Google is forcing us to be healthier

🙏🙏🙏 No Images? Click here     GET HEALTHIER Wait, why aren't we all *already* practicing tai chi? We're not going to recite the benefits of exercise and meditation because we've done that many times before and we know you know 'em. However. We ARE going to bring your attention to the Chinese practice of tai chi. Holy smokes, guys, it's legit. Less stress, better sleep, and a longer life? Count us in Study after study (after study after study) recommends tai chi to help with everything from sleep issues to balance problems to stress to IBS. The combo of movement and meditation seems to be the key. Even clocking two or three 25-minute sessions per week is enough (bonus health points if you're doing it outside), and honestly, it's pretty fun. But how? Search around for local classes or even online videos to get started, but make sure you ask questions about your teacher's training since there's no universal board to certify instructors. Posture and body position are important, so you want to find a teacher who will tweak your form. Sold? Great. See ya out there.           Try this Can't sleep and aren't going to make tai chi your thing? Try vegan pink moon milk instead. Here's how: Heat 6 oz almond milk and 4 oz unsweetened tart cherry juice over low heat in a small saucepan. When heated, whisk in 1 tbsp honey and 1/2 tsp ashwagandha. Top with rose petals (optional, but imagine that 'gram) and drink warm. Greatist             TECH HEALTH Google's platforms just got a whole lot healthier Hate to break it to ya, but the world inside your phone is not really a healthy place. And for the most part, the people creating our tech don't really seem to care. So we were pleasantly surprised to hear about Google's push for "digital wellbeing" and some new features the company is rolling out. Here's what's new: If you want them, take-a-break reminders will pop up during YouTube videos after you've been watching for a while YouTube will also tally how many minutes (hours?? 😬) you've watched across your devices during the past week/month/more An app dashboard on Android phones will tell you how long you've spent in different apps, how many times you've unlocked your phone, and how many notifications you've received You'll also be able to set time limits for yourself with an app timer that'll discourage you from getting sucked in until the end of time Do Not Disturb will be turned on automatically whenever your phone is facedown TBH, it all sounds annoying to deal with. But then again, that's kinda the point.       SPONSORED Bone broth, but better Raise your hand if you're looking for easy ways to get healthier. Is that... everyone? Cool. Cool cool cool. Well, how about this: Kettle & Fire makes legitimately good tasting, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat-in-five-minutes healthy soups made with a bone broth base. That means they're packed with protein (9 grams per serving), collagen, and key amino acids for a healthier gut and a happier you. And you can try it for 25 percent off Scoooore. Order in the next week, and Kettle & Fire will cut you a pretty sweet deal on its brand new soups (butternut squash, tomato, or miso). We're talkin' 25 percent off plus free shipping, an e-book bundle that explains more about the benefits of bone broth, AND a 100 percent money back guarantee if you don't love it. Like we said, score. GET IT           Watch yr language Just like we don't use the words "gay" or "retarded" when we really mean something else, it's time to stop using saying things like, "I'm so OCD," or, "It's depressing," when that's technically not true. Here's a complete list of reasons why. Girlboss         THIS WEEK IN STUDIES Fathers who exercise may have smarter babies The fine print: This study was done on mice, so we're not sure yet if this translates to humans. But it's still pretty cool: Even when the male mice didn't start exercising until adulthood, their children were smarter than the children of mice who never exercised at all. New York Times Could a "Daily Mile" be the solution to childhood obesity? The fine print: In Scotland, schools that implemented a 15-minute break (in addition to recess and similar breaks) where kids run, walk, or jog one mile found students improved on physical fitness tests and had healthier body compositions than they did before. So, yeah! Maybe. Science Daily Nutmeg could be great for your liver The fine print: We're not ready to say nutmeg is gonna undo a weekend of drinking. But researchers found that in mice, nutmeg restored healthy levels of various chemicals in their livers and had a protective effect against future liver damage. American Chemical Society Breastfeeding probably doesn't impact children's IQs after all The fine print: Some observational studies in the past found babies who were breastfed had higher IQs than their bottle-fed peers. But observational studies don't control for many variables, so they're not always reliable. This new study was a randomized trial of 13,000 children that followed bottle-fed and breastfed children until they were 16, so we're more inclined to trust the results. PLOS Medicine       EDITOR'S PICK A gym bag to solve all your gym bag problems If you're serious about gains, then you're serious about meal prep and serious about the gym. Which means your bag is seriously stuffed and the smell of your lunch is seriously mingling with the smell of your sneakers. Problem, meet solution The C.T. Fletcher x 6 Pack Fitness Merc Duffle Bag is, and we quote, "pretty cool." It comes with cold packs and built-in storage units so you can carry up to three meals and keep 'em chilled all day. If a duffle isn't your style, Six Pack Fitness also sells backpacks, briefcases, purses, and more, all of which have varying amounts of food storage options. Also, the product description sounds like it was written by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson himself, so, bonus.   CH-CHECK IT OUT         HERE'S THE REST Some fitness trackers are doing shady stuff with your data. Here's who you can trust. Tom's Guide The Tully debate: An accurate depiction of postpartum depression or nah? Romper, Motherly  A California gym figured out how to use cycling classes to shave a cool $650 off their electricity bill. Men's Health Give the CDC a chance and they'll ruin poppy seed muffins for you in one picture. The Outline Pls be careful with 30-day squat challenges. They may not be as great for you as they seem. Greatist Missguided nails it again—this time with body-positive ads celebrating skin "imperfections." Refinery29 You haven't heard about thirdhand smoke yet, but it's slowly killing you. Washington Post        Hey! Wondering WTF you just read? Well Now is Greatist's new roundup of all the health stories you were too busy to read this week. We'll see ya next Saturday with more.   © Greatist 2018 Greatist, Inc. 30 Vandam St., Floor 3, New York, NY 10013   Forward  Unsubscribe