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Dry Needling—Less Scary Than Acupuncture (With Similar Results)
Even if they've never had it performed, many people have an idea of what acupuncture is. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body with the goal of relieving pain. It's a form of alternative medicine that many people can't imagine trying because they're (understandably!) scared it might hurt.
But there is an alternative treatment for those who want a similar effect of acupuncture with less pain. The process is called dry needling, or dry needle therapy, and despite the fact that the name is 150 percent more terrifying than "acupuncture," it's actually less scary (and it's quickly becoming a treatment of choice among acupuncturists and physical therapists).
What Even Is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a practice involving the insertion of a microfilament instead of a traditional acupuncture needle. The microfilament needles are inserted to pinpoint muscular trigger points. Traditionally, these needles are believed to stimulate the flow of energy, called qi, throughout the body. Research has found that acupoints are, indeed, packed full of neurovascular structures, so inserting needles into these points can trigger a reaction.
"It's meant to release tight muscle bands or hard knots within that muscle that may be causing pain over a large area," says Josh Axe, DNM, CNS, founder of Ancient Nutrition. "The theory behind dry needling is that trigger points in the muscle and connective tissue can generate an increased sensitivity to pain and even lead to damage of the nociceptors or peripheral nerves. But by stimulating these specific points, you are actually releasing the tension and alleviating the discomfort."
According to experts, dry needling follows the same concept used in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine to stimulate reactions in the body. Chinese medical practitioners believe when certain energy pathways are blocked, the result can be pain and illness in the body. In Western medicine, this concept has been studied in regards to blocking certain neuroreceptors. Western doctors believe that dry needling works by finding a spot of tension in the muscle from which pain then spreads. They hope that by stimulating the muscles that are spasming and causing muscular pain, they can force the muscle to relax. Once it does, the pain stemming from the spasm is abated.
Dry Needle Therapy—What It's Good For
Dry needle therapy may help alleviate pain from any number of chronic conditions, such as arthritis, sports injuries including strains and sprains, and other musculoskeletal diseases that don't necessarily respond to traditional pain meds. Dry needle therapy can be used as a form of therapy on its own, or it can be combined with other treatments. Most importantly, dry needle therapy may offer a viable treatment for conditions that continue to baffle many medical professionals, such as fibromyalgia and chronic complex pain syndrome.
While medications exist to treat some of these conditions, they often prove to be less than effective for the treatment of chronic pain. And in the midst of our current opioid epidemic, natural, alternative treatments for chronic pain can be helpful.
Few people doubt that chronic pain can be debilitating, but even fewer people understand just how disabling chronic widespread pain can be. And just like any medical treatment, dry needling will not necessarily work for everyone. But physical therapists, doctors, and other licensed medical practitioners have begun to discover a way to determine whether or not dry needling may work for a specific patient or not.
Practitioners of dry needling say that if the treatment is going to work for a particular patient, there will be a noticeable twitch in the inflamed area upon the insertion of the microfilament. When this twitch does occur, patients usually receive at least some pain relief from the dry needling treatment.
While experts aren't entirely sure how dry needle therapy works to relieve pain, there's a ton of anecdotal evidence that it's effective for inflammatory pain, such as that stemming from arthritis and plantar fasciitis. Experts believe that dry needling works not only on the muscles, but also on the fascia, or connective tissue running between muscles.
While researchers continue to study the role fascia plays beyond that of connective tissue, it is thought that inflammation of the fascia may be the primary, or at least a contributing, factor in many pain conditions. In most medical contexts, this is referred to as myofascial pain syndrome.
Dry needling may even help with problems like anxiety and depression. "Acupuncture can help manage the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety, can improve mood, and create relaxation while reducing stress-like symptoms," says Nekessa Remy, DC, chiropractor and licensed acupuncturist. "Acupuncture and dry needling can also help release endorphins, which can help with low energy."
Does This Stuff Hurt?
Is the treatment as bad as the affliction? Does dry needle therapy cause pain or even exacerbate the pain it is meant to alleviate?
Any time a foreign object is inserted into the body, there's a possibility it will hurt. However, comparatively speaking, the pain associated with dry needling pales in comparison to even acupuncture, which a lot of people swear is also relatively pain-free. While traditional acupuncture involves a 25 to 27 gauge needle, the microfilament used by dry needling is less than a 30 gauge. (When it comes to medical grade needles, the higher the number, the smaller the needle.) Because the microfilament used in dry needling is so tiny, there is very little pain with injection.
Are There Risks?
As with any medical treatment, certain risks exist. Whenever a foreign object enters the body, no matter how small, there's a risk of infection. Patients can develop skin infections or even MRSA, although this is very rare. Patients may also develop sores or cysts at the injection site. Before undergoing dry needling, patients should discuss any skin conditions with their practitioners.
It's also important to ensure that your dry needle therapy practitioner has received specific training in the technique. In the United States, acupuncturists must undergo a rigorous certification plan so they are properly versed in the risks. When a qualified practitioner performs it, dry needling is very safe.
Kate Harveston is a journalist from Pennsylvania. She frequently writes about health care and culture. You can follow her on Twitter at @KateHarveston or check out her author page here.
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5 Fitness Trainers Share the No. 1 Workout Move You're Wasting Your Time On
Gym time can be overwhelming—between the machines, the free weights, and the endless possibilities of the open floor, picking your next workout move can sometimes feel impossible. To narrow down your options, we're here to put some of those potential exercises on the chopping block. It turns out that some of your go-to gym moves could be hurting you more than helping you (and some are probably not doing much for you at all). Check out these five moves that trainers swear are a waste of time.
1. Don't Bother With Sit-Ups
If getting rock-hard abs (or even just one single ab… are you in there, abs?) is on your fitness to-do list, Anna Kaiser, celebrity trainer for Kelly Ripa and Sarah Jessica Parker and founder of AKT fitness studios, says to ditch the crunches.
"Doing one million crunches every day will not get you rock-hard abs," Kaiser says. "In fact, a crunch is far less effective than you think. They can also pose a risk of injury to your neck and lower back." What abs workout should you do instead? "Choose planks for a core-strengthening exercise that recruits and strengthens muscles from the front, side, and back of the body," Kaiser says.
2. Lose the Dumbells When Doing Chest Flies
The next time "chest day" rolls around, Fhitting Room trainer Jason Tran suggests you spread your wings and fly sans dumbbells.
"Adding weight to chest flies puts too much pressure on your shoulder joints," Tran says. "When you're doing flies while lying on a bench, gravity is at play and people often go too far."
Instead, Tran says you can easily achieve the same activation with a cable machine. "With a machine, you're able to stay upright—you'll have way more control over your range of motion so you can spend less time fighting gravity and more time getting a great pec workout. And if there's no equipment available, opt for wide-stance push-ups."
3. Quit Stationary Pedaling
Finding the motivation for cardio is tough for some people, which is why the stationary bike is so appealing—Netflix binge while pedaling, anyone? But celebrity trainer Nick Mitchell has a bone to pick with bikes that don't move.
"Steady-state cardio has its place, and I think that if you enjoy something like a cycling class, then by all means, go for it. But my issue with the use of stationary bikes is a very simple and basic one: The way that most people use them is just too damn easy. If you can read a magazine or book while exercising, then you're not really exercising at all—you're just wiggling your limbs around a little bit."
His preference for moderate cardio? The tread. "Even walking on a treadmill involves more muscular and nervous system recruitment than sitting on a bike," Mitchell says.
4. Assisted Pull-Ups Are Slowing You Down
Don't get too excited—we're not about to say pull-ups aren't worth striving for. But Devon Fitol, trainer at Accelerate in Seattle, WA, says that using a tool like a resistance band to assist you in the process isn't worth your time.
"If you want to achieve pull-ups, you need to be fully loading the muscles that you're trying to get stronger," Fitol says. "A great hack for this is spending time above the bar and doing bodyweight negatives—use a box to jump to the bar, hold your chin above the bar for one second, and then slowly lower your body for three seconds until your arms are straight. Or, if you must use a band, try to focus on spending more time above the bar with each rep so you're not blowing through the motions."
5. Strut Past the Hip Abductor Machine
Next time you are working through the circuit of machines at the gym, celeb trainer Doug Bopst says you should skip the hip abductor machine.
"The hip abductor machine is a waste because it allows you to load a lot of weight on the muscles in the hips while they're flexed at 90 degrees—something you never actually simulate in real life," Bopst says. Moving heavy weight in an unnatural way can end up doing more harm than good to the surrounding muscle groups and your knees. "A more functional approach would be to use resistance bands to work those muscles in a safer and more efficient way."
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Is It Adrenal Fatigue or Are You Really Tired?
Do you ever have that super-fun combination of high-level stress and absolutely no energy? Though you might be feeling stressed and tired from the litany of horrors in the news or just a super-obnoxious Facebook feed, there could also be an adrenal imbalance exacerbating your symptoms. That said, your adrenals might not have anything to do with it. Adrenal fatigue has become a hot diagnosis from naturopaths and alternative medicine practitioners, but the traditional medical community is not jumping on the fatigue bandwagon.
Before you start to worry about your hormonal balance, here's everything you need to know about adrenal fatigue, the controversy around the disease, and what to do if you're experiencing symptoms.
What Are the Adrenals?
The adrenal glands are responsible for regulating a number of hormones that affect your metabolism, blood pressure, and immune system response. But the real star of the adrenal show is stress.
Both cortisol and adrenaline are regulated by the adrenal glands. Adrenaline (and its close cousin noradrenaline) gets involved during high-stress times when your body sets off the "fight-or-flight response." You know, that feeling when you see an absolutely horrible tweet and you're not sure if you should spend your day dismantling the troll or go hide under a blanket for a few hours.
For lower-level stress, cortisol takes control. The hormone is raised in stressful situations and causes your heart rate to increase, helps you metabolize sugar more quickly, and generally gets things moving to respond to non-relaxing situations.
What Is Adrenal Fatigue?
In 1998, James Wilson, DC, Ph.D., coined the term "adrenal fatigue," which is also called adrenal stress, adrenal exhaustion, hypoadrenalism, or "that thing where you're tired all the time and I think it's stress or something" if you're talking to your mom's friend who saw something about adrenal fatigue in a magazine in the checkout line at Whole Foods.
Adrenal fatigue doesn't mean you have sleepy little glands sitting on top of your kidneys. Some doctors believe it is caused by overworking the adrenal glands. When your body is exposed to long-term stress and your adrenals keep pumping out hormones to cope, eventually they get tired out. The adrenals can't produce enough of the necessary hormones to handle the chronic stress.
Once the glands are fatigued, Wilson says you can experience an array of symptoms, like:
- Tiredness
- Weight gain/inability to lose weight
- Brain fog
- Feeling run down or overwhelmed
- Craving salty or sweet snacks
- Trouble bouncing back from stress
Adrenal fatigue is different from Addison's disease or adrenal insufficiency. For those disorders, the adrenal gland is physically damaged (often from auto-immune issues) and cannot produce the proper hormones. For adrenal fatigue, the adrenals are physically intact, they just aren't working properly.
Basically, it's a medical condition caused by too much stress, and Wilson claims this disease is brought on by all the added stress of the modern world. Though we may have fewer true "fight-or-flight" moments than our ancestors did, we are barraged by low-level stressors at almost all hours of the day. Sure, early humans had to build their own homes out of hard-to-work materials and ward off bear attacks, but they weren't checking their phones at 1 a.m. to make sure their boss wasn't mad at them.
But Is Adrenal Fatigue Real?
In "Adrenal Fatigue Does Not Exist: A Systematic Review," scientists at the Federal University of Sao Paulo say that adrenal fatigue is definitely real. Just kidding! The title pretty much gives it away. When these professionals searched through 3,470 studies on PubMed about adrenal fatigue, they found no substantial proof that it's a real disease. Previous studies that supported adrenal fatigue didn't properly measure the patient's stress hormones, and there were few scientifically sound studies of the disease to begin with.
The Endocrine News stated that most of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue don't match symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, the scientifically proven disease. With insufficiency, you'll see weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, and low blood pressure. With fatigue, people complain of feeling tired, not wanting to get out of bed, craving junk food, and weight gain. Though both disorders make you tired, it doesn't make sense that adrenal insufficiency (caused by physically damaged glands) would produce such different symptoms from an adrenal gland that's just too tuckered out to make enough hormones.
To add fuel to the "adrenal fatigue is a myth" fire, the Endocrine Society does not recognize it as a real disorder, and Google is littered with articles like "Adrenal Fatigue: A Fake Disease" from qualified medical professionals. In short, the medical community thinks adrenal fatigue is completely made up.
If Adrenal Fatigue Is Fake, Why Am I Hearing About It So Much?
When Wilson coined the term "adrenal fatigue," he gave a name to a host of symptoms that plagued many patients. Even today, he still uses this questionnaire as a primary diagnostic tool. Here's some sample questions where you rate each answer on a scale from 0 (never) to 3 (intense or frequent):
- My ability to handle stress or pressure has decreased.
- My thinking is confused or hurried under pressure.
- My muscles sometimes feel weaker than they should.
- I often become hungry, confused, shaky, or somewhat paralyzed under stress.
- I have difficulty getting up in the morning.
- I need coffee or another stimulant to get me up in the morning.
How did you do on the quiz? You probably got quite a few 2s and 3s, right? Of course! Every time I look at the quiz, I think, Oh crap, I probably have this because it presents a lot of symptoms that are incredibly common. To be fair, the full quiz is much longer than this and some of the questions are fairly specific ("I get pain in the muscles on the side of my neck" and "My best, most refreshing sleep comes at 7-9 a.m."). But most of the question are vague and apply to a wide swath of people.
Wilson published his theory of adrenal fatigue with a version of this quiz in his book, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome. That book was recognized by a few medical societies, though none of them were supported by any official American board of medicine, according to Cedar-Sinai.
Since the symptoms are so common and adrenal fatigue seemed to finally give people an answer to the "Why am I tired all the time, can't lose weight, and feel foggy" question, a lot of people supported (and still support) this diagnosis. "Adrenal fatigue can have debilitating symptoms on the body," says Suzanne Demers, DC, and doctor of functional medicine. "Many people will gain weight and will not be able to get the weight off, and may also feel mild depression or a decrease in their ability to handle stress."
Demers isn't alone, as many naturopaths and doctors of alternative medicine believe in adrenal fatigue. Most will claim that conventional medicine hasn't caught up with their knowledge of the disease (like Dr. Wilson does on his site).
Though the evidence doesn't support adrenal fatigue, it doesn't 100 percent prove that it doesn't exist. In 1981, Barry Marshall, M.D., discovered that most ulcers were caused by a specific bacteria, but the medical community balked at his hypothesis. His ideas didn't start gaining traction until he drank the bacteria, gave himself an ulcer, and solved the whole thing with simple antibiotics. In 2005, he was awarded a Nobel Prize for his scientific breakthrough.
Now, this one story doesn't prove that scientists are always wrong. It simply shows that discoveries can happen that the medical community doesn't automatically agree with. In the case of adrenal fatigue, it's very unlikely that the medical community is incorrect. But naturopaths and people seeking alternative treatments have enough doubt to keep their faith in fatigue.
But I Have Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms—What Can I Do?
Here's the thing. Even if adrenal fatigue isn't real, your symptoms are. Feeling tired all the time, moody, cranky, crave-y, stressed, and depressed are all real things, and you shouldn't have to feel that way. With these persistent symptoms, it's best to tell your doctor to try to get a more specific diagnosis. If you've already seen the doctor, or your symptoms are mild and you want to figure it out on your own, there are a few major potential culprits for your adrenal fatigue symptoms.
If It's Not Adrenal Fatigue, What Is It?
Though studies show that stress doesn't wear out your adrenal gland, that doesn't mean that stress doesn't have consequences on your body. A paper from the University of Miami found that chronic stress directly led to high blood pressure and decreased immune response. When stress hormones stayed high, patients recovered more slowly from disease and got sick more easily. The paper also found that symptoms usually associated with getting sick (fatigue, malaise, no appetite) weren't caused by the illness but by the body's attempt to get better. Basically, the stress of fighting a cold is what causes all the crappy feelings, not the actual cold itself.
A study from University College London found a positive link between chronically high cortisol and obesity. This doesn't prove that stress causes weight gain but shows that high-stress hormones may be part of the cause. Even if high cortisol isn't the main cause, stress has a clear impact on weight since most people turn to food or alcohol when they're stress levels get out of hand. If you constantly feel stressed and repeatedly turn to ice cream and nachos to calm you down, weight gain is fairly likely. At the very least, that's exactly what I did a time of great stress, and boy, howdy, did I gain weight! Obviously, not everyone responds to stress with eating, but it certainly happens.
So, stress can cause fatigue, malaise, no appetite, more appetite, high blood pressure, decreased immune response, and weight gain—almost all the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
If you really don't think stress is the problem, it might be depression. Now, depression sounds very scary and bad, but it's common and treatable. About 16 million Americans have major depressive disorder, while 6.8 million adults have generalized anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).
Before you think, no way, I'm definitely not depressed, here are some of the major symptoms (via the ADAA):
- Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
- Decreased energy or increased fatigue
- Insomnia, waking at odd hours, or oversleeping
- Weight gain
- Weight loss
- Restlessness
- Headaches, digestive disorders, and pain that doesn't seem to have any other cause and doesn't respond to treatment
Sounds a lot like the adrenal fatigue symptoms, huh? Depression isn't just feeling sad, it can also manifest in complex physical and emotional ways. Using myself as an example, I had horrible pains in my stomach that no one could figure out (even after $4,000 worth of testing. Thanks, crappy insurance!) But when I finally got help for my full-out major depressive disorder, those pains went away.
Now, hearing "it's just stress or maybe depression" might not be very comforting. But there's a lot you can do to fight the symptoms of general stress, even without seeing a doctor. However, if you think it might be depression, it's definitely worth seeing a mental health professional for a full diagnosis and options for treatment.
Alternatively, you may have hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction (try saying that five times fast). Either way, you should get checked out—if you've been experiencing a lot of the symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue, your doctor is almost certainly going to want you to get a full workup for fatigue in general.
How to Feel Better
Many of the suggestions of how to combat adrenal fatigue are also helpful for stress or mild mood disorders. They aren't always easy, but the suggested dietary and lifestyle changes could ease your symptoms.
Sleep
The most important thing to do for your symptoms is to reduce stress, and one good way to do that is to get more sleep. Have you ever started crying over something because you were just too tired to deal? I have! By simply getting enough sleep, you can immediately relieve some of the symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue.
"Stay on a regular sleep schedule of 8-10 hours per night," Demers says. This will increase mental clarity, improve your mood, and make it easier to deal with stressful situations. Getting 8-10 (10!) a night is easier said than done, especially if you have kids. Demers recommends going to bed at the same time every night and getting in some activity (even walking) during the day. The combo of routine and moving your body will help you relax at night and get to Snooze Town a little faster.
Change Your Diet
Since inflammation is one of the main causes of internal stress, it's best to cut out inflammatory foods and add in healthy fats and natural anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Foods you should eat more of tend to contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation. Omega-3s are vital to fighting the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, according to Barry Sears, Ph.D., founder of the Inflammation Research Foundation and author of The Zone Diet. He recommends taking fish oil supplements to get a high, concentrated dose of omega-3s. "When you increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, you reduce the production of pro-inflammatory hormones (eicosanoids)," Sears says. This helps counteract the effects of chronic stress on the body. As inflammation recedes, people usually feel more energetic and experience weight loss.
This dietary approach does not work overnight, but you should see some change in symptoms after 4-6 weeks. If, after a few months, this dietary change does nothing but make you angry about all the coffee you can't drink, it might be time to see a doctor and reevaluate your symptoms.
Just Straight Up Lower Your Stress
The top way to fight the symptoms of adrenal fatigue is to lower your stress. Easy, right? Nothing's more soothing than someone telling you, "Relax! Relax right now, or your health will suffer forever!"
You can't expect stress to disappear immediately, but you can find ways to relax. First, to continue to overcome your stressors, you have to identify them. Take a few minutes to list out everything that causes you stress. It doesn't matter if it's a huge thing like debt or something small like a cubicle mate who plays games on their phone with the volume turned up—write it down. Then, see if there are any stressors you can get rid of. Sure, you can't magically erase major stressors, but taking away some of the small things can make a big difference.
"Most importantly, schedule time for yourself each week or every other week," Demers says. Take at least two hours a week to spend totally alone, doing whatever you want. No thinking about work or planning your trip to the grocery store. Instead, use those two hours to quietly read, get a massage, or go sit in the park. Honestly, you could stare at a wall or binge Real Housewives—just do anything that feels soothing to you. And no matter how busy you are, put this "me time" in the calendar and stick to it.
I Still Think It Might Be an Adrenal Problem
If you're concerned that you may have Addison's disease or adrenal insufficiency, it's best to get ACTH stimulation blood tests. You give a little blood, then get a shot of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and give blood again. Essentially, this shows how your body reacts to the cue to give cortisol. This test won't confirm adrenal fatigue but will help diagnose even more serious adrenal disorders.
If you or a doctor still believe it might be adrenal fatigue, you can ask for a saliva test. The cortisol/DHEAS saliva test measures the stress hormones in your spit and how they change throughout the day. If your results show low adrenal function, you can talk to your doctor (or make some of the dietary and lifestyle changes suggested in this very article). Now, this test is not recognized as a proper test for cortisol levels and was shown to be faulty in 61 percent of patients, according to the Harvard Health Blog. But if you're curious about your hormone levels throughout the day, this test could give you some insight into what's going on in your body.
Adrenal fatigue may or may not be real, but that doesn't mean your symptoms are "made up" or "all in your head." More likely, general stress is the cause, and it's screwing with your body in a variety of ways. If your symptoms are severe, please see a doctor and a mental health professional; and in the meantime, you can take note of your symptoms or try some of the dietary changes and see if they make a difference. But most of all, try to reduce your stress. No matter the official diagnosis, added relaxation is medicine we all should be taking.
Amber Petty is an L.A.-based writer and a regular contributor to Greatist. Follow along as she shares her weight-loss journey in her new bi-monthly column, Slim Chance. Take singing lessons from her via Sing a Different Tune and follow her on Instagram @ambernpetty.
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A Dietitian Makes It Easy for You to Choose the Best Alternative Milk
Drinking milk from a cow seems like a thing of the past these days. Whether it’s a true milk allergy, lactose intolerance, a vegan diet, wanting to be more like that celebrity who only drinks almond milk, or because the doc said it’s bad—there are plenty of reasons people are going dairy-free.
Trendy or not, if cow's milk doesn't work for you, you're in luck because there has been an explosion of “milked” nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains in the past couple of years. As a registered dietitian, I’m not a dairy fanatic but I’m also not against it. I happily enjoy my two-percent plain Greek yogurt each morning but have gravitated toward using unsweetened almond milk in my coffee. But with more milk alternatives popping up, I can see why decisions in the milk aisle might be tough!
So whether you’re intolerant to dairy or you’re hedging your bets and want to live a more plant-based lifestyle, let’s dive into the most popular alternative milks on the market and what to look out for when you're shopping. Because, really, we don't need one more overwhelming decision to make when it comes to our health.
What to Look for in Alternative Milks
While I wish I could give you a black-and-white answer, the truth is, which milk you choose depends on a number of different factors—and sorry to say it, but there’s really no “best choice,” as they each offer something different when it comes to taste and nutritional. Whether you’re looking for a product to help boost your overall protein intake, help keep you in ketosis, or you want another way to reduce your carbon footprint, there’s a “milked” option for just about everyone. But before we talk about the different types, here are a few things to consider as you’re perusing the aisles or sitting on your couch, ordering Amazon Fresh.
1. Added Sugar
If sugar is one of the first three ingredients listed on the nutritional label, I’d stop right there. This one always baffles me because most of these milks taste just fine without added sugar, so why put it in there? Most alternative milks come with an unsweetened option, so always opt for that.
2. Too Many Additives
It's hard to find an alternative milk that doesn't have any additives. And some of those hard-to-pronounce additives aren't as scary as they sound. But it's a best practice to look for brands with fewer ingredients.
There has been a lot of discussion around carrageenan, a thickener and stabilizer in tons of foods and beverages, lately. It’s been a controversial topic due to some reports of its pro-inflammatory and potentially toxic effects on the gut. There is preliminary science on both sides of this argument, which means, yup, we really don’t know what’s what just yet. But many companies have opted to drop it in favor of other alternatives like guar gum, gellan gum, and tapioca starch, all of which serve to give alternative milks a thicker and creamier texture.
Though more thorough studies are needed to determine if it's really harmful, I prefer to look for carrageenan-free. While it doesn’t appear to be harmful to most individuals, there are people who believe they do have a true sensitivity to it and fare better without. My recommendation is to choose a product without it if possible, but don't make yourself crazy, especially if you haven't noticed any negative side effects after drinking alternative milks.
3. Fortification
Most nondairy milks are fortified with calcium, vitamin D and B12, which is a good thing, but it’s not true for all brands, and the amounts can vary widely. Read labels carefully and be sure you’re getting these nutrients from other food sources too.
4. Cost
Most of the "cleaner" plant-based milks (a.k.a. the ones that don't have a long shelf life because they don't contain a ton of additives) tend to have a higher price point. I'm going to leave this decision up to you, but I just want to prevent you from suffering from sticker shock. I could also say, "Save a buck and make your own!" but nuts are expensive, and time is precious! So, you do you when it comes to how much money and time you want to spend on your alternative milk obsession.
Now, let's break down the differences among your options.
Soy Milk
Soy was one of the first alternative milks to gain popularity. Of all the alternatives, soy is most similar to cow's milk when comparing nutrition labels, particularly in its protein and calcium content. Some consumers might be wary of soy products due to their phytoestrogen and GMO content, but there aren't enough conclusive studies to suggest that people should avoid soy completely. Soy is full of isoflavones, which may be protective against certain health issues like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Verdict: If I'm drinking soy milk, I always opt for organic, but I also look for carrageenan-free. This used to be my go-to choice, but sorry, soy milk, I'm enjoying almond more these days.
Hemp Milk
Hemp milk hasn't really stolen the spotlight like some other milks have (we see you, oat milk). But it is made from cannabis seeds, so TBD if this milk will have a moment like all of the other cannabis-based products out there. The upside of this milk is it is a great source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat and packs in some protein (about 2 to 3 grams per cup). It's also usually made with sugar since the taste, if you ask me, is less than appetizing. Whatever you imagined hemp milk to taste like, it’s probably worse.
Verdict: It's a great option for anyone looking for a vegan-friendly, allergy-friendly, and omega-3 rich nutritional option... if you can stomach the taste. But maybe that's just me.
Rice Milk
Similar to hemp, rice milk has been around for a while, but it's not really stepping up as the next star at your local coffee shop. Where rice milk does shine: It's an easy one to drink for people with any soy, nut, or gluten allergies.
Verdict: Its sugar content is typically higher than cow's milk, it's rather low in protein, and the taste is a bit watery and sweet, but hey, if you've got allergies, this one is a good choice.
Coconut Milk
Of the plant-based milks out there, coconut is the highest in saturated fat with zero in the protein department. But if you're adding protein in other ways, this is a good one because it's one of the more allergy-friendly options for those intolerant to dairy, soy, or nuts (coconut is considered a fruit, not a nut).
Verdict: Coconut is typically lower in sugar and calories and not a bad option if you’re into the taste. And for you keto fans out there, coconut milk is a source of those precious MCTs (medium chain triglycerides). If you don’t know 'em, MCTs have been touted for their ability to be rapidly absorbed by the body and more readily used as fuel than other types of fat. Which means we store less and use more—and since the ketogenic diet is a very high-fat diet overall, this type of fat is coveted by those who are on it.
Pea Protein Milk
One of the newer kids on the block is pea milk, and Ripple seems to be the hot brand out there. And with it's original and unsweetened versions, the company may be onto something. This milk is comparable to low-fat cow’s milk in its calorie, protein, and fat content but is superior in that the sugar clocks in at 6 or fewer grams per cup.
Verdict: I think pea-based milk is a solid option if you miss your cow's milk. Taste-wise, it’s pretty mild with a similar texture to dairy, making it a very acceptable substitute.
Oat Milk
This sh*t is so popular there’s actually a shortage right now. Coffee shops are catching on to the demand, with the exception of Starbucks, and offering this guy for your morning latte. Besides the fact that it’s delicious, it boasts a higher protein content than most of the plant-based options. It’s also a higher source of fiber than other alternative milks, so if you can find it, give it a try.
Verdict: Oat milk is so creamy, so this is an excellent choice when you're looking for a latte that resembles the two-percent milk ones of your past. It's also naturally sweet so the sugar content is a bit higher, but for this kind of creaminess, it might be worth it.
Nut Milks
So they’ve officially milked every nut there is, and if they haven’t, it’s merely a matter of time. Each nut has its own unique vitamin and mineral profile, but they all share pretty similar macronutrient profiles: relatively low in calories and carbohydrates, little protein, and moderate fat content. Almond milk (the OG of the nut milks) also happens to be a great natural source of calcium.
Verdict: When it comes to taste, some nut milks might taste a little watered down/nothing like the nut they are made with, which brings us to the previous point: Look for brands with fewer additives! One of my favorite brands is Elmhurst. It just launched a line of unsweetened milks where the ingredient list is only the featured nut (and they milk all of them) and water. Let's just say, I’m definitely making my hot chocolate with walnut milk from now on.
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How to Spend Zero Extra Dollars This Month
Have you ever thought, I have oh so much cash. If only I knew what to do with it? If you have, please stop reading this article and make a check out to Amber Petty. DM for more detailed personal info.
More likely, at the end of the month, you've probably thought, Holy God! Where did all my money go! In this era of gig economies, side hustles, and working round the clock for just over minimum wage, a lot of us are dying to find ways to save a couple dollars. Luckily, there are lots of ways to save cash, and with a little preparation, you could go a whole month without spending a dime on additional expenses.
Now, I'm not talking about actually spending $0 for a whole month. There's rent, gas, groceries, and medical bills that can't be avoided. Would I love to tell my landlord that I can't pay rent because I'm participating in a "no-spend" month? Yes. Would I promptly be removed from my home and told to go screw myself if I did that? Also yes. But you can reduce all extraneous expenses to zero with some planning, discipline, and advice from budgeting experts.
Be Prepared
If you don't have a plan for your no-spend month, you'll start with good intentions but end your day buying Chipotle and drinking a Frappuccino. But if you make a plan, it will be much easier to avoid temptation.
First, make a list of things you normally spend money on. Again, basics like groceries don't count, but eating out, going for drinks, or buying the new lipstick you just saw somebody wear on Instagram does. So write out all extra things you spent money on last week, and you'll probably find a spending pattern. Now you'll know what to avoid and how to get around your typical spending traps.
Also, pick a month where you probably won't have to spend much. For example, December is a bad choice. With all the parties, travel, and presents that are expected, anyone's lucky to get out of the last month of the year spending $1,000 extra dollars (though if you do a $0 December, good for you, you are a gem). Instead, pick a month that's pretty light on birthdays, holidays, and weddings. It might be impossible to avoid all three in one month, so just do your best.
Stock Up
Food is usually one of the biggest expenses every month. But if you stock up on easy, non-perishable items on your next trip to the grocery store, you can save a ton. Dustyn Ferguson, personal finance whiz and creator of Dime Will Tell, says you'll save a lot by "moving a cost tier down in grocery stores." Basically, if you shop at exclusively at Whole Foods, you don't need to abandon all that for the Dollar Store. Instead, move down a tier. Go from Whole Foods to Trader Joe's. You'll still find things with the quality you're used to, but you'll save a little cash.
Stock up on cheap, good-for-you ingredients.
Think items like rice, beans, pastas, canned tomatoes, broth, and frozen vegetables. All that stuff is as cheap as it gets and could possibly take you through the month. Of course, you'll buy some fresh fruits and vegetables during your no-spend weeks, but if you stock up on fairly healthy non-perishables, you can eat well and spend much less.
This might sound like the old college days of ramen and mac and cheese, but you can eat a wide variety of rice and legumes for dirt cheap—and yay for chili!—and not feel like your diet is made of sodium and preservatives.
Also, make sure you buy easy stuff you can take for lunch.
Cans of tuna, bread, soups, stuff like that. Sure, maybe you'll make some roasted pork with saffron-infused quinoa to take with you to work. But more likely, you'll be running out the door with about two seconds of food-prep time. In that case, it's much better to have some Campbell's soup you can throw in a bag to bring with you, instead of getting to work and realizing you'll have to shell out $10 for the crappy lunch salad at the place next door.
Be realistic with yourself.
Do you know you'll miss going out for a drink with your friends? Stock up on a few bottles of Charles Shaw's finest. Have an inkling that you'll want to order pizza? Get a reasonably priced frozen pizza for when the craving hits. The more you know yourself and your spending habits, the more easily you'll be able to go a month without shelling out extra money or feeling deprived.
Use a cash-back app.
To save even more on your grocery stock-up adventure, "use a cash back app like Ibotta to get money back on things you'd purchase anyway," Ferguson says. "If you do it right, an app like this could easily give you back 10, 20, or even 30 dollars every single grocery trip." Ibotta is a free app that offers coupons and deals to a wide variety of stores. Just scan your receipt, and Ibotta gives you money back. Once you've made $20 or more, you can get cash deposited directly into your Paypal or Venmo account. If you use this app just for essentials, it's kind of like getting free money. Now, don't expect to offset all your costs with this, but it's not bad for some bonus savings.
Last stock-up tip: coffee.
Yes, buying Starbucks every day gets expensive. We all know it. And normally, I'd say treating yourself to a fancy coffee now and again is totally fine. But for a no-spend month, it's off-limits. Instead, get yourself a coffee you like. Are you a flavored coffee person? Buy flavored syrup. You can often find these at the dollar store, or if that freaks you out, they're pretty reasonably priced at the regular grocery.
Here's my personal favorite coffee tip: Make your own cold brew. It's easy as hell and cheap as all get out. Buy this $10 cold brew maker from Target (not a sponsor, just a legitimate thing I bought and use every day). All you have to do is put some coffee grounds in it, fill it with water, and put it in the fridge overnight. That's it! Yes, you have to remember to do it the night before, but I think it's way easier than getting up extra early to make a fresh pot of coffee in the morning.
Plus, the cold brew tastes super rich and smooth. My husband usually drinks his coffee like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, and now he uses half as much sweetener because the cold brewing process gets rid of so much bitterness. Sure, my cold brew enthusiasm is a slight tangent, but it saves a lot of money when you DIY everyday.
Get Free Stuff
After you've stocked up, we get to the magical no-spend itself! Hooray! Luckily, you don't have to sit around your house in silence to avoid spending cash. There's a lot of free stuff out there, so you can maintain your wardrobe, be entertained, and maybe even take a vacation—all while your credit card stays at $0.
Swap Around
"One of my favorite ways to find free clothes is to host a clothing swap," says Ashli Dawn, owner and founder of Moolah Mogul. "I recommend posting in a local Facebook group and getting a bunch of people together." Make sure you have a couple items to give away and ask your friends to bring a few items of their own. Then, set all the stuff out and let everyone choose a new, free item to add to their wardrobe.
This is especially good because it's a free way to get together with friends, and you can get a few items out of the deal. Since it's a clothes swap, don't worry about having food and alcohol for your guests. Most people will expect to just look at clothes, talk, and enjoy getting something for free. But if you really want to be sneaky, ask your friends to bring a simple snack. By the end of the party, you'll have free clothes and chips, you devil (cue an evil laugh). Honestly, this is a great way for people to recycle stuff they don't want and to scratch any shopping itch you might have.
Facebook and Craigslist
Nowadays, few good things come from Facebook and Craigslist. But when it comes to free stuff, they can be a goldmine. "I've personally used Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist to get a free queen-size bed frame, cat food, and a jacket," Ferguson says. "You'd be surprised by the things people are willing to give away just because they have no use for it and want it gone." Look for Facebook Marketplace groups and join to see what's being given away. You usually have to reply pretty quick to score something good, but it's a nice resource at the wonderful price of $0.
The Freecycle Network
If you need something specific during your no-spend month, check out The Freecycle Network. People post things that they're giving away, but you can also request items. The site strictly forbids any selling or bartering. It's all free, all the time.
I checked out the Glendale/Burbank section to see what they offer. Turns out, I could get moving boxes, vinyl records, and doll clothes all for nothing! But there are also big-ticket items like a full bedroom set of furniture, so I highly recommend giving this site a try whether you're doing a no-spend month or not.
Community Gardens
"Community gardens are usually free to participate in, and often members are allowed to take a portion of what they grow," Dawn says. You get to be outside, commune with nature, and sometimes take home some produce! Not bad for a free afternoon. The American Community Gardening Association can help you find the garden nearest you.
Libraries
Libraries are a haven of free stuff! Obviously, you can get books. But when you're not in the mood to leave your home to get reading material, the library still has you covered. Most public libraries use Overdrive, an app that lets you access tons of free e-books and audio books. You can even send them right to your Kindle so you don't have to squint over your phone to read Anna Karenina.
But there's so much more than books. Most libraries give you access to Kanopy, a streaming collection of classic cinema, documentaries, and my favorite movie of the last 10 years, What We Do in the Shadows. Honestly, if you just watch that fake documentary about vampires sharing a flat in New Zealand (starring Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords), you'll have a very happy no-spend month.
Maybe you'd like to use this $0 month to learn a new skill and improve your resume? Well, lucky for you, your library card gets you access to Lynda, a site that streams all kinds of courses from internet marketing to crochet 101.
After you've listened to an audiobook, read a lengthy ebook, streamed a doc, and learned a new skill, you might want to leave the house. Make sure to check out the events within your local library system. There are always activities for kids, but many also offer concerts, talk backs, book clubs, and other fun stuff for adults.
I'm a little spoiled because I live in a very large library system (also the library near me is an old Spanish style mansion, so I know this isn't normal). But the public library offers a MakerSpace with sewing machines, computers, jewelry-making tools, and three 3D printers! Plus, they have audio equipment and a VR station. It's all free to use with a library card (you have to sign up to reserve a spot, but still), and they offer free workshops to help you use all those interesting tools. Again, I know not all libraries have this much stuff. But every library hosts interesting events, and they're usually great options for free, enlightening entertainment.
Special Events
If you're near a city, there's something free to do. Check out the TimeOut nearest you and look through their "Free" tab. Usually, it's everything from improv to art gallery openings. Pro tip: As a person who's done years of improv, that free improv show will be a real gamble. Just a warning. Speaking of art galleries, they often hold free openings that involve wine and a snack or two. So, you can look at pretty stuff, get some free booze, and feel cheap and classy at the same time.
Secret Shopping
If you'd like to try to turn your free month into side hustle month, Jen Hayes of Smarty Pants Finance suggests becoming a mystery shopper. "It is a 100-percent legitimate source of income and free things," she says. As a mystery shopper, you're told to go into a certain establishment, make a purchase, then write a report about the experience. Companies use these shoppers to find out how their stores are running. It's like Undercover Boss but with less crying.
"Just this month, I have mystery shopped at restaurants, smoothie shops, a shipping center to mail a package, a beauty counter to get $30 lipgloss, a kitchen supply store, sports clothing store, toy store, valet parking at a mall, and a high-end hotel!" Hayes says. "My grocery budget is next to nothing when I line up restaurant mystery shops each day." I've been a mystery shopper for bars and restaurants. Don't expect much cash to come your way, and it's a little bit of a hassle, but you do eat for free and get a little extra for your troubles.
You can find mystery shopping opportunities online, but be careful. There are a lot of scams out there. But the FTC has a helpful guide for sussing out a scam, and if you follow its recommendations, you should be fine.
Free Vacation (Sort Of)
If your no-spend month has you feeling cooped up, why not get out of town? If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you can volunteer to work at farms around the world. Every day you're there, you work a half day and get free room and board. You can commit to as little as one day or stay for months—it's up to you.
Now, you will be working on a farm, which many might not consider a true "vacation." Also, there's a $40 annual fee to access the system. But the site does let you check out full farm listings before you purchase, so you can see if there's anything you're interested in before putting in your credit card. If you like the idea of getting away from it all, doing a little work, and spending less than a night at a hostel would cost, this could be a lovely way to take a trip.
All it takes is a little planning, cleverness, and a library card, and you can have a pretty fun no-spend month. Even if you can't quite break your Starbucks habit for a month at a time, these tips should save you some money all year round.
Amber Petty is an L.A.-based writer and a regular contributor to Greatist. Follow along as she shares her weight-loss journey in her new bi-monthly column, Slim Chance. You can also take singing lessons with Amber at Sing a Different Tune, check out her awesome podcast about The Masked Singer, and follow her on Instagram @ambernpetty.
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The Best Ingredients for DIY Skin Care (Plus Ones You Should Avoid)
How do we feel about science these days? On the one hand, most of us rational folks would like to say we believe in it, at least when it comes to engineering, the climate, space, and medicine. But when it comes to squishier things, like the stuff that we put on our faces, we tend to get a little bit suspicious. And then, some of us decide that, rather than trust our skin and hair to chemists mixing up unpronounceable ingredients, we'd rather look back to our witchy ancestors and make our own.
"You know exactly what's being put into them, so there's a huge advantage to making your own skin-care products," says dermatologist and RealSelf contributor Michele Green, M.D.
The thing is, sometimes the old wisdom is spot on, and sometimes it isn't. "A lot of those natural ingredients are so incredibly allergenic that my patients will frequently come in with insane allergic contact dermatitis," says Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, M.D.
Yikes. With those pros and cons in mind, we asked Green and Mudgil to help evaluate the ingredients that will help us on our way beautiful skin and hair, and the ones that we'd better just leave in the pantry.
Use With Abandon
Milk and yogurt: Like Queens Elizabeth I and Cleopatra before her, Green loves a good milk bath, and she recommends applying milk directly to the face when you're experiencing a breakout or dryness. "It really calms down the skin," she says. Research has shown that cow's milk helps human skin cells (in a lab, not on living humans) grow. The lactic acid in milk is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that exfoliates, moisturizes, and reduces sun damage in skin.
When that milk is fermented into yogurt, you may get even more benefits, as clinical trials have shown yogurt masks improve skin elasticity, moisture, and brightness.
Oatmeal: Oats contain antioxidants (including some that protect against UV rays), anti-inflammatory molecules, water-holding beta-glucans (sugars), and cleansing saponins. That means scientists and Earth mamas are on the same page about how good it is for the skin. "It's pretty effective and soothing," Mudgil says.
The labs have a better handle on how to make colloidal oatmeal, which is ground to super-fine particles that scientific studies have shown to help soothe eczema and other itchy, inflammatory skin conditions as well as plain old dryness. Your at-home recipes will probably call for putting rolled oats in a blender, and you'll get many of the same benefits. However, if you have celiac, avoid using oats that aren't gluten-free.
Turmeric: If you don't mind turning every surface in your home lab yellow, this lovely little root may reward you for your efforts. Studies of topical applications of turmeric, or its active ingredient curcumin, show its effectiveness in treating acne, hair loss, sun damage, psoriasis, and more. "Turmeric has tons of antioxidant properties and is fairly inert," Mudgil says, and coming from a doctor who sees all those DIY efforts gone wrong, "fairly inert" is high praise.
Argan oil: The Moroccan people, who have been using this nut oil in food, on their hair, and on their skin for centuries, might just know what's up. Argan oil is packed with vitamin E and squalene (a protective lipid), and it's been shown to help with skin elasticity and sunspots. "It restores your hair and your skin, and you can put it in a moisturizer or deep conditioning for your hair," Green says, giving us the go-ahead to scour Pinterest for its best argan oil recipes.
Green and white tea: We're so relieved to hear that both docs are in favor of using tea in our skin care—there are few remedies as easy and pleasant-smelling as using nice, cold tea bags on our eyes after a rough night. Plus, the pretty tint it can give our lotions and potions makes it all seem like it came from a fancy spa.
"I like tea for the antioxidant properties," Green says. That's why tea extracts help protect skin from pollution and the sun. Tea also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which is why it may be effective in treating acne. A few studies have also shown that topical application of caffeine increases the blood flow in skin, which sounds promising.
Try at Your Own Risk
Honey: As much as we absolutely want to believe every word the inimitable Jonathan Van Ness has uttered on Queer Eye, honey masks may not be for everyone. Actually, Green and Mudgil were in disagreement over the safety of lathering it on your face. "It has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, so it soothes irritated skin," Green says.
Manuka honey from New Zealand has been the most widely hyped, and studies have shown various types of honey have antimicrobial properties. That's why the ancient practice of using honey to heal wounds has been making a comeback. On the other hand, counters Mudgil, "Propolis can cause allergies, and it's one of the active ingredients in honey."
Coconut oil: Every other home hair and skin treatment seems to include coconut oil these days, with good reason. Not only does it feel soft and silky, but it's also laboratory approved as effective against dry skin and certain strains of bacteria. "It has natural antifungal, natural antibacterial properties, and it's very absorbent," Green says.
But both Green and Mudgil raised concerns that putting any kind of oil on the skin can clog pores. Plus, there's the risk of an underlying allergy being made into a full-blown one because of daily use. "People may have had a subclinical allergy that doesn't have symptoms for years and years and years and years, and finally, the immune system hits a threshold of tolerance," Mudgil says.
Try to Avoid
Lemons and other citruses: While the acids in citrus fruits seem like a great way to naturally exfoliate and add vitamin C the skin, Mudgil warns that they also might irritate it and increase sensitivity to the sun. The possible resulting burns are probably not what you were trying for in that home mask. Lemon juice also has a pH around 2, and your skin's acid mantle has a pH of 4.5-5.5, so lemon juice can really mess that up.
Essential oils: Tea tree, rose, lavender, ylang-ylang... they all smell so good, and so many Pinterest-perfect recipes contain them. But dermatologists are certainly not fans of applying these oils to the skin, again because of their tendency to cause nasty allergic reactions.
"When a patient has a new onset rash on their face—the skin's really dry and flaky, itchy, and irritated—it's invariably some new product they're using, like a $200 serum that probably has some kind of essential oil in it," Mudgil says.
Not to make enemies of an entire burgeoning industry of home beauty gurus, but some of us would like to avoid dry, flaky rashes. Maybe the key here is to have fun with a DIY treat once in a while but then turn to the experts for our daily care.
Sabrina Rojas Weiss lives in Brooklyn, surrounded by her fellow freelance writers and competitive stroller-pushers. Her work has appeared on Refinery29, Yahoo, MTV News, and Glamour.com. The views expressed herein are her own and are meant to be taken with a grain of salt. Follow her on Twitter @shalapitcher.
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How Much Better Is Yoga If You're High?
Heightened senses, enhanced self-awareness, a feeling of lightness... wait, are we talking about a post-yoga savasana or getting stoned? On the surface, pot and yoga seem like a pretty natural fit (and it's not like this is the first time people have mixed weed and working out). But do yoga teachers actually recommend toking up while you downward dog?
Of course, some yogis think it's a bad idea.
Concern numero uno is safety: Mary Jane alters the receptors in your brain and body that regulate pain, emotions, and memory (... and appetite). So yes, hurling yourself into a handstand while your motor skills aren't on their A-game is probably a bad idea. Similarly, if you battle panic attacks and anxiety, marijuana can magnify those feelings—so sitting cross-legged and alone with your thoughts could end up doing more harm than good.
Kino MacGregor, an Ashtanga yoga teacher, says she fully supports marijuana legalization for medical and recreational uses, but she also acknowledges potential downsides. "So many people come to yoga to heal addictive behaviors that I find it challenging to recommend yoga that combines drug use with practice," she says. "Anyone can use the substance as an escape from facing difficult emotions and thoughts." MacGregor believes it's counterproductive to the spiritual endeavor of yoga, which asks us to look deeply at ourselves to gain freedom from old patterns. "Sometimes drugs mask reality and give you just enough good vibes to coast through life without facing your stuff."
Ayurvedic health counselor Emily Ruth agrees. "In general, the use of cannabis recreationally is counterproductive to a sattvic—or harmonious—state of balance within the body, mind, and spirit," she says. Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, is super connected to yoga (it's often called yoga's sister science), and Ayurvedic thought promotes sattva, which is characterized by balance, harmony, and serenity. Any substance, practice, or habit that upsets that balance is pretty much considered undesirable.
This recommendation against getting high extends to alcohol and other drugs too. (Cue an uproar over beer or wine yoga.) Many yogis choose not to partake in any of these and recommend that their students abstain as well.
But there are other practices that welcome the conscious use of cannabis.
For what it's worth, the feelings of serenity and balance that are promoted with Ayurvedic medicine are arguably some of the same reasons people love smoking weed. And marijuana isn't exactly absent from the history of yoga—Lord Shiva, one of the great deities of Hindusim, is considered the Great Yogi, and is also associated with bhang—he's often depicted seated in a yoga posture smoking a chillum pipe. As such, some Shiva devotees use marijuana to deepen their meditations and prayers.
Dee Dussault, founder of San Francisco-based Ganja Yoga, describes an "enhanced" yoga experience for herself and her students while enjoying pot. In her book, also called Ganja Yoga, she writes that the goal is not to get so high you lose focus, and, as we mentioned earlier, that it's a good idea to avoid attempting those intense arm balances and inversions. Instead, the idea is to slow down, open a doorway into a deeper part of yourself, and dive into satisfying meditations.
As a long-time yoga teacher myself, a resident in a legal marijuana state, and a new(ish) occasional user, I've been somewhat skeptical—but curious—about combining the two. My yoga training has always been in the pursuit of clarity and peacefulness. But what if pot could, at least sometimes, help and not hinder those goals?
So I tried a weed yoga class.
It wasn't a well-known, branded class—it was a class offered by a local yoga teacher, a friend of a friend, on a Sunday evening in a living room in San Diego. And you know what? It was awesome.
The teacher, who normally leads an intense flow style of yoga, instead guided a gentle practice with minimal instruction. I brought along my vape pen and took two puffs: once at the beginning of practice and once in the middle. They were enough to shift my perspective but not enough to make me feel weird or paranoid. I felt the postures much more deeply and luxuriously in my body. I blissed out in savasana. And afterward, I gave hugs all around, then floated home to a sweet night's sleep.
Feeling inspired, I asked around my yoga teacher circles and found that more people than I realized were open to pairing yoga with a jay. While few of the teachers I spoke to were involved in public pot yoga classes, many of them had simply tried it in their home practices with good results.
Shelby Lafrinere, a yoga teacher and yoga therapist, is a fan. She says she's also used marijuana medicinally to heal from spinal injury and traumatic brain injury. "The plant allowed me to avoid prolonged use of pharmaceutical drugs and all of their consequences while still being functional enough to build a successful yoga teaching career and a full life," she says.
While Lafrinere prefers to practice yoga postures sober, cannabis serves as a wonderful, occasional aid to meditation. "I can sit for longer periods of time and often have more inspirational insights," she says.
Jackie Stenzel, another yoga teacher, agrees that a sober state of mind serves her best for practice, but once in a while, she'll use weed to help her feel more grounded in physical sensations. "It opens the doors to yoga for me, whether I am consciously planning to practice or not," she says. In the past, she says, she'd get stoned too frequently during her yoga practice and found it was distracting—noting that all sensations, including pain, can be magnified when you're high. "But there have been many occasions where cannabis seems to create this inner sense of alignment with myself and the universe," she says.
And perhaps the best response was from yoga teacher Julie (that's not her real name, but she lives in New York where pot isn't yet legalized, and we all know how snitches end up): "Push your coffee table out of the way, light up, and practice yoga in the middle of your living room. If getting high and moving your body makes you feel good, more power to you—life's too short to not at least try something that could end up being so great."
Is mixing yoga and weed for you?
It very much depends on who you are. Whether weed helps or hinders a yoga practice is going to depend on your mix of intention, habits, and frequency. Relying on a substance to get you where you want to go—in yoga or in life—is never a good idea. But if you're so inclined, using it to occasionally shift your perspective and enhance the practice may have real benefits.
As a yoga instructor, I don't recommend pairing the two with every session—there is a true benefit to sober self-awareness, after all. But I do believe that yoga was borne of open-mindedness, and it's not meant to become dogmatic, rigid, or intolerant. The way I see it, there's plenty of room for exploration.
Danielle Simone Brand writes about parenting, yoga, cannabis, and pop culture. She has been a yoga teacher for over a decade and currently teaches people of all ages across San Diego.
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Weight Loss: Developing Your Personal Fat Loss Program
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