extension

Dr. Scantlebury says this is one of the best exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome because it improves your grip strength and the strength of your wrist extensors simultaneously.

“Both of these areas can be impacted with carpal tunnel syndrome,” he says. “These are especially important as we spend more time typing on a computer.”

To perform this exercise, grip a soft ball (like a stress ball) or a hand towel, squeezing your fist as tight as possible, while simultaneously extending your wrist, as though you’re putting your hand up to signal someone to stop—the back of your hand should come towards the hairy side of your arm.

2. Towel or ball grips with wrist flexion

This one addresses grip strength and wrist flexion, so it helps to prevent and alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome by strengthening and minimizing the muscles surrounding the median nerve.

For this one, perform the exact same tight-fisted ball or towel squeeze, but this time, flex your wrist by bringing your palm towards the inner arm.

3. Prone Ts

This exercise strengthens the trapezius muscles in the upper back, which support shoulder and neck postural muscles.

“Oftentimes, weakness of these muscles leads to bad posture that can cause carpal tunnel syndrome over time,” says Dr. Scantlebury. “This is a great exercise to increase their endurance.”

Here’s how to do it:

1. Lie on your stomach with a small towel rolled up under your forehead for comfort.
2. Bring your arms out to the side so that your body is in a giant letter “T.”
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to lift your arms up off the ground, as if trying to fly. Keep your elbows straight.
4. Complete three sets of 20 to 30 reps, building up the number of reps you do.

Add small hand weights or hold water bottles to increase the difficulty.

4. Tendon glides

Dr. Scantlebury says that the muscles and tendons that control our fingers need to slide and glide easily on one another to produce efficient, painless movement.

“In our hands, we have a bunch of tendons that connect to the bones to help us move our fingers. If these tendons get stuck, we have difficulty accomplishing movement and fine motor tasks,” he explains. “Tendon glides help us improve this movement and can increase finger strength.”

There are four basic tendon glide exercises you can do to get started:

1. Make a fist, squeeze, and relax.
2. Bend just the fingers so that the fingers curl over and the pads touch the lower third of your fingers (claw hand position), and then straighten them again.
3. Keep your fingers completely straight and bend your hand into an L, so that your fingers are at a 90-degree angle with your palm. Relax back.
4. Fold your fingers all the way down to touch your palm and then open them back up.

Complete each exercise 20 to 30 times, as tolerated.

5. Finger taps

Dr. Scantlebury says this exercise increases the strength and endurance of the muscles in the hand, which can alleviate symptoms and prevent functional deficits.

To do it, tap the thumb to each finger in the hand (thumb to index finger, thumb to middle finger, thumb to ring finger, etc.). Complete 10 rounds per hand. You can increase the intensity by adding putty to your fingers; this forces you to pull away against resistance.

Remember the bigger picture

While strengthening can help prevent and alleviate symptoms, Dr. Scantlebury says that exercises should not be the only component of your prehab/rehab program.

“A balanced program consisting of strength training, mobility training for the wrist joint, and nerve lengthening are your best options,” he says. “If you suspect you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, get an evaluation performed by a doctor of physical therapy. If your treatment does not progress well, a recommendation can be made to an orthopedic surgeon.”

This content was originally published here.

We’re constantly told about the products we need to have for “better” skin. But beyond SPF, everything truly is optional depending on your needs. There are certainly tried-and-true ingredients that can help your complexion, like retinol and vitamin C, but that doesn’t mean you necessarily need them in your routine. Before hitting “add to cart” on any item, board-certified dermatologist Daniel Sugai, MD recommends asking yourself one question: What, exactly, are your goals for your skin?

“I would never buy a product without having a goal in mind,” says Dr. Sugai in a recent TikTok video. “I’m seeing so many patients who have way too many skin-care products. Teenagers who are using vitamin C serum when they have acne—vitamin C does not work on acne. So before spending your money on all these products, have a skin-care goal in mind.”

Hope this helps #skincaremistakes #thingsiwouldneverdo #dermatologist #skincare #drsugaiskincare #fypシ ♬ love nwantinti (ah ah ah) – CKay

To help you narrow your search—and avoid wasting money on products—we rounded up the best ingredients for each specific skin-care “goal.” Keep scrolling to shop them for yourself.

To treat acne

1. Adapalene

Retinoids help with acne by tackling one of its main causes, abnormal keratinization, which happens when there’s an excess of “sticky” dead skin cells on the surface of your complexion that build up and clog your pores. Retinol stimulates cell turnover, bringing healthy new cells to the surface and getting rid of all the old ones. Dr. Sugai suggests chatting with a dermatologist to get a prescription version of the ingredient, but if you want something you can snag at the drugstore, opt for Differin Gel ($18). It’s made with adapalene, aka the strongest retinoid you can get over the counter.

2. Benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is an ingredient that’s great at clearing away P. acnes, the bacteria responsible for ance. “P. Acne is a bacteria that lives on everybody’s skin, but it likes to grow in particular in acne lesions because it feeds on that oil,” says Elizabeth Kream, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “There’s overgrowth and there’s a dysregulation of P. Acnes in acne lesions.” She recommends the Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask ($12), a benzoyl peroxide cleanser that you can use as a regular face wash or leave on for five minutes before rinsing as a deep-cleansing mask.

To soften/prevent wrinkles

1. Retinal

Retinoids also help to increase the skin’s production of collagen—the protein that keeps skin thick, firm, and bouncy—and retinal is starting to outshine retinol as the go-to OTC retinoid for smoothing fine lines. “What’s nice about retinal is that they’re a little bit more potent than your typical, traditional, over-the-counter retinol because they don’t require as much in terms of conversion to retinoic acid, but they’re a little bit more gentle than a prescription,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. She loves the Medik8 Crystal Retinal ($53).

2. Vitamin C

Vitamin C also helps to stimulate collagen production, but it’s best known for its protective attributes. As a potent antioxidant, vitamin C helps prevent free-radical damage. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that seek out healthy skin cells to latch on to their electrons, and thus, destabilize them. When our skin cells endure this damage, they’re less able to perform as normal, which leads to signs of aging like fine lines and discoloration coming on sooner than they should. Dr. Garshick is a huge fan of the Maelove The Glow Maker ($30) which blends vitamins C, E, ferulic acid, and hyaluronic acid.

To manage dryness

1. Ceramides

When managing dry skin, ceramides are one of your best defenses. They’re lipids that occur naturally in the skin to preserve the skin barrier and lock in moisture. They also function as emollients, a type of moisturizing ingredient that add oil to the skin to help soften and smooth the skin skin. The La Roche-Posay Double Repair Face Moisturizer ($20) is a great option that’s loaded with ceramides.

2. Hyaluronic acid

Quench your skin’s thirst with a dose of hyaluronic acid. The water-loving molecule helps your skin absorb and retain moisture to soothe and nourish dry skin. The new Selfmade Secure Attachment Comfort Serum+ ($36) has the perfect blend of hyaluronic acid, squalane, and algae to keep your skin nice and hydrated.

To brighten discoloration

1. Tranexamic acid

Topical tranexamic acid regulates melanin production in the skin, meaning it can help manage discoloration like acne scarring, photoaging, and melasma. Topicals Faded Serum ($18 to $38) blends tranexamic acid with two other skin-brightening ingredients—namely niacinamide and azelaic acid—to help fade discoloration.

2. Cysteamine

Cysteamine is a buzzy new ingredient that gives controversial hydroquinone a run for its money. Instead of bleaching your skin, the way hydroquinone does, it reduces your body’s melanin synthesis to bring your skin back to its baseline shade. You apply it to dry skin before you wash your face and let it work its magic for 15 minutes before rinsing off. The Urban Skin Rx Hypercorrect Intense Fading Cream ($48) heroes cysteamine and is a wonderful addition to your morning or evening routine.

To decrease oil

1. Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B that can help normalize your skin’s oil production. Meaning that with consistent application, you can see a decrease in oil production. “Niacinamide has calming and anti-inflammatory properties, which counteract the effects of stress hormones on the skin,” says Shirley Chi, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Southern California. “Stress hormones increase oil production on the skin, so decreasing inflammation makes your skin less oily.” The Allies of Skin Prebiotics Niacinamide Pore Refining Booster ($73) is a great option.

2. Mandelic acid

While niacinamide does its job, you can get rid of your excess oil with the help of mandelic acid. “What’s nice about mandelic acid is that because it is a larger molecule, it’s generally a little bit easier to tolerate and less irritating than other alpha-hydroxy acids, like glycolic acid,” says Dr. Garshick. She really likes the Glow Recipe Strawberry Smooth BHA + AHA Salicylic Acid Serum ($40), which also includes mandelic acid.

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This content was originally published here.

Unless you live in a pineapple under the sea or are doing a much-needed social media cleanse, you’ve likely heard that butter boards are a THING. In what feels like overnight, hundreds of videos started popping up across all social media channels with different renditions of Joshua McFadden’s “herbed” butter with warm bread recipe from the cookbook .

Although RDs say that butter should not be demonized and that it can definitely have health benefits (when consumed in moderation, of course), we know that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea—especially not for vegans or anyone with a dairy allergy. That being said, we definitely didn’t want to miss out on a fun food trend that’s clearly the *next big thing* following the charcuterie board explosion of 2020. But how could we make a butter board that’s equal parts functional, plant-based, and exceedingly delicious? Enter *almond* butter boards.

Not only does this rendition of the butter board trend feature a base of nutty, nutrient-dense almond butter (which we adore), it’s packed with magnesium-rich ingredients that can help us get a better night’s rest. Plus, we spoke with a registered dietitian who shared her tips for making an almond butter board stacked with delicious toppings that help promote restful sleep.

Ready for the dreamiest bedtime snack? Read on.

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A post shared by Joshua McFadden (@jj__mc)

Why an almond butter board is what dreams are made of (literally), according to a registered dietitian

Let’s get the basics out of the way first: What is a butter board, exactly? Pretty much exactly like it sounds—creamy, golden butter spread across a board garnished with the toppings of your choice (like herbs, flaky sea salt, or drizzled honey) meant for dipping, spreading, an spooning over bread, crackers, fruit, and the like. While we’re 100 percent on board, we couldn’t wait for a vegan-friendly, plant-based version to get the spotlight, too.

According to Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, CLEC, CPT, a registered dietitian based in Charleston, there may be a better way to make before-bed butter boards, and it’s nuts (literally). “There is no doubt that putting butter on a crusty piece of bread or a crunchy cracker is the stuff that dreams are made of. But if you are in the habit of enjoying a snack board before bedtime, perhaps an almond butter board can be a better match for you,” Manaker says.

Almonds, says Manaker, actually have two essential minerals that can help you catch some Z’s. “Like most other nuts, almonds contain many nutrients that support healthy sleep, including magnesium and zinc. Zinc may play a role in sleep regulation, and magnesium may positively impact sleep quality,” she says. Plus, she adds that nuts, like almonds, also contain melatonin, aka the coveted sleep hormone.

So, how exactly do you make an almond butter board? Well, in a recent TikTok video by , all you need is a jar of your favorite almond butter (like Justin’s Classic Almond Butter), a good offset spatula like this one sold on Amazon, and a few of your favorite toppings. In this case, they use yummy fall flavors like apple butter, golden raisins, bee pollen, apple slices, and crackers. Using the spatula, you’ll spread the almond butter to create a base on the board (this part requires a little patience, but it’s equally as relaxing). Finally, get creative with toppings; feel free to follow their recipe or layer whatever suits your palette.

Heard Butter Boards were a thing…what about Almond Butter Boards? #butterboard #almondbutterboard #justins ♬ Good Vibes (Instrumental) – Ellen Once Again

What other sleep-promoting ingredients would an RD add to an almond butter board?

Of course, many other varieties of nuts also pack great benefits for making sleep-boosting butter boards. “Spreading nut butter on your bread, crackers, fruit, or veggie sticks—regardless of whether it is almond, walnut, pistachio, or another nut—can give your body a boost of key nutrients that may help support your sleep,” Manaker explains. If you need some extra inspo, here are 10 of our favorite high-protein nut butter options to choose from.

Now, on to our favorite part: the toppings. As we mentioned, nuts definitely have this RD’s stamp of approval. So, why not add them as a garnish, too? “Along with almond butter, including walnuts on your pre-bedtime board can give the body some satiating fiber and plant-based protein to help keep hunger at bay. Enjoying walnuts will also provide additional magnesium, zinc, and melatonin. Plus, since walnuts are the only tree nut that is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid, enjoying these nuts will offer heart health and cognitive benefits as well,” Manaker says.

But what’s Manaker’s favorite sleep-inducing secret ingredient? Here’s a hint: It’s spudtastic. “Sweet potatoes pair surprisingly well with nut butters. Instead of a grain-based toast, using a sweet potato-based ‘toast’ for your board will offer sleep-supporting nutrients like vitamin B6, which can help your body make serotonin,” she says. According to her, the body uses serotonin to “make” melatonin—aka the perfect recipe for sweet dreams. She makes her own DIY sweet potato toast by drizzling thinly-sliced sweet potatoes with EVOO and baking until crispy.

And because any form of board isn’t complete without a little fruit, Manaker says kiwis are the way to go if you want major sleep-boosting (and eye-catching) benefits. “For some sweetness and color, kiwis can be a nice addition to your board. Not only are kiwis delish, but according to research, eating two kiwis one hour before bed results in falling asleep 42 percent more quickly compared to people who don’t eat kiwis before bedtime,” she says.

Since crunch is always the name of the game, Manaker likes to add some oats into the almond butter board mix, too. “Sprinkling low-sugar granola on your board can help you get some quality sleep as well. Oats contain nutrients like vitamin B6 (a nutrient that helps produce serotonin) and tryptophan (the ‘sleepy’ amino acid best known to be found in turkey). And the fiber in them helps make this food satisfying too,” she points out.

Although all of these foods *may* help get a better night’s rest, Manaker makes sure to note that “it’s important to understand that there is no magic food that will make people sleep.” However, she adds that pairing a healthy almond butter board along with the right lifestyle practices (like limiting screen time before bed and including movement throughout your day), these foods on the almond butter board may help you get that shut-eye that you might be craving.

So, how does an RD really feel about PB? Find out:

This content was originally published here.