Becoming a homebody doesn’t have to hurt. Here’s how to soothe stiff, achy muscles in minutes a day. — If you’ve been trying to stretch the kinks out of your work-from-home body but are still feeling tight and achy, there’s something else you can try: self-myofascial release (SMFR). Self-myofascial release, aka self-massage, is a physical therapy technique that involves applying pressure to muscles and fascia — the connective tissue…

Here’s why your body hurts and what you can do about it — Back tight? Knees sore? You’re not alone. It’s been just over a month since the first “shelter in place” order was issued in America — nearly one month since many of us were asked to physically isolate our already stressed-out, suboptimally nourished, sleep-deprived bodies to our homes (residences that may…

Personal protective equipment is only as effective as the person wearing it. Here’s how to avoid cross-contamination. — On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed course and began recommending the use of cloth face masks in public places where maintaining social distancing may be difficult. As Elemental previously reported, evidence supporting the use of cloth face masks isn’t great, but with studies showing that a…

When it comes to whether everyday citizens like you and me should cover our faces, experts are divided. Here’s why — and what to actually do. — The only thing moving faster than the novel coronavirus, it seems, is the guidance on who should be wearing face masks. On February 29, which was somehow only a little over a month ago, the US Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, tweeted: Despite the Centers for Disease Control…

Your workouts might look and feel a bit different — but that’s okay — Two months ago, I hopped on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon and set a goal of getting back into shape. I signed up for a month of unlimited yoga classes and started cycling again. But then the coronavirus pandemic happened. Suddenly I was tired and unmotivated. Seeing friends doing workouts…

Up to 25% of people experience obsessions and compulsions, but most don’t qualify for an OCD diagnosis. Researchers say that needs to change. — In early 2012, my mental health eroded. I was going through a break up, had a cancer scare, and was unexpectedly laid off from a job I loved. The resulting depression wasn’t a surprise (I’d been on an antidepressant off and on for most of my adult life), but the…

Sometimes when I take my bike out in the middle of the afternoon and ride up and down Cañada Road I feel a twinge of guilt. It reminds me of 9W — the road outside New York City that all the cyclists ride — and triggers memories of the way…

Redfin accounts should come with a Surgeon General’s warning.

If you want to support women’s sports, highlight our accomplishments, not our bodies. — A few months ago, a bike-industry acquaintance DMed me on Twitter. He said he wanted to get my thoughts on “this sort of stuff” and then directed me to the following photo. At first glance I thought it was a nice picture of a fellow cyclist. But then I…