Lia Lewine

<h1>  She uses lipstick as a blush.   </h1>

<p>In a video with her longtime makeup artist Gucci Westman on <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/make-up-nails/a32237044/cameron-diaz-beauty-interview/" id="77e105f1-c656-3223-a84e-490d61561c40">  Harper's Bazaar </a> , Diaz says that her and Westman "have a difference in opinion as to where it goes," when referring to blush. After Westman has completed the look, the actress takes a look in a compact mirror and starts dabbing the bright lipstick with her finger and patting the excess onto her cheeks saying, "by the way, this is what always happens." Westman agrees adding, "yep, that's what she always does."</p>

<h1> {% verbatim %}   {% endverbatim %} She keeps her makeup natural. </h1>

<p>Diaz famously likes to show off her glowing skin by keeping her look natural. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't love makeup. In another <a href="https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/make-up-nails/a32237044/cameron-diaz-beauty-interview/" id="77e105f1-c656-3223-a84e-490d61561c40">  Harper's Bazaar </a> interview with Diaz and Westman, the makeup artist shares one of her favorite tricks for creating the actress' rosy glow: "Use a small brush to apply everything in tiny amounts before building it up, using multiple shades of <a href="https://credobeauty.com/products/baby-cheeks-blush-stick?variant=31457494696049&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMInvm_tZKd6QIVia_ICh05rAXqEAQYBSABEgK8OPD_BwE" id="79c19a50-c50c-368a-a388-a577a89d8070">  Westman Atelier's Baby Cheeks Blush Sticks </a> for a natural finish," says Westman.</p>

<p>While the actress is super health-conscious now, but she used to be an avid smoker. According to her book The Longevity Book, she says it's the one thing she wishes she would've stopped sooner. "If I had a time machine and I could go back to that period in my life, I would never have lit that very first cigarette," she writes. <a href="https://www.instyle.com/lifestyle/news/cameron-diaz-longevity-book-stays-young" id="dc3f9a40-93f4-3666-ab45-84873d28412c">  InStyle </a> reported that her advice is to "never stop trying to quit because every minute counts."</p>

<h1> She doesn't stress about aging.  </h1>

<p>Not only does Diaz look young, she also does not stress about getting old either. In The Body Book she points out, "A lot of us fear the idea of aging getting older, being less mobile, having less energy, and being less of ourselves. But I look at aging like this: getting older is a blessing and a privilege, and if you lay the foundation for a healthy life in your younger years, your older years may very well be some of the best of your life. And the point Im making is not about keeping up your youthful appearance. This is not about beauty and the aesthetics of our bodies. I want you to feel young. I want you to feel strong. I for one can say honestly that I feel better and stronger and more capable now than I did when I was twenty years old, because Ive taken better care of myself in the last fifteen years than I did in the first twenty-six years of my life." </p>

<p>We spend a good portion of our lives asleepor trying to sleepand the quality of that time spent sleeping determines our mood and our mental sharpness, and not just the next morning but the next years of our life, Diaz says in The Body Book. </p>

Cameron Diaz's 5 Beauty Tips For Ageless Skin

No matter how many years go by Cameron Diaz, her skin keeps on glowing. As the author of two books on how to stay gorgeous <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Body-Book-Science-Strength-Amazing/dp/0062252747" id="3542e164-ccea-357c-a83f-c59d016e4b0f">  T </a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Body-Book-Science-Strength-Amazing/dp/0062252747" id="5cd0dee4-857a-3fc6-a0dd-ddc8ef281785">  he Body Book </a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011ISO48Q/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1"...

Cameron Diaz's 5 Beauty Tips For Looking Basically The Same For Two Decades

<p>"Games trigger novelty, which can help you avoid a relationship rut," says Maggie Dancel, PsyD, a couples therapist who hosts the podcast Full Disclosure. Not to mention, playing games with your S.O. can be a fun way to learn more about each other. The couple games here will help you do exactly that. </p>

<p>If you want to go down memory lane, this is the game for you. Dancel says that, in couples therapy, she often asks couples how they met to remind them why they fell in love. Remembering the good times can not only remind you of why you made your person your person, but also build connection and increase fondness for one another.</p>

<p>To play One Word One Answer, start with a word, any word. The other partner replies with another word that helps build on the sentence. The goal?  Use the words and answers to tell your love story. Awww.</p>

<p>This is one of Dancels go-to recommendations for couples looking to mix up their dating life. Its a free service that suggests fun things to do in a city near you, along with creative ideas for homebodies.</p>

<p>The Dating Divas are another one of Dancel's go-to game sites. The Dating Divas will send you a whole box of stuff you can do with your partner, as well as date ideas that come from all around the world. For example, their Paris box contains recipes to create your own Parisian picnic, French love notes to share with your partner, and more. </p>

<p>These 36 questions were first published in a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0146167297234003" id="597d1d59-4d67-3428-a28d-de700c7d3b33">  1997 study </a> . Six months later, two of the participants were married. Since then, the questions have been rumored to make people fall in love. A new question for couples: Can it make you fall more in love? The questions start light, then get a little more ~intense~. (P.S. <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-love/a32160810/couples-quiz-questions/" id="c060dbce-d0df-3e2e-a0ce-8d47a38fdee2">  Take This Couples Quiz To See How Well You Know Your Partner </a> )</p>

<p>Learn about your partners favorite pop culture figures (or favorite anything). One person thinks of a famous person, and the other asks 20 "yes or no" questions to guess who it is.</p>

<p>Do you have an artsy partner? Or do you ever wish you could get a chance to show off your creative side? Maybe you just want to pretend to be living inside a Shakespearean sonnet for a bit? No shame. Try making an erasure poem from a magazine article or a page of a book. All you have to do is black out (erase) any words you dont want in your poem.</p>

<h1>  7.   The Gottman Institute Quiz   </h1>

<p>How well do you know your partner? Its a question that the Gottman Institute is qualified to answer. The institute was founded by Dr. John and Julie Gottmanpioneers in the study of human sexuality. Combined, theyve published over 200 academic articles on the subject and almost 50 books. Take their quiz to see if you really know everything about your partner. </p>

<p>Btw, no topic should be off-limits. Let's talk sex and emergency contraception:</p>

<p>To play, look into your partners eyes without blinking for as long as you can. Often, this leads to kissing, maybe ~more~. Play anywhere, any time.</p>

<p>For a laid-back game that's fun, entertaining, and a bit competitive, consider this popular card game. Not only does it go super fast, but it's easy to learn. The goal is simple: Collect as many cards as you can to create your "sushi meal." The player with the most points wins. Bonus: The game pairs perfectly with takeout. </p>

<p>In Dare Duel, you take turns drawing cards and selecting words or phrases to create fun and romantic dares. Once you've created a dare, battle it out to see who will rise to the challenge. Because there are hundreds of different words and phrases to choose from, the combinations are almost endless, making every game unique. </p>

<h1>  11.   Adult Loaded Questions Game   </h1>

<p>With 308 questions, how could you *not* learn something new about your partner? While there's no winner of the game, the lightheartedand sometimes sexyquestions are sure to make for a good time. </p>

<p>Do you happen to love kittens, laser beams, and goats? What about fast-moving card games? Yeah, same. Be sure to check out their NSFW edition card deck. </p>

<h1>  13.   Find Out What Kind of Couple You Are   </h1>

<p>Are you the Too Adorable Couple or the Train Wreck couple? This short quiz will let you know.</p>

<p>Want to mix up your movie night? Put on a rom-com or one of your other fave films, and act out a scene. While it can be something steamy, you can also just reenact your best "I'm Flying" scene from the prow of the Titanic (or, you know, your bed). (Movie inspo ahead: <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g27424719/best-summer-movies/" id="9b75267a-58db-38ff-a7ff-7505ff5077a8">  The 35 Best Summer Movies You Absolutely Need To Watch This Season </a> )</p>

<h1>  15. The Sing-Along Challenge  </h1>

<p>Start singing a song and challenge your partner to continue with another song based on the last word you sang. It doesn't matter if you have a good singing voice! Not hitting every note just gives you something more to laugh about. </p>

<p>Yes, this couples game involves literal pretzels. Find your favorite pretzel recipe and enjoy each others company in the kitchen. Then, see who is faster at twisting the dough into pretzels. No matter who wins, you both get a tasty homemade snack. </p>

<h1>  17.   Nexci Scrimish Card Game   </h1>

<p>A beloved card game, Scrimish is classic and fun. Each deck has 25 red and 25 blue cards. Work as quickly as you can to reveal your partner's crown card. If you can keep up and do it first, you win! The lightning-quick rounds help create a fun sense of competition between you and your partner. </p>

<p>If youre looking for a way to do something creative together, origami can be a great pastime. No worries if youre not already an origami expert. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that will walk you through how to get started. Once you get the hang of it, turn the activity into a fun game by making it a timed challenge. </p>

<p>Marriage.com has pages and pages of quizzes to take with or about your partner. Could you and your partner pass the U.S. Couples Immigration interview? What is your couple personality? Find out for free on their website. </p>

<h1>  20.   Scrabble, But With a Twist   </h1>

<p>Bored of playing normal scrabble? Try playing it with this twist. The person who completes a word first asks the other person to choose truth or dare. Its is the perfect opportunity to talk, have fun, and put your vocab skills to the test. </p>

<h1>  21.   Off Topic Adult Party Game   </h1>

<p>Get to know whats on your partners mind with this adult party game. Draw a card to set the topics, and roll the die to set the letter that your responses must begin with. Flip the sand timer and you're off! Warning: Your answers might get a little ~off topic~. </p>

<p>This quiz is designed to be played with your partner. You can remember how you met, and what you always like to do together. If you want to get creative, you can always extend the game by creating your own questions at the end. </p>

<p>Just because youre all grown up doesnt mean you cant have fun twisting it up. Remember what it was like to have fun playing as a child...and bond with your favorite adult. </p>

<p>This game is similar to two truths and a lie, but better. You can play with your favorite alcoholic drink or your favorite flavor of La Croix. You and your partner take turns asking each other questions. Taking two sips of your drink means "yes" and one sip says "no." </p>

<p>No worries if you dont have a karaoke machine. If you want to enjoy singing with your partner, you can simply download a karaoke app on your laptop or search up your favorite songs on YouTube and enjoy belting out your favorite hits. Try <a href="https://www.karafun.com/apps/" id="35a868f1-2248-33e9-ae1b-d77610316cc3">  Karafun </a> , which is free to download and gives you access to their library of over 28,000 karaoke videos.</p>

<p>This is one of the easiest games that you can make yourself. Each of you creates a PowerPoint with screenshots from your favorite movies, then guess away! You might find your next flick for movie night.</p>

JSYK, not all couple games need to lead to sex, and there are plenty of romantic (and free!) games that can help bring you and your partner closer together or at least make for an interesting date night.

26 Couple Games For A Fun, Romantic Date Night

<p>"Joe Exotic" (whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage) not only wanted to be known for owning the endangered species of tigers, as well as lions and other exotic animals, but was allegedly willing to kill to maintain his persona. </p>

<p>The documentary series depicts how Joe Exotic went from growing up on a farm in Kansas to owning the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma with what he claimed to be <a href="https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/joe-exotic-a-dark-journey-into-the-world-of-a-man-gone-wild/" id="554a14db-2724-309d-aac6-825bf1761683">  "the largest tiger collection in America" </a> to a convicted felon.</p>

<h1> But... where is Joe Exotic now?  </h1>

<p>Today, he faces 22 years in prison for attempting to pay a hitman (who was actually an undercover FBI agent) $10,000 to murder animal rights activist Carole Baskin in November 2017, as well as for killing five tiger cubs. Joe was found guilty of two counts of murder-for-hire, eight counts of violating the Lacey Act for falsifying wildlife records, and nine counts of violating the Endangered Species Act, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/us/joe-exotic-sentence-oklahoma.html" id="0b3685c1-5753-3761-a131-6cf256dc05b7">  New York Times </a> .</p>

<p>Despite his prison sentence, Joe did not admit to any guilt in a press statement shared in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/joejschreibvogel/posts/1453756011459864" id="290c1faa-d73a-3a16-ab05-02294830669b">  Facebook post </a> on January 22, 2020. "I still maintain my innocence and looking forward in the upcoming days to my attorneys filing my Appeal and moving on to the next step in this Nightmare," he wrote. "At some point the U.S. Attorneys office and Agents involved will have to answer to the fact that they participated in Perjury to obtain this conviction."</p>

<p>For his part, Timothy J. Downing, the United States attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, said in a statement about the verdict, "We are thankful for the Courts thoughtful consideration of the gravity of this murder-for-hire scheme, as well as the defendants egregious wildlife crimes in imposing a 22-year sentence."</p>

<h1> What exactly were Joe Exotic's "wildlife crimes"?  </h1>

<p><a href="https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/investigative-report-gw-exotic-animal-park.pdf" id="b5382816-1820-334c-ae1f-f22d2f07fd2f">  A 2011 undercover investigation by the Humane Society </a> found that tigers were beaten and whipped during training at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. (An investigator worked there as an animal caretaker for four months, per the organization's report.) Visitors were also bitten and scratched by the cubs that were too old to be around humans, the report stated, and baby tigers that had not even opened their eyes yet were passed around to visitors, which caused the animals trauma.</p>

<p>"The Humane Society of the United States has known for a long time about the horrific business that this man was running," Kitty Block, the chief executive of the Humane Society, told the New York Times in an email at the time of Joe's sentencing. "Having investigated and campaigned against his operation for years, it is a comfort to us to know that a man who caused all of that suffering and cruelty has been charged for his crimes."</p>

<h1> What else is Joe Exotic known for today?  </h1>

<p>Well, everyone knew he had exotic animals, of course. If his moniker didnt give it away, he also bought up billboards all along I-35 between Dallas and Oklahoma City advertising Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (also referred to as the G.W. Zoo in Tiger King). </p>

<p>The Netflix series gives a glimpse of these signs, featuring Joe's mullet-covered head snuggling next to a tiger as the zookeeper wears an unbuttoned, loud-patterned shirt. If that werent enough, the zoos gift shop sold Joe Exotic-branded skincare products, T-shirts, underwear, condoms, and lubeall products Joe proudly shows off to the producers of Tiger King. </p>

<p>Later, he opened a pizza restaurant called Zooters and a bar called Safari Bar down the road from the zoo, according to <a href="https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/joe-exotic-a-dark-journey-into-the-world-of-a-man-gone-wild/" id="f54554d6-80de-3c7f-a9e1-d80e1015c285">  Texas Monthly </a> . His shows, Joe Exotic TV and Joe Gone Wild brought in millions of views, and he was even featured in shows on CNN, BBC, and CBS This Morning, according to the publication. In other words, Joes image was everywhere.</p>

<p>Joe Exotic became so well known that he ran for U.S. President as an Independent in 2016, per the New York Times, and for governor of Oklahoma in 2018, local news station <a href="https://okcfox.com/news/local/race-for-governor-joe-exotic" id="e0343884-4845-3036-a26e-43fb653233fe">  Fox 25 </a> reported.</p>

<p>A campaign video  for his 2016 presidential run features him walking around a big cat enclosure, saying, "I am not wearing a suit. I am gay. Ive had two boyfriends for most of my life... I am broke as sh*t. I have a judgement against me from a b*tch down there in Florida... And this is all paid for by the committee of Joe Exotic for America." </p>

<p>Joe obviously did not win either election.</p>

<h1>  Okay, so... what led to Joe Exotic's prison sentence?   </h1>

<p>For starters, not everyone agreed with Joes exotic zoo practices. Over a thousand miles away, an animal activist named <a href="https://bigcatrescue.org/carole-baskin/" id="627e6c35-f062-39d9-aaf2-0a1d3a11138a">  Carole Baskin </a> operated <a href="https://bigcatrescue.org/" id="3286b0fd-9052-3737-a9ff-57966bdad638">  Big Cat Rescue </a> , an animal sanctuary based in Tampa, Florida. As the documentary shows, although the two of them appeared to have similar jobs, they disagreed about almost every animal rights issue, especially the ethics around breeding big cats and letting visitors pet cubsboth of which were essential to Joes business.</p>

<p>The "judgment against me" to which Joe referred to in his campaign video is Baskin filing and then winning a $1 million civil suit against him over a copyright infringement lawsuit. This was in addition to her trying to pass the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1380/text" id="3b7cc067-27c4-3ef7-a2a4-464943310ff7">  Big Cat Public Safety Act </a> an act which, if passed, would have forced Joe to shut down his business.</p>

What Happened To 'Joe Exotic' From 'Tiger King'?

<p>After losing his race for governor, Joe Exotic became increasingly paranoid. "You could always read Joe. He didnt have a poker face," Joshua Dial, Joes former campaign manager, said in the Tiger King docuseries. "We knew something was going on. He was already a paranoid personbut the paranoia was not unfounded." As is shown in the documentary, Joe finding a microphone and antennae on the gift shop roof was just one of the many things that increased his anxiety.</p>

<p>A lot of Joe's paranoia also stemmed from the fact that he was was going brokefast. For one, just feeding the animals was expensive. Tiger King shows how even giving the tigers mostly expired meat Walmart donated still costed $3,000 per tiger, per year. That's not counting all the other costs associated with caring for exotic creatures. Running for office didn't help Joe's financial situation, either. Jeff Lowea man who bought the G.W. Exotic Animal Parkis depicted accusing Joe of embezzling money from the park to fund his political campaigns. </p>

<p>Joe's paranoia (mixed with his financial desperation) eventually led to Joe allegedly paying $10,000 for a hitman to kill Baskin, the <a href="https://apnews.com/cf2ad22c565e4e7b93222c5147f62d5f" id="12aabbb4-1afb-3187-a4c9-f4c2892d3fa7">  Associated Press </a> reported. Because of Joe's financial straits, Tiger King mentions that he bartered over the price. Joe agreed to pay half the money upfront, and the other half after Baskin's death.</p>

<p> There was just one problem: That hitman was an undercover FBI agent. He recorded Joe saying, "Just like follow her into a mall parking lot and just cap her and drive off," which was played during the trial.</p>

<p>There is a possibility that Joe's conviction was a setup on the part of Jeff Lowe. Tiger King casts doubt on whether money was actually exchanged between Joe and the "hitman," or if Joe just talked about killing Baskin. There is a theory that Lowe, as well as his friends, might have orchestrated the trial as a way to protect themselves from being punished for their own crimes. </p>

<p>However, Baskin is still convinced of Joe's guilt. "Because of his constant threats to kill me, I have found myself seeing every bystander as a potential threat," Baskin wrote in <a href="https://bigcatrescue.org/sentencing-statement/?fbclid=IwAR3tAGQvMwiZEMeMl5oJhWzqZeTOxjF80R2xGtA9i67FjTXzZj3d1McxKf8" id="d905a464-0e28-3669-a008-38daa3d87567">  a statement regarding Joe's prison sentence </a> in January 2020 on the Big Cat Rescue website. "...My daughter, my husband, my mother, my staff, and volunteers have all been in peril because of his obsession with seeing me dead."</p>

<p>As far as anyone knows, Joe is still in jail today.</p>

<p>You can stream all of Tiger King on Netflix on March 20th. </p>

"The Big Cat people are backstabbing pieces of sh*t," a man says at the start of Netflixs new <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g28068183/best-true-crime-documentaries/" id="f6c3be0c-a9bc-375d-a7ce-4172f4a6adbb">  true crime documentary </a> series <a href="https://www.netflix.com/watch/81130220?trackId=13752289&amp;tctx=0%2C0%2C26432d997c04d73a55a4c360763fb77c2dcdab20%3Ac12cc03baba092fd08e8a3e3ec4fd657139780c1%2C%2C" id="a386a37e-ea63-3d68-a1bf-24efb00d649b">  Tiger King </a> . T...

What Happened To 'Joe Exotic' From Netflix's 'Tiger King' And Where Is He Now?

<p>Womens Health sat down with the Billboard-charting artist for a game of Once, Never, Forever (a.k.a. WHs version of f*ck, marry, kill)and let's just say I learned a lot about her <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a19907482/running-songs/" id="9fd17afc-7103-39f1-aa8f-98e257531572">  running playlists </a> , the <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a30150611/food-trends-2020/" id="ab706871-e1bb-32ea-a3c0-278533b5ac2c">  food trend </a> she'd never try, her dream workout buddy, and more.</p>

<p>For each category, WH gives Carly three options, and she has to choose which one she'd try once, which one she'd never try, and which one she'd do forever.</p>

<p>Here are just a few of the tough decisions WH forced her to make:</p>

<ul><li> <strong> Double Date #Goals: </strong>  Michelle and Barack, Chrissy and John, or J.Lo and A-Rod </li><li> <strong> Running styles:  </strong> Treadmill, trail, or road </li><li> <strong> Dream workout buddy:  </strong> Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, or Tracee Ellis Ross </li><li> <strong> Wine: </strong>  Red, white, or rose  </li><li> <strong> Karaoke partners:  </strong> Justin Bieber, Drake, or Michael Ray </li></ul>

<p>This is a semi-spoiler, but I have to share: Carly would definitely sing, "Baby," with Justin Bieber if she could. And let's just say you'll probably never see her trail running.</p>

<p>I know you want more info about Carly's favs and not-so-favs, so watch the video to find out everything youve been wanting to know and more.</p>

Carly Pearce Would Double Date With Chrissy & John

Country music star Carly Pearce has two very important announcements: She has <a href="https://carlypearce.lnk.to/CP2" id="c1b8b223-45c7-3e9a-a72c-7d6199604636">  a new self-titled album </a> out, and she listens to O-Town when she runs. (Yes, as in the '90s boy band. Is there any other O-Town?)

Carly Pearce Says Chrissy Teigen And John Legend Are Double Date #Goals

<p>Another one of her superpowers: great skin. What does she do to be this glow-y? I sometimes ask myself. Luckily, Womens Health sat down with the Grammy-Award winning artist for a game of Once, Never, Forever (a.k.a. the WHs version of f*ck, marry, kill)and she spills her skincare go-to, the diet she'd never try, and more. </p>

<p>For each category, WH gives Carrie three optionsand she has to choose one that she'd try once, one that she'd never try, and one that she'd do forever.</p>

<p>Here are just a few of the tough decisions she had to make: </p>

<ul><li> <strong> Non-country music genres: </strong>  Hip-hop, house music, or rock </li><li> <strong> Semi-awkward social situations: </strong>  Networking event, blind date, or zumba class </li><li> <strong> Diets: </strong>  Low-carb, high-fat, or high-protein </li><li> <strong> Wines: </strong>  red, white, or rose </li></ul>

<p>I dont want to spoil the video butlets me just tell you that hip-hop and house music are not going to be on Carries Spotify playlist anytime soon. </p>

<p>And while Carrie says she is not opposed to CBD skincare, she's allll about the <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/a19944662/face-sheet-masks/" id="b392fa4d-fe95-3571-a301-7e460bd50ad2">  sheet mask </a> life.</p>

<p>Lets be real, I know you want more info about Carries hot takes (because, um, why wouldnt you?). Watch the video to find out everything youve been needing to know and more. </p>

<p>TTYL, Im about to go sheet mask and sleep.</p>

Carrie Underwood Would ‘Never’ Go Low-Carb

<a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a31025583/carrie-underwood-fitness-nutrition-find-your-path-book/" id="4b1306bf-bf94-3671-a510-d33907b8f095">  Carrie Underwood </a> was already a country music icon and the founder of an activewear lineand now she can add author to the list, too, with the release of her new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Find-Your-Path-Honor-Strong/dp/0062690914?tag=womenshealth-auto-20&amp;ascsubtag=[artid|2140.a.31025583[src|[ch|[lt|" id="ff108e9c-8a5c-3...

Carrie Underwood Says She Would 'Never' Do A Low-Carb Diet

<h1> This was the beginning of my experience trying out sensory deprivation therapy, otherwise known as float therapy. </h1>

<p>Before I ended up in that purple-hued pod (I was at <a href="https://www.floatseattle.com/" id="f7c2dfe9-9a05-3f4d-adf6-676e530bcc21">  Float </a> Seattle!), I had stumbled across an article about this whole concept online that talked about how the admittedly strange-sounding activity could be a great tool for <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2013/12000/The_Acute_Effects_of_Flotation_Restricted.30.aspx" id="c7e81e72-b301-3ff5-ab72-00d0b49fea55">  sports recovery </a> . And being an avid runner, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to learn more.</p>

<p>Float therapy involves floating (duh) in lukewarm water meant to match your body temp mixed with magnesium sulfate (aka Epsom salt). The idea behind is it that it (allegedly) helps your body enter a deep state of relaxation, so your brain can enter a place of rest and repair. The magnesium sulfate is useful for joint repair and is anti-inflammatory, and floating in it allows the stuff to enter the body through the skin and, in turn, help your muscles relaxsimilar to how you would in a homemade Epsom salt bath. As someone who is often sore from working out and could probably benefit from a recovery soak, I thought, wow, sounds nice. </p>

<p>Medical professionals are researching float therapy from all sorts of angles. <a href="https://www.ijpsy.com/volumen11/num2/299.html" id="ac0412f5-ace0-3c27-a5e1-0bcf85e9c612">  Research </a> suggests that float therapy can be a good stress outlet for folks teetering on the edge of burnout, and even help ease symptoms of and <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0190292" id="d35bf70b-46b0-3f35-a19d-9c648f2f05b2">  depression </a> Float therapy may even help people with chronic-pain conditions, like <a href="https://www.healthpointe.net/orthopedics/float-therapy-and-arthritis/" id="86898e54-f720-3f1d-aa03-82fa98656fac">  arthritis </a> , separate studies suggest. (More research needs to be done to solidify these findings and explain why these potential benefits are possible, but it's safe to try for most peopleproven benefits or not!)</p>

<p>One of the people at the forefront of this research is <a href="http://www.laureateinstitute.org/justin-feinstein.html" id="5bfb0e5c-7623-31bc-a8a8-45fe36d8fa2e">  Justin Feinstein, PhD </a> , clinical neuropsychologist and director of the Float Clinic and Research Center at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research. He studies the effects of float therapy in people with moderate to severe anxiety. Float therapy is a unique way to help people access states of mindfulness, Feinstein explains. "It puts the nervous system in a reset"and in turn, can improve your mental health in the short term.</p>

<p>The way that people can experience this is through the careful arranging of everything in the float therapy environment. The goal is to minimize every outside sensation, so that the person experiencing float therapy is only left focusing on what they are feeling (their heartbeat, breathing, being alive, etc). That's why the room is as silent and dark as possible, and why the water and air temperatures match that of the skin. Feinstein also found that people's health markers can even change when they are in a float. We found that blood pressure goes down 10 to 15 points during the float, he says. </p>

<p>He also agrees that float therapy can also be a great recovery tool for athletes. Athletes are also filled with anxiety and stress, and float therapy can help [athletes] get back down to baseline," he adds. Epsom salt does offer those anti-inflammatory benefits, but the main way that float therapy helps is by altering the effect of gravity. In other words, you dont need to put any effort into floating, and without having to work against gravity, the muscles are able to recover easier, Feinstein explains.</p>

<p>Something especially cool: Apparently the full relaxation effect of float therapy does not even set in until an hour after the floatand your state of relaxation could even last for a full 24 hours afterward. This is why, in addition to being a great recovery tool, Feinstein says he recommends float therapy as a short-term solution for people with anxiety or depression. </p>

<h1> But, because I tend to be skeptical about almost everything, I figured I should try it out for myself. </h1>

<p>A quick internet search revealed there was a studio that offered float therapy only 15 minutes away from me. Given that I was primarily interested in the potential muscle recovery benefits, I went on an intense tempo run the day before to make sure I was really putting float therapy to the test.</p>

<p>As predicted, I walked into Float Seattle feeling the kind of soreness that likes to say hi after every stair you climb up. But I was feeling immediately more at ease when I got inside the waiting area. Rather than the clinical environment of a doctor's office waiting room, the lobby reminded me of the lounge at a high-end spa: squishy couches positioned in front of framed photos of abstract art, ginger tea brewing at a station in the corner, and nature sounds wafting throughout the space.</p>

<p>Upon my arrival, I had to complete a quick orientation. A woman who worked there walked me over to the pod where I would have my float. She explained how the water had tons of Epsom salt mixed in, how to open and close the top, how to position my body when floating, and what I needed to do before getting in the water. She also let me know that music would play when it was time for my session to endthen left the room. </p>

<p>Like at most pools, I was required to shower before getting in the water. At the location I went to, there was a shower right in front of the pod. Shampoo and conditioner and body wash were all provided. The woman recommended cleansing in lukewarm water towards the end of your shower to prepare yourself for the water in the pod being a little cooler than your usual shower temp.</p>

<p>After my rinse, I got in the pod and closed the top over my head using a handle inside. At first, all I could think about was how...not spa-like it felt. I knew that the water wouldn't be super hot, but I was expecting an experience a little bit like being in a hot tub. But in the pod, it almost felt like I was in a womb. (I mean, I was naked inside an egg with water.) I also found myself wondering how much of the hour I had left.</p>

<p>But eventually I stopped counting the minutes. I slowly started to feel less self-conscious and aware of the fact that I was exposed and trapped in the small space. (FWIW, you can wear a swimsuit if you want, but I opted not to in order to enhance the experience.) I stopped thinking about how the fluid kept drifting in my ears, or how to position my body in the least-weird way. I turned off the light. I closed my eyes. All of my thoughts seemed to sink to the bottom of the pod.</p>

<p>Once I mentally let go of anxiousness and insecurity about the experience, it felt like the music chimed only minutes later. But when I put my watch back on, I realized I had actually been in the pod for over an hour.</p>

<p><strong> After my session, I also felt totally ready to take on another tough runand my mind felt calm. </strong></p>

<p>Every muscle in my body felt relaxed during and after my soak. I'd compare it to how you might feel after, say, a three-hour (!) massage. When the employee at the front desk asked how I liked the experience, all I could do was nod with a daydreamy expression and sip at my cup of ginger tea.</p>

<p>Its hard to remember another time I truly just let myself literally lay back and think about nothing. Even when Ive tried meditating, Ive usually just spent the time stressing about how I was stressing. Beyond physically repairing my body, I felt amazed at how mentally calm and clear the experience made me. Hey, maybe it was just placebobut I felt good. </p>

<p><strong> Want to try float therapy yourself? It's totally safe for most people. </strong></p>

<p>You can even try float therapy if youre pregnant. The only people I would say should use caution are those with claustrophobia. However, because you lift the top of the pod at any time, you might be fine after you get used to the atmosphere. In addition, Feinstein says that he's never actually tested on anyone using a closed pod because people with severe anxiety generally don't want to try it if they are enclosed in a space. </p>

<p>Instead, he has simply made sure the room had the same effects that the enclosed pod would (sound-proofing the space, removing light, etc.). So you might even be able to find somewhere that provides the experience without being put in a small space. You can also talk to your doctor or therapist first if you're at all unsure about whether float therapy is a good fit for you.</p>

<p>The only issues I had with float therapy were the price and the amount of time it took. While there are constantly offers to take advantage of, a float at Float Seattle costs $39 during their "happy hour," or $69 normally. In addition, the entire experience takes about 90 minutesnot including the time to get there and back. </p>

<p>Ultimately, while it sounded strange at first, float therapy ended up being a great way to recover and relax, and I definitely see myself going back for a second try.</p>

'I Tried Float Therapy And Walked Out Stress-Free'

My ears tingled as I leaned my head back into the water. I was in a giant man-made egg filled with salty liquid, with only artificial purple light and quiet surrounding me. The woman who gave my orientation recommended that everyone spend their first float in silenceso I figured I'd follow directions. Closing my eyes, I relaxed, letting my body succumb to its watery fate.

'I Tried Float Therapy And Forgot What It Felt Like To Be Stressed Out'

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