How Does Food Impact Health?

The food we eat gives our bodies the "information" and materials they need to

function properly. If we don't get the right information, our metabolic processes suffer and our health declines.

If we get too much food, or food that gives our bodies the wrong instructions, we can become overweight, undernourished, and at risk for the development of diseases and conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease.

In short, what we eat is central to our health.  Consider that in light of Webster's definition of medicine: "The science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease."

Food acts as medicine--to maintain, prevent, and treat disease.

7 Black Workout Leggings Health Editors Swear By

There’s no shortage of bold and bright workout leggings out there—but sometimes, all you really want is a basic black pair. Black tights slim the legs and hips, match all your other workout apparel, and can easily go from your sweat session to running errands. We asked our editors what their go-to pair of black leggings were for all of their workout needs and here are their favorites.

Onzie Track Leggings ($69; zappos.com)

“I have a relatively slim waist compared to my hips, and despite all those squats I’ve been doing at the gym, my butt’s still kind of flat. My shape makes it hard for me to find leggings that don’t slide down during my workouts. So I was thrilled with I tried Onzie leggings and realized that not only do I look and feel amazing in them, they stay put! This pair has mesh cutouts around the knees that add a fun little extra to basic black.” —Christine Mattheis, deputy editor

Photo: Zappos.com

Champion Shape Women’s Tights ($50; hanes.com)

“I LOVE the Champion Shape tights. They used to only make them in a crop style, but they have full-length leggings now. Woo! The name says it all: The seams are in places that almost help contour your hips, thighs and butt, so they look super-flattering on any body type. They are also affordable, yet don’t get destroyed in the wash.” —Jacqueline Andriakos, associate editor

Photo: Hanes.com

Old Navy Go-Dry High-Rise Compression Leggings ($30; oldnavy.com)

“I’m addicted to Old Navy activewear. The price is always agreeable (there’s always a sale!) and they always have a wide selection of black leggings that can range from plain to something with more flair like cutouts or a subtle pattern. I’m loving the high waist on this pair because it keeps me tucked in and I don’t have to worry about exposing my belly when I’m moving about.” —Dwyer Frame, contributing editor

Photo: Oldnavy.com

Lululemon Pace Rival Crop ($88, lululemon.com)

“I can’t live without my Lululemon Pace Rival crops. I have numerous pairs, and they have never failed me (even if they rip, Lululemon will replace them). I wear them on my runs and when I go to the gym. There is mesh behind the knee that gives you extra mobility and keeps you cool, and big pockets on the sides for gels, keys, or a phone. They fit perfectly—not too low or high—and the fabric is moisture-wicking and quick-drying, and they have plenty of stretch while hugging you in at the same time.” —Alison Mango, editorial assistant

Photo: lululemon.com

Fabletics Winn Mid Rise Capri ($50; fabletics.com)

“I tried the Kate Hudson/Fabletics intro offer for a full workout outfit for $25 a few months back. After it arrived, I decided that the concept of subscribing to monthly fitness outfits wasn’t really for me, BUT I did end up loving the pair of black capri leggings that came with the outfit. They’re also sold on the regular Fabletics site (so you don’t need to sign up for a monthly membership to buy them).” —Kathleen Mulpeter, senior editor

Photo: fabletics.com

Brooks Running Women’s Streaker Tight ($105; brooksrunning.com)

“They’re seamless and feel amazing!” —MaryAnn Barone, social media editor

Photo: Brooksrunning.com

REI Lucy Hatha Leggings ($89; rei.com)

“I love the Lucy Hatha Leggings at REI because they make my legs look tight. They’re comfortable and they are moisture-wicking—I’ve worn them to yoga, on hikes, and as thermals under my clothes in the winter.” —Janet Lawrence, senior video editor

Photo: REI.com

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Ariel Winter Posts a Reminder to Be Kind Online

Photo: Getty Images

Unfortunately, when it comes to online bullying, Ariel Winter has had enough personal experience. The Modern Family actress is often on the receiving end of nasty comments of trolls commenting on things that, well, they have absolutely no business commenting on.

Whether it’s her high school graduation dress or a bikini shot that someone has deemed “too revealing,” Winter has had to deal with some serious cyber hate. And while some in her situation would fire back negative comments, she always chooses the high way—and that’s why we’ll forever be #teamAriel.

Yesterday, she took to Instagram to post a response against online bullying and it pretty much made our day.

“Every time someone bullies me online, it gives me a chance to re-emphasize to my fans, and even myself, how important self-acceptance is,” she started her post. “[…]the question I ask myself each time I read the mean comments is if this is how you talk to a stranger online, I can only imagine how cruelly you speak to yourself,” she continued. Check out the full post below.

RELATED: Ariel Winter Reveals New Hip Tattoo in Sexy Bodysuit-Clad Instagram

To quote another celeb, “Kill ’em with kindness” and we think Ariel just did.

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com/MIMI.

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Hilaria Baldwin Proves There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Exercise After Childbirth

Photo: Getty Images

About a week after she gave birth, while her newborn son Leonardo was taking a nap, Hilaria Baldwin squeezed in a run. “I gave myself the goal of 5-10 min to jog. I surprised myself and did 23 minutes,” she captioned a sweaty selfie on Instagram last Thursday. “I feel great and refreshed.”

But a few days later, the yoga star took to Insta again to express her frustration over flak she caught for exercising so soon.

“The body has to heal, even in perfect birthing conditions,” one person had commented on Baldwin’s pic. “Uterus recovering, pelvic floor needs to strengthen again, relaxin hormone pulsing through system and making joints loose, milk production ramping up production, and already running,” another person said about the 32-year-old mom of three.

Baldwin responded in an impassioned post, pointing out that every body, and every pregnancy, is different: “My pregnancy, birth, and recovery is between ME AND MY DOCTOR,” she said. “So please: stop with the negativity about me just having a baby.”

RELATED: The Best (and Worst) Exercises for Pregnant Women

While it might seem like all new mothers would need a good deal of time to recuperate, there is no one-size-fits-all healing period after a vaginal birth, says Jen Gunter, MD, an ob-gyn based in San Francisco. “If Ms. Baldwin’s body tells her she is ready, that is great,” she wrote in an email to Health. “I am sure she was in excellent physical shape beforehand, so she might be able to do more sooner that someone who was less physically active before and during her pregnancy.”

Baldwin also credited the fact that she’s always been fit, and exercised throughout her pregnancy: “Fitness is my job…. Which means my body is accustomed to working out,” she wrote on Instagram. “I don’t want to sit down, lay down and do nothing. That’s not what my body is telling me it wants and needs.”

The reality is, as Baldwin pointed out, that every woman’s experience is unique. “Of course someone who has a large tear and was in labor for 36 hours may have a longer road back to exercise than someone who had no stitches and a six hour labor and delivery,” Dr. Gunter said. “The best advice is to let your body be your guide, just go slow,” she explained in an email to Health. And obviously, she added, consult with your doc.

 

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Jen Widerstrom’s Selfie Reminds Us Even Celeb Trainers Have Stomach Rolls

Photo: Getty Images

Jen Widerstrom encouraged us all to be a little kinder to ourselves on Sunday, with two side-by-side selfies posted on Instagram. In one, she’s standing in a crop top and leggings, and her core looks taut and toned. In the other, she’s sitting down so we can see the stomach roll at the top of her waistband.

“We all look like this when we sit,” the Biggest Loser trainer wrote in the caption. “Don’t stress about the way your body looks in certain positions. These photos were taken 2 minutes apart!”

RELATED: 5 Weight Loss Tips From Celeb Trainer Jen Widerstrom

So far the post has racked up more than 16,600 likes and 650 comments, many from fans expressing their appreciation for Widerstrom‘s willingness to show her body from all angles—not just the flattering ones.

We’re so used to seeing highly-edited, perfectly-posed images on Instagram, it’s easy to lose perspective on how our bodies actually look IRL. But Widerstrom’s simple message of body-acceptance is a helpful reality check: When you sit, the skin on your stomach is going to bunch up, no matter how fit you are.

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Kristen Bell Hilariously Chronicles Her Pre-Emmys Prep—See the Face Mask-Clad ‘Grams

Photo: Getty Images

When it comes to getting ready for the red carpet, Kristen Bell likes to keep it real.

Ahead of her arrival to the 2016 Emmys red carpet, the 36-year-old Bad Moms star took to Instagram to hilarious show us just how much work goes into preparing to step in front of the cameras. Yes, the proud mother of two may have spent her Saturday relaxing and paddle boarding, but she started her hair, makeup, and overall beauty prep hours before the show.

“Getting ready for the #Emmys…look closely…I have serious doubts this is actually a lip conditioning sticker my makeup artist @simonesiegl applied over my mouth…I’m pretty sure she just wanted me to zip it,” she first hilariously wrote as the caption to a ‘gram in which she sports a funny-looking eye-mask.

In addition, Bell continued to share her Emmys journey with a follow-up image of pins in her hair, joking that she thought that’s how her glam team expected her to look for the A-list guests.

And while we would have fallen off of our chairs had the actress stepped out in that manner, she once more managed to turn heads the moment she arrived at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater. The blonde beauty rocked a blush-toned ethereal Zuhair Murad dress on the red carpet. “I wanted to do something more, I don’t know, whimsical than I’ve ever done before. And this pattern was perfect,” she told E! on the carpet. “Despite having to grab it in every which way, it’s very comfortable.”

Looks like all of that prep paid off.

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com/MIMI.

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Supermodel Emanuela de Paula’s Simple Trick for Looking Like You Actually Got Sleep

Photo: Getty Images

A few things happens to us MIMI gals when Fashion Month kicks off. For starters, our social media feeds are flooded with behind-the-scenes beauty and runway photos, meaning our fingers go into double tapping overtime. So many things to like, so little time. On top of that, we’re left completely mystified by the lives, travel, and beauty secrets of supermodels.

Besides going from tent to tent, how do they jet-set all over the world and look so damn good? Luckily, supermodel Emanuela de Paula, who is also a L’Oreal Paris Brand Ambassador and a former Victoria’s Secret Model, shared all her personal secrets. From her go-to snacks to the under-eye trick that works legit miracles, check ‘em out below.

What hair-care products do you NEED in your bag? 

“I travel really often and love it more than ever now the more I do it! I treat my hair in a very good salon in Brazil, and they have this incredible hair product called PROTEIN. I use it on my hair almost everyday, 30 minutes before washing. It’s like a treatment to keep the hair strong, shine, and super healthy.”

What’s the eye cream you swear by to give you a rested look? 

“Camomile tea bags for 10 minutes lying in bed. Trust me!”

RELATED: Victoria’s Secret Model Taylor Hill on the Workouts She Totally Can’t Stand

Do you have any go-to lipstick shades you always have on you?

“There is one I absolutely LOVE, it is from Tom Ford but I forgot the name! It’s kind of a netural color for my skin tone. I love the brownish pink hue and the texture is not too dry, it’s perfect!”

What are you grabbing to stay fueled?

“I love almonds, rice crackers with almond butter, grapes, and apple!”

So what other essentials are always in your bag?  

“Hand sanitizer, sunblock, headphones, lip balm, and my camera! I have a blog Manu by Manu, and I take all the pictures on there!”

RELATED: Sixty Seconds with Stella Maxwell and We Got ALL the Beauty Secrets

What about the skin-care that always makes your routine?

“Ling, Vichy, and SkinCeuticals are some brands I swear by.”

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com/MIMI. 

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Hilaria Baldwin Shares Honest Full-Body Selfie One Day After Giving Birth

Photo: Getty Images

Just 24 hours after giving birth this week, Hilaria Baldwin snapped a selfie in the hospital bathroom mirror, wearing only her bra and underwear. The yoga star’s goal? To show what a woman’s postpartum body actually looks like.

“It always makes me a bit nervous to do something like this,” the 32-year-old mom of three wrote on Instagram, “but I feel that in the age of such strong body shaming, I want to do all that I can to normalize a real body and promote healthy self image.”

RELATED: Anne Hathaway: There Is ‘No Shame’ in Carrying Baby Weight

This isn’t the first time Baldwin has stripped down to document the physical effects of childbirth. In the weeks after her son Rafael was born last year, she posted a series of bellygrams (#ShrinkingBaldwinBabyBump) to show how a mother’s body returns slowly.

It doesn’t happen right away for anybody, not even supermodels. By six weeks postpartum, most new moms lose about half their pregnancy weight, per the National Institutes of Health. Ideally the rest of the pounds melt away with a healthy eating plan and fitness routine.

Baldwin brought up this longer-term goal at the end of her latest Instagram post: “I am a firm believer in how a good diet and the right balance of exercise make us happy, healthy, and strong,” she wrote. We love that Baldwin is promoting getting fit in a healthy way, even if it takes time.

 

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Lauren Conrad Has a New Take on the French Mani

Photo: Getty Images

We love a good twist on an old beauty classic. Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for a bold red lip, Old Hollywood waves, or a dramatic cat eye, but sometimes we need to spice things up a little.

So if you are headed for the nail salon post-Labor Day, Lauren Conrad has a mani idea for you that has just the right amount of understated classic charm and a little sparkle to make things a little more fun.

The designer and lifestyle blogger took to Instagram to share a snap of her reverse French manicure, and naturally, she totally nailed it. Pun fully intended.

According to Olive and June—the California-based salon where LC went to get her nails done—the main color painted on her tips is CND Shellac in Bare Chemise. Then, it looks like the salon pros applied a shade of white or silver at the base of the nail bed.

RELATED: Lauren Conrad Set the Record Straight on Her Famous Mascara Tears

And now that you’ve seen the photo, we will also address the obvious: Conrad’s sparkler is To.Die.For.

 

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com/MIMI.

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This Lingerie Brand’s Latest Campaign Is All About Real Women and Their Amazing Achievements

Today’s good news comes from across the Atlantic, and trust us when we say it’ll have you cheering. We’ve always loved a good fashion campaign that promotes a healthy body image and body positivity, but this one is so much more.

A year ago Panache, a UK-based lingerie brand which also sells product in the U.S., started searching for models to front its fall 2016 campaign and asked the public to nominate women who have inspired them with their achievements.

RELATED: The Underneath We Are Women Photo Series Is a Body Positive Campaign You Can’t Miss

Seven thousand nominees and 12 months later, Panache launched its new “Role Models” campaign with the six finalists that the public voted for, and they all deserve the utmost respect for the work that they do and accomplishments they’ve made.

Take Anja Loven, for example. In 2013, she sold everything she had in her native Denmark and moved to Nigeria to set up the African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation, that takes care of children abandoned by their families after being accused of witchcraft.

RELATED: Here’s a Look at Lena Dunham’s Unretouched Lingerie Campaign

After her battle with ovarian cancer plus-size model Elly Mayday started giving talks about her inspiring story, as well as promoting body positive mentality. She was also featured in the documentary A Perfect 14, which highlights the lack of diverse body sizes in the media.

Sylvia Blach is an ambassador for disabled people in her native Poland. Her blog “Rozkosze umysłu” (Pleasures of the mind), inspires other wheelchair-bound women to follow their dreams and not let their disability define their life.

We told you! This is one of the most beautiful campaigns we’ve ever seen—PERIOD.

To read more stories and see the gorgeous images from the campaign, head to Modelled by Role Models.

 

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com/MIMI.

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Ashley Graham Debuted ANOTHER New ‘Do at the 2016 VMAs

Photo: courtesy of BH Cosmetics

Another day, another new look from Ashley Graham. Not only is she killing her Insta game per usual, and obviously dishing major hair and beauty inspo on her new ANTM gig, but the Sports Illustrated cover vixen showed up to the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards looking fierce. But that’s not nearly all, folks. As you may recall, a little over a week ago, Ms. Graham went blonde.

Then, she upped the ante, like majorly, by getting an uber chic lob. But guess what? Turns out this supermodel wasn’t planning on stopping there. She made her red carpet debut last night as a freshly trimmed member of the chin-grazing choppy bob club.

Photo: Getty Images

RELATED: Ashley Graham Gave Honey Blonde Hair a Moment

And it looks so dang good on her. Is there any look she can pull off? Not to mention, it just further frames her stunning face. We don’t know if she’s going to change her look up again in the next five minutes, but all we can say is we are so looking forward to what she does next.

But that’s not all, you guys. We were lucky enough to catch up with Ashley on the red carpet and we got the skinny on her whole look, specifically her custom Naeem Khan gown that left very little to the imagination. She tells us, “I wanted to show off my body, but make sure it was red carpet appropriate. I love showing my body off in lingerie, so why not?” Um, who else wants to rock a naked dress to work tomorrow? You’ll probably need Ashley’s tip for getting into that showstopping number, though. Her tip? “You step into it, and go, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.” Done.

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com/MIMI.

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