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On Friday, the CDC reported that 279 pregnant women in the US and its territories have tested positive for Zika virus, which is nearly double the reported number of cases from earlier this month. As you likely know by now, the major concern around Zika is its potential to cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly, where a baby is born with a smaller-than-normal head. While an approximate 300 cases might seem small in the grand scheme of the American population, the level of alarm surrounding the virus’s potential to spread further and faster come summer is at an all-time high.

And the fact that the US government has been slow to act on preventative measures isn’t helping things: More than three months after President Obama requested a $1.8 billion emergency funding measure to fight Zika, the Senate finally passed a compromise bill of $1.1 billion (after a House Republicans’ $622 million bill was rejected for being far too low). That money will go toward fortifying US health systems to prevent, detect, and respond to Zika transmission; speed research and development of vaccines and diagnostics; and more.

MORE: Exactly What IS the Zika Virus?

The truth is, the US desperately needs that money to research Zika because part of what makes it so scary is how much we don’t know about it. There’s a lot: According to the CDC, we don’t know how likely a pregnant woman who has been exposed to Zika is to get the virus; how or when the virus will affect her pregnancy; or whether, if she does get Zika, her baby will have birth defects. Beyond birth defects—the immediate “worst outcome” of Zika—there are potential long-term consequences that we also don’t know much about.

The New York Times reports that while doctors in Brazil originally believed infections in the first trimester were most dangerous, later research found that mothers with later-stage infection also suffered from sudden death of infants in the womb, among other scary outcomes. Potentially more terrifying: Some experts who have studied the long-term consequences of another virus that attacks fetuses (called rubella), say they believe that even children who are infected with Zika and born without microcephaly, may still be at risk of blindness or deafness at birth, learning and behavior difficulties in childhood, or mental disabilities later in life.

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As for how soon it could affect you or women you know wherever you’re located, The Washington Post reports that the Aedes aegypti mosquito—the main species that transmits Zika—will become active in Southern states as soon as hot summer weather arrives, and from there, the spread of disease through mosquito bites and sexual transmission will inevitably follow.

Ronald A. Klain, the former White House Ebola response coordinator, says: “Once local transmission of Zika begins in a few weeks, authorities will face the hard question of whether women living in such areas—here, in the United States—should be instructed to delay becoming pregnant, and whether those who are already pregnant should be relocated. Domestic travel warnings also loom.”

It’s scary stuff, but we’re not saying you should freak out. That won’t help anything; plus, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, regardless of whether you’re single and child-free, hoping to have kids someday, or pregnant right now.

Here are the major ones:

• Prevent mosquito bites. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when you’re in an area with mosquitoes especially during the day, which is when Zika-spreading mosquitos tend to bite; stay in places with AC and window screens; use EPA-registered insect repellants with DEET or other active ingredients; and be extra-aware if you’ve recently traveled or are planning to travel to an area that’s already strongly affected by Zika.

• Use condoms, or abstain from sex. Even if you’re on oral birth control or use an IUD, in order to be totally safe, you should use condoms to prevent the exchange of fluids that could infect you. Live Zika virus has been found in men’s semen more than two months after symptoms of infection disappeared. And this applies whether you’re having oral, vaginal, or anal sex—basically, anything that involves semen. It’s not worth the risk.

• Be aware of travel plans. Whether they’re your own plans to take a trip somewhere that may be affected by Zika, or it’s a trip that your partner, friends, or family are planning to take (or have taken recently), be extra-aware that people who have been or plan to be in these Zika-concentrated areas have a higher chance of being infected, which increases your chance of infection. (If a non-Zika mosquito bites your friend, who isn’t showing symptoms but has the virus, and then bites you, Zika can be transmitted to your blood that way.)

While it might be inevitable that Zika will affect women in the US more than it has so far, taking steps to protect yourself and staying educated and up-to-date on the virus’s research and legislation can help lower your risk. It’s certainly worth being extra-careful when you’re spending time outdoors this summer.

MORE: 5 Foods to Boost Your Immune System Right Now

We already know that Victoria’s Secret model Jasmine Tookes is the kind of woman who enjoys steak and mashed potatoes for dinner—she told us all about her surprisingly normal diet earlier in the year. She also admitted that she considers a sausage-and-egg sandwich a perfectly legitimate breakfast choice, and hates nothing more than a juice cleanse.

Armed with this information, we kind of assumed the L.A. native spends the bulk of her free time inside the gym—you don’t get a body like that from eating whatever you want, right?—but apparently that’s not the case. Really! Tookes—whose captivating looks are thanks to European, African, Brazilian, and West Indian ancestors—sticks to just three fat-burning workouts per week, but focuses heavily on a combo of calorie-burning resistance training with heavy weights, and toning, lengthening barre classes.

We got the 24-year-old to share how you can re-create her exact weekly workout plan, so keep reading and bookmark this for your next gym visit.

MORE: All the Songs Top Fitness Stars Listen to at the Gym

Victoria’s Secret

Monday: Barre class
What I did: Worked out for one hour and 30 minutes. Today I did a barre class at Physique 57—it’s a great class for toning your muscles.
How I felt: I felt great. It is a difficult workout so my legs were a bit shaky and tired from the routine.
What I listened to: Each trainer at Physique 57 plays different music. All relatively upbeat to keep you going!

Tuesday: Rest day!

@jastookes

Wednesday: Lower-body weight training
What I did: I went to Dogpound, one of my new favorite gyms in New York City, for one hour. Today I worked on my lower body using a lot of weights.
Here was my routine:
Squats with a weighted bar (adding more weight each set)
Bulgarian squats with 20-pound weights in each hand
Assisted squats on a machine with 45 pounds
Step-ups with ankle weights
Lunges with 20-pound weights in each hand
How I felt: Exhausted and accomplished. I had an early call time for a shoot today. I was really tired from shooting all day, so it was very hard for me to be motivated to go to the gym.
What I listened to: I was listening to hip-hop music. I feel like hip-hop music fits best with doing weighted workouts. Makes you feel more badass.

@jastookes

Thursday: Rest day

Friday: Core workout
What I did: I went to Dogpound again and worked on my core for one hour and thirty minutes at 6 a.m. When working on my core we do a lot of exercises on the Bosu ball. One of the exercises I like to do is a plank with the Bosu ball turned upside down and my hands on top. While in a plank position I bring one leg to the outside and upward to touch my elbow and then return to a plank position, switching legs each time.
How I felt: I felt good. Today was a slower workout where I really focused on my muscles. Again, I had an early call time for a shoot. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I wanted to get a workout in before the job.
What I listened to: I was listening to Beyoncé’s new album Lemonade.

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Saturday/Sunday: Rest days
This week I chose to take my weekends off to just relax after the long work week! It’s really important that you get proper rest when you’re working out.

@jastookes

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With the Olympics looming, we called Gray and asked her to share the diet and fitness plan she’s following to prepare for the big competition. She chatted with us about her seven-hour workouts (seriously), her protein-filled meal plan, and the reason why her nutritionist approves of her late-night cookie binges.

For breakfast I have: A cup and a half of steel-cut oats, some brown sugar, a tablespoon each of flaxseed and chia seed, and two tablespoons of pumpkin seed. If it’s dry, I add soy milk to it or fresh berries like raspberries or blueberries. Then I have some granola and a half cup of chicken with half cup of mixed vegetables—I eat a lot! I usually do breakfast around like 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. This morning was different, though, I had an acai bowl and a spirulina green smoothie.

For lunch I have: Typically around 12.30 p.m. or 1 p.m., I have some sort of chicken or steak or something like that. I have 10 to 15 ounces of chicken or 8 to 10 ounces of steak and eat it with a salad.

Thai food. Or [sometimes I have] sweet potato with chicken or pork.

Today I’m snacking on: Chobani yogurt with chia seeds.

The one thing I would never eat is: I hate ketchup, I don’t eat any ketchup! I’m not big on potato or starch-family foods either, like rice. I’m much more of a pasta or bread person than rice. I’ll eat it with sushi, but I’d never have a bowl of rice.

My all-time favorite workout is: It’s probably just like a play-around wresting match where you get to do different tumbling exercises, tackling teammates, and having fun. My favorite warm-up is on a bike, and I use a dumbbells to do tricep and bicep exercises while I’m pedaling. I’m on the bike for around 10 minutes.

I think the health and fitness trend that will dominate in summer is: I’ve been seeing more jumping exercises using plyo boxes. I think with the Olympics coming up, they will become more popular with people wanting to jump higher, faster, and harder. I do them a little bit and have been getting into it more in the past. I put on a weight vest or do it on stairs, and then just do two sets of five jumps. I do low reps of plyo box jumps as I have a bad knee.

The health trend I just can’t get behind is: I think CrossFit, people aren’t trained well enough not to hurt themselves. It concerns me—if you have a great coach it could be awesome—but if you’re not prepared you could end up with an injury.

My favorite healthy restaurant is: Mod Market in Denver, their salads are amazing. They just expanded to six different locations, and they’re all over Colorado, which has made me the happiest person. I have the Thai coconut chicken, and they do this coconut carrot. It’s so good.

Adeline Gray (blue) competing against Justina Distasio (red) in Toronto. Getty Images

My favorite healthy snack is: I’m trying to stay at the weight class I am now, so I eat cookies, but I run it by my nutritionist. It’s difficult to get enough calories with the amount of exercise I do, so I eat cookies for the same reason everyone else doesn’t want to eat them. I have three or so cookies before bed so I can keep weight on usually totaling 400 too 700 calories. Sometimes I get Subway cookies or I make banana trail-mix cookies.

My go-to smoothie ingredients are: Things with kale; typically kale, yogurt, frozen berries, with some sort of whole milk I think is best. That’s my morning recipe, and a scoop of protein powder.

My favorite Instagram accounts are: @fitnessmagazine and @howtogetabs.

The three ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are: Definitely chia seeds and things to make fajitas like chicken, vegetables, and Greek yogurt.

My signature healthy dish is: Probably fajitas. I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, I don’t add cheese and just have chicken and vegetables, so it ends up being this great healthy medley of bright vegetables, with garlic and onion.

MORE: 7 Female Olympians on the Biggest Issues Impacting Women in Sport

The health app I couldn’t live without is: I have My Fitness Pal and I have an iPhone that tracks my steps and lets me input my health stats. I have my blood pressure and stuff checked often, so I input the information on the phone so I can see it in the same place all at once.

The top three songs on my workout playlist right now are: Whatever is playing on Pandora, I don’t make playlists, I listen to whatever comes up next. My genres are R&B, country, and Top 40.

The best part of my job is: The ability to share everything with the people who I have fun with. My sisters get to come on trips with me, and my housemate just went on a trip with me to California. Now I’m excited to take my family with me to Rio. The experiences really aren’t the same unless you can share them with the people you love.

At the beginning of most days I: Try to meditate, but it doesn’t always work out, I struggle to find consistency. But usually breakfast, text my boyfriend, and then start my workouts.

My average week of workouts includes: It depends where we are in our [competition] cycle. Usually it’s five to seven hours of sweat time, but closer to a competition it’s four hours of sweating time and six of other stuff, and I take Sundays off. I will have two hard training days and then have a lighter day. The lighter day includes two easier workouts of an hour on the bike or a yoga session, or I will go and do some rehab with my knees or massage, or a combination of two of those on every other day.

I’m preparing for the Rio Olympics by doing: The same thing I’ve done for the last four years! I’ve been number one in the world for a couple of years now and know what I need to do to win. Staying on top of my sleeping habits is very important.

Fancy, lacy, made-to-be-seen underwear has its place, and that place is not at your 7 a.m. Pilates class, or on your afternoon run. Nope, any fabric or cut that’s remotely uncomfortable, scratches, itches, or doesn’t stay put has no business being at the gym. It’s why we’re always on the hunt for something more comfortable and less visible than ever before to wear when we work out.

In terms of health and hygiene, there are really only a couple of things to watch out for when it comes to workout underwear—New York-based gynecologist Dr. Avner Hershlag, MD told us that as long as you  change straight after exercise, it’s safe to wear whatever pair feels most comfortable. Apparently after exercise, your sweaty underwear becomes an “incubation land” for bacteria, so he suggests women “shower and dry after exercise, and change underwear during the day.”

With that in mind, we spoke with four women working in the fitness industry to find out the super-comfortable briefs and thongs that they wear when they workout. Click through to shop.

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Aside from perhaps Gwyneth Paltrow, we can’t think of anyone better to share their healthy smoothie recipes than model and organic-everything obsessive, Miranda Kerr. As expected, she told us her go-to is “alkalizing, nutrient-dense, and high in vitamins and minerals,” and after browsing her ingredients list (water from a fresh young coconut included), we have to say it looks pretty virtuous. Elsa Hosk also spilled the details on her very, very green favorite smoothie ingredients, as did Martha Hunt, and athletes such as track star Allyson Felix.

So if you’re in a smoothie recipe rut, stop ordering your morning Green Light straight off the Juice Press menu, and try these ingredients consumed by the world’s most fitspirational women. Click through the gallery to see exactly what these women are making. 

MORE: Miranda Kerr Shares Her Food and Fitness Diary

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Aside from the obvious reason why you might want to cinch your waist (ahem, crop tops), carrying extra weight around your midsection is also linked with health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and hormone issues.

Amy Shah, M.D., a double-board-certified doctor with training from Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard universities, specializes in helping people lose weight, detox, and resolve hormone imbalances using food, and told us that fat around your midsection can increase the risk of insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and spiked blood sugar levels. “The most alarming stat is that, regardless of BMI, people with thicker midlines have higher risk of premature death,” she said.

MORE: Shape Up with Anna Victoria’s Intense Full-Body Workout

Shah also emphasized the importance of sleep for anyone trying to trim their midsection—being tired can often lead to mindless eating and snacking, and reiterated how key it is to chug a ton of water (“more than you think.”)

It might sound obvious, but a vegetable-packed diet, cutting out all refined sugars and processed foods, and tossing out artificial sweeteners except for the occasional pinch of stevia are also crucial to losing belly fat, fast.

To help get you started, Dr. Shah devised a full seven-day eating plan to jumpstart your new eating routine and burn belly fat by next weekend.

Breakfast: Green vegetable juice made using one organic green apple, celery, cucumber, kale, half a lemon, one inch of fresh ginger, one teaspoon of turmeric powder, a few cilantro or parsley leaves, and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Follow with a protein shake made with one scoop of nondairy protein (hemp or pea protein), 1/2 cup fruit such as berries, one cup almond milk, half teaspoon vanilla extract or tablespoon cocoa powder.
Lunch: Large salad topped with avocado and dandelion greens with a simple olive-oil-and-vinegar dressing.
Dinner: Bean soup (like black-eyed pea soup), half sweet potato, and green salad.

Breakfast: One green juice and a chia-seed pudding made by blending two tablespoons of chia seeds with one cup of coconut milk, half teaspoon vanilla, two chopped dates, one tablespoon hemp seeds.
Lunch: Large green salad and half a sweet potato, roasted or grilled.
Dinner: Grilled cauliflower and seasoned quinoa.

Breakfast: Green juice and a protein shake.
Lunch: Creamy cauliflower soup with a salad. Make soup by slicing, blending, and heating one clove of garlic, one tablespoon of olive or coconut oil, one small head cauliflower, one cup of low-sodium veggie broth, one tablespoon of thyme leaves, a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Dinner: Mexican bowl using black beans, guacamole, tomatoes, cubed grilled sweet potato, salsa, lettuce, onions.

Breakfast: Green juice and chia-seed pudding.
Lunch: Leftover Mexican bowl.
Dinner: Grilled asparagus with seasoned cauliflower rice (available at Trader Joe’s).

Breakfast: Green juice and a protein shake.
Lunch: Leftover asparagus with a salad.
Dinner: Seasoned, grilled Brussels sprouts with sweet potato.

Breakfast: Green juice and chia pudding.
Lunch: Leftover Brussels sprouts with salad.
Dinner: Grilled portobello mushrooms with salad.

Breakfast: Green juice and gluten-free pancakes.
Lunch: Leftover grilled portabella mushrooms.
Dinner: One grain-free naan with spinach.

Really, choosing a new yoga mat should be an easy task, but when you start considering all of the options, the decision can become harder, fast. Will this mat hold it’s grip while you’re stretching through downward dog? Is that fabric eco-friendly? Will it become slippery during Bikram? These are the important questions that need answering before you commit. With this in mind, we’re spotlighting the best 10 yoga mats to shop online right now, no matter what your budget or your yoga style. Namaste!

MORE: Infrared Yoga Is the New (Hot) Fitness Trend to Try

Nothing motivates a summer health kick like shopping for new sports bras, tanks, tights, and more activewear that makes you look (and feel) good while working out. And, now that the weather has officially turned from cold to sweltering, the number one thing on our activewear shopping lists are sporty shorts that are totally appropriate when you’re going for a run, or simply running errands.

That’s why we’ve compiled an edit of 15 next-level sporty shorts you can add to cart now and wear to the gym later. Keep clicking!

MORE: This 7 Day Diet Promises to Burn Belly Fat

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I spent the better part of 2014 completely avoiding all seafood after experiencing what I later learned was a panic attack and not an allergic reaction to shrimp, like I’d thought. The initial episode came out of nowhere—I was sitting on the beach eating lunch with my family when I started freaking out, my heart began racing, I couldn’t breathe, and I found myself in an ambulance convinced I was having an anaphylactic reaction. Within 15 minutes, the paramedic ruled out any problems with my lungs, throat, or heart, and suggested I needed a therapist rather than an allergist.

Bizarrely, I didn’t even realize I was stressed until the anxiety manifested in the full-blown attack that felt far more physical than mental, a reaction clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Susan Albers recently told me is actually very common. “Sometimes [a panic attack] feels like a heart attack, and often a person’s first hypothesis is that it’s an allergic reaction, because the symptoms are so physical it makes perfect sense for this to be your first assumption,” she said, adding that people often don’t realize they’re anxious until they’re hit with that first attack. 

I’m definitely not alone in this experience either—anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million adults in the U.S., which is roughly 18 percent of the population. Often panic attacks send sufferers straight to the emergency room, but Dr. Albers says there are ways to diagnose—and deal with—an anxiety attack that may be helpful before calling 911.

A panic attack is your body going into fight-or-flight mode.

A panic attack’s essentially your body’s flight-or-fight system going into overdrive after perceiving a threat, even though you’re usually not in any real danger. Dr. Albers calls it an “emotional tsunami”—a response that was crucial to the survival of our specials many, many years ago, but can be set off by non-life-threatening triggers in modern life, such as stress at work, financial problems, or relationship breakdowns. “It’s setting off stress hormone cortisol that gears your body to fight some sort of stress. If you had a real stress, you need to be prepared to charge, which is why your heart beats faster and your lungs breathe faster, as if there’s a real threat,” she explained.

Symptoms can feel like a heart attack, allergic reaction, or food poisoning.

Panic attacks might involve difficulty breathing; chest pains; sweating; a pounding heart; dizziness, or feeling faint, trembling, nausea, or tingling. Dr. Albers explained it’s common to confuse a panic attack with a heart attack, food poisoning, dehydration, or even a food allergy as you might feel as though you can’t breathe. “In extreme circumstances, people go to the emergency room,” she said. If you do end up in the ER, a doctor will come to the conclusion that you’re having an anxiety attack after completing a full physical exam and determining that there’s nothing wrong with your lungs or heart and after ruling out allergies. 

The good news is that the feeling will eventually pass. “They can be very scary, truly terrifying and sometimes embarrassing, but it’s important to remind yourself that the attack will end,” Dr. Albers said.

MORE: Are Sound Baths the New Meditation?

Anything can trigger an attack.

Anything from receiving a huge bill in the mail to seeing someone you don’t get along with could trigger a panic response. Some things are repeated and tangible triggers, but others are less obvious, like a thought or a feeling or being stressed in general. Also, some people just seem to be more susceptible to attacks than others. “You are more likely to experience panic if you have a family member who also experiences anxiety. It’s often just the way a person is wired; whereas one person may experience nervousness or fear in a situation, the anxious person’s system kicks off a fight-or-flight response as if this is a real emergency,” Dr. Albers explained. 

Breathing exercises and simple meditation can help.

Trying to talk someone out of a panic attack with rational thoughts rarely works; instead, Dr. Albers says breathing exercises are “critical” to calm your body down if you feel an attack coming on. “Slowing down your breathing signals to your brain to calm down and move back into a relaxed state,” she said, recommending breathing apps like Relax Lite and Breath2Relax. Full-body scans are another good way to bring yourself out of an episode: “Anxiety is often about thinking about the past or future that you can’t control, so bringing your mind to the present with a body scan can help. Start at the top of your head and work your way down by tensing and releasing your muscles; it makes you feel empowered and in control your body,” Dr. Albers suggested.  

One of the biggest fears associated with panic attacks is that after the first episode, people can develop anxiety about the possibility of experiencing another one. So, you can literally have anxiety about your anxiety. After getting a physical to rule out any other illnesses, practicing breathing techniques and using relaxation apps regularly can help negate some of that stress and help you feel armed to deal with a panic attack where and when it is triggered. “Feeling confident that if you have a panic attack you have tools to cope with them can be really helpful,” she said. “The one thing you can control is whether you’re ready to deal with the anxiety.” 

Therapy and medication are also tools available to help deal with anxiety, something Dr. Albers recommends with lifestyle and dietary changes. “Eating more vitamins and minerals, particularly magnesium, and those found in pumpkin seeds and green leafy vegetables help keep your nervous system running well.” 

At the end of the day, Dr. Albers says it’s all about recognizing the symptoms and knowing that the panic attack will pass. “That helps people through it, knowing it isn’t forever and it’s a period of time that you just need to ride out, almost like riding a wave,” she said. 

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Wenn

Women smokers looking to kick the habit could have a higher chance of success if they do it during a specific phase of their menstrual cycle, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. Mark your calendars: The same days when you’re ovulating—a.k.a. the luteal phase of your cycle, right before your period starts—are the ones when you may be most likely to make the “good decisions” that can lead to putting down the pack permanently.

MORE: Is THIS the Only Hangover Cure That Works?

The researchers studied 38 healthy female smokers to find out how their ability to quit changed based on their menstrual cycles, theorizing that the natural fluctuations in ovarian hormones that happen over the course of a woman’s monthly cycle could impact her decisions around rewards. (Makes sense—how much likelier are you to crave carbs or chocolate when you’re PMS-ing or on your period than not?)

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The women were separated into two groups—those in the luteal phase of their cycle and those in the follicular phase, which starts with your period and continues until you ovulate and during which your ovaries prepare to release an egg. In brain scans, the women who attempted to quit smoking during their follicular phase showed reduced connectivity between the part of the brain that’s associated with “good decisions” and the region associated with rewards. The result: These women were at a higher risk of smoking relapse than the other group who tried to quit during the luteal phase.

MORE: Why Men who Smoke and Drink are More Attractive

It may seem counterintuitive that the time when many women feel crappiest, during ovulation and right before our period, is the moment we also have more self-control and willpower—but that’s exactly what the study found.

The researchers added that these results could point to the possibility of improving other addictive behaviors such as alcoholism or eating foods high in fat and sugar: “[The findings] may be generalizable to other behaviors, such as responses to other rewarding substances,” said senior author Teresa Franklin, PhD, a research associate professor of Neuroscience in Psychiatry at Penn’s Center for the Studies of Addiction.

Maybe this means we all have a little more willpower over those preternaturally powerful PMS cravings, too.

Lately there has been a lot of discussion around women and sleep—Arianna Huffington boldly asserted in her new book The Sleep Revolution that we are in the midst of a “sleep-deprivation crisis” that is hurting our relationships, sex life, career, and overall happiness. Not getting enough shut-eye has even been linked with health issues and bad eating habits—and according to the CDC, about a third of us get less than six hours of sleep. Add to that some research suggesting women are more likely than men to struggle with falling and staying asleep, and Huffington’s assessment sounds a little less hyperbolic.

We’ve heard all the classic sleep advice a thousand times, such as avoiding technology, dimming the lights, turning your phone off an hour before bed, or cutting down your caffeine intake, but who actually does that? Herbalists also suggest taking supplements at night including magnesium to help you relax, and some people swear by meditation, but the one habit that’s been proven to help even the most chronic insomniacs—and you might actually follow through with—is yoga.

Melissa Ambrosini, Insta-famous yoga instructor and author of Mastering Your Mean Girl, says there are specific poses you can try before bed to “tune into any areas of your body you might be holding onto tension” and relax for the best sleep of your life. She showed us her favorite before-bed sequence that involves just four simple poses, but each is engineered to help you chill out, release tension, and drift off to sleep. Keep scrolling and try these tonight to catch some quality zzzs.

Forward bend (Melissa Ambrosini)

Forward bend

What it does: Forward bend helps stretch the entire back of your body, especially your back muscles, which may get tight from sitting all day at work. “This pose invigorates the nervous system by increasing blood supply and makes the spine supple,” Ambrosini said.
How to do it: Stand straight with feet together and arms alongside the body, or sit with your legs straight in front of you. Balance your weight equally on both sides. While breathing in, extend your arms overhead if you’re upright and forward if you’re sitting. Breathing out, bend forward and down toward the feet. Stay in the posture for 20 or 30 seconds and continue to breathe deeply. On the out breath, move the chest toward the knees, let the head relax and move it gently toward the feet. Keep breathing deeply.

MORE: Here’s What an Herbalist Can Do for Your Acne, Stress, and PMS

Butterfly pose (Melissa Ambrosini)

Butterfly

What it does: Ambrosini says this pose can help “remove fatigue from long hours of standing or walking,” making it perfect for your end-of-day practice. “It’s also a great stretch for inner thighs, groin, and knees, which is a common area we hold a lot of tension,” she added.
How to do it: Sit upright and bring heels of your feet toward your groin, splaying knees out and spine straight. Bring hands to feet and open your legs like a book. Inhale; lift out of lower back. Exhale; fold over and soften your shoulders. Take deep breaths through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

Child pose (Melissa Ambrosini)

Child pose

What it does: This is supposed to be a “deeply relaxing stretch for the back,” which, according to yogis such as Ambrosini, can also help calm the nervous system and help you get a solid eight hours of uninterrupted sleep.
How to do it: Start in a kneeling position and drop your butt toward your heels as you stretch the rest of your body down and forward. In the fully stretched position, rest your arms in a relaxed position along the floor, rest your stomach comfortably on top of your thighs, and rest your forehead on the mat. You should feel a mild stretch in your shoulders and buttocks and down the length of your spine and arms.

Legs up the wall pose (Melissa Ambrosini)

Legs up the wall

What it does: To finish your sequence, this pose is the easiest (seriously, you just lie there) and is supposed to relieve tired legs and feet while increasing the blood supply to the brain. Ambrosini says this move has the power to “relieve mild headaches and calm the mind.”
How to do it: Sit sideways close against a wall. Bring up one leg, then the other, as you come to your back with legs extended up the wall. Extend the arms out along your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes and breathe as you relax into the pose. If you like, place an eye pillow over the eyes to block light. Lie here for 10 minutes or as long as you wish.

MORE: Try This Pilates Sequence to Tone Your Butt

Quincy Davis

It’s one thing to ask models, bloggers, and fitness Instagram stars to share their diet and exercise secrets, but in the lead up to summer there’s really no one better to dish out details on their healthy lifestyle than a bona fide surfer girl. Specifically, we’re talking about Montauk, New York-based pro surfer Quincy Davis who chatted with us about the smoothie she makes before her morning surf, her favorite healthy takeout, the healthy snacks she swears by, and the (non-surf related) workout that keeps her in shape while on dry land. Come on, admit it–you’ve always secretly wanted to be a surfer girl. Well, now at least you can eat and workout like one.

For breakfast I had: A green smoothie with nut butter. The nut butter (my favorite is cashew) is protein which my body desperately needs after a surf.

For lunch I had: A fish taco in brown rice wrap with a non dairy chipotle sauce and side salad.  I usually eat around 1 p.m.

For dinner I had: My friends and I had a BBQ, I had a turkey burger with side of asparagus and broccoli. I try not to eat after 7 p.m.

Today I snacked on: Banana and peanut butter. This is my favorite combo ever as I love a little sweet and salty treat.

The one thing I would never eat is: Spam, ever again. My friend tricked me into eating it, and I’m still upset with her! Haha!

Quincy Davis

My all-time favorite workout is: Surfing.

I think the health and fitness trend that will dominate this summer is: Boxing.

The health trend I just can’t get behind is: Bone broth. I hear it’s amazing for you, but definitely not for me.

My favorite healthy restaurant is: When home in Montauk my go-to is Happy Bowls for smoothies and acai bowls. For food I love Joni’s–it’s an organic café and I absolutely love their Gon’ Fishin wrap.

My favorite healthy snack is: Veggies and homemade hummus.

MORE: Anna Victoria Shares Her Favorite Body-Shaping Workout

My go-to smoothie ingredients are: Frozen banana, spinach, frozen mango, cashews, coconut milk, and maca powder.

Quincy Davis

Some of the fitness blogs I love are: Deliciously Ella has amazing super-healthy recipes.

My favorite Instagram accounts are: Whalebone Magazine, Garance Dore, STYLECASTER and all my friends! It’s the best way to keep track as we’re always moving around.

The three ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are: Banana, coconut oil, and avocado.

My signature healthy dish is: Baby kale salad with chickpeas, dates and walnuts with just some lemon and sea salt. I’m not the best chef, but I can make a great salad.

The health app I couldn’t live without is: MindBody–it’s great for workout class schedules and times.

The top three songs on my workout playlist right now are: “Panda” by Desiigner, “Sorry” by Beyonce and “Don’t Let Me Down” by Chainsmokers.

Quincy Davis

The best part of my job is: The places it takes me. I love to travel and surf waves around the world. Carrying a board bag is a bit challenging but I think of it as part of my workout.

At the beginning of most days I: Drink lots of water, then go get a coffee with almond milk and check the waves.

When I workout I: Try to surf everyday if there are waves. If not I like to take a class, Tracy Anderson or Pilates are my favorites. I also run along the cliffs, it’s so gorgeous and I’m surrounded by fresh ocean air, but I definitely need to keep my eye on my footing.

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Anxiety has a charming way of making one feel as if they’re utterly alone, which is a cool trick when you consider that, according to a new review out of the University of Cambridge, about 4 percent of people worldwide have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Maybe we’re not so alone after all, huh?

Of that 4 percent, the highest prevalence is in North America, with nearly 8 out of 100 struggling with anxiety—and women of all ages all over the world get the brunt of it, as they’re almost twice as likely as men to be affected by the telltale symptoms of worry, fear, and general unease. The BBC writes, “[Lead researcher] Olivia Remes said this could be because of hormonal fluctuations or because women are more prone to stress in general, or because of their traditional role of caring for the young.”

MORE: A Guide to 5 (Free!) Anti-Anxiety Apps Everyone Should Be Using

Essentially, the review suggests that women tend to be more anxious overall because they just have more to worry about, though it’s possible that differences in brain chemistry between the genders has something to do with it. There’s also the fact that men are less likely to report anxiety symptoms, leaving the statistics scale tipped dramatically toward women.

These new findings are crucial, especially because, as Remes says, “There has been a lot of focus on depression, which is important, but anxiety is equally important and debilitating; it can lead to the development of other diseases and psychiatric disorders, increase the risk for suicide, and is associated with high costs to society.” To wit, HealthDay says that anxiety disorders are estimated to cost $42 billion a year in the United States, which is about $42 billion minus $25 times the price of an Ativan refill with health insurance.

MORE: 6 Completely Natural Ways to Fight Anxiety

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I have felt both personally victimized and at risk of grave injury in all of the five SoulCycle classes I’ve ever taken, a situation I resolved by never going again. Unfortunately, Carmen Farias, of California, was not so lucky: According to court documents obtained by People, Farias is suing the company for negligence after being “shamed” by an instructor, which she says led her to become “catastrophically injured.”

Farias was 20 minutes into her first class, led by Angela Davis, alongside coworkers in July 2014 when she felt her legs begin to weaken and tried to slow down. She alleges that Davis, who happens to be Oprah’s go-to instructor, “barked” at her and the rest of the class, saying, “We don’t take breaks.” The document continues, “The shame caused Carmen to momentarily attempt to pedal faster.… Her legs were shaking. Carmen had to stop the pedals from turning, but she did not know how to stop the pedals.” (Pedal backwards.)

MORE: Your Complete Guide to Recovering After a Workout

The lawsuit also says that Davis failed to explain to the class how to use the bike properly and how to stop it from spinning, or how to remove her shoes from the pedal’s clips. “Carmen was in serious peril,” the document claims. “Fatigue and disorientation overcame [her] and she fell to her right and off of the saddle of the spinning cycle.” Farias repeatedly dislocated her left ankle as the pedals continued to turn. By the time the whole thing came to an end, her attorney states, “Carmen had been catastrophically injured.”

I would like to add that if everyone who has ever felt like they were in “serious peril” during a SoulCycle class decided to sue, the company would have gone bankrupt a looooong time ago. That’s what waivers are for.

MORE: 10 Trendy Workout Classes Everyone’s Flipping for Right Now

The 80/20 rule of eating has hit Hollywood hard. Olivia Munn, Miranda Kerr, and Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady have all gone on record of late to report that they stick to the rather stringent diet plan, and now Kate Bosworth has thrown her hat into the ring, saying that she swears by a menu consisting primarily of “lean meat, fruits, avocados, walnuts, eggs, and olive oil,” according to Self. In general, she’ll eat things that are not on that list 20 percent of the time, but while she shoots “The Art of More,” a TV show no one has ever heard of a drama for Crackle, she has also cut out wheat, sugar, and most dairy, though she inexplicably draws the line at goat cheese, milk, and ketchup. “Ketchup is the indulgence that I never give up. Ketchup on everything,” she said. Ooookay—ew.

Though there seem to be variations on the 80/20 rule, the basic premise is that you eat really well 80 percent of the time, and allow yourself to indulge to round out your diet. But that 80 percent can still be delish. In addition to eating “like three avocados a day,” Bosworth also shared an amazing recipe with In Style. “I’ll just sauté and warm up some chickpeas in olive oil and salt and pepper,” she said. “You can add anything. You can add garlic, chili flakes, anything you want to pack it up. Then, I’ll usually chop up an avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, sometimes I pickle beets, pepitas, a little bit of goat cheese. Then, I make my own vinaigrette. It’ll be like olive oil, Dijon, and a little bit of rice wine vinegar. You can add anything. You can throw in some cilantro, some fresh herbs, but that’s super, super quick and the chickpeas have such great complex carbs, high protein, and avocado is good fats.” TBH, that doesn’t sound “super, super quick” to us—let’s call a spade a spade—but it does sound pretty scrumptious.

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As for exercise, Bosworth endorses the idea of moderation these days. “I had a hard time with my exercise routine because I felt like it had to be an hour, and it had to be really rigorous and intense,” she told In Style. “Then, I realized you can go down and get on the treadmill for 20 minutes, and you’ve done something.”

She elaborated on her exact workout plan to Self. “I love to run now, but if I’m going to the gym, I run about two and a half miles,” she said. “When I first started, I was like, ‘This is so hard. I don’t know how I’m ever going to get used to this. It’s impossible.’ But I also knew when I was done with it, I felt so good. I was like, OK, if I can just keep that in mind, then it’ll start feeling good and I’ll just remember what the effect is. If I’m in a routine with anything, it gets easier and more enjoyable. I also really love Pilates and horseback riding. That’s my favorite exercise, really.”

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Lest you think she has the ongoing discipline of an unearthly being, though, she was quick to point out to Self that she is all about swilling whiskey, eating burgers, and cooking ragu when she’s hanging with her husband, Michael Polish, in Montana.

Veil

Mango began catering to Muslim customers with a Ramadan-focused collection last month, Uniqlo teamed up with Muslim fashion designer and blogger Hana Tajima on a chic yet appropriately conservative collection around this time last year, and in January Dolce and Gabbana made headlines unveiling a collection of hijabs. So yes, it’s safe to say brands are looking to capitalize on the fact that not every woman who sweats it out at the gym wants to do so in a tiny Ivy Park sports bra and skin-tight bike shorts—despite what Instagram might have you believe.

Now, there’s Veil, a stylish, modest activewear collection that appeals directly to what founder Ahmad Ghanem thinks is a “huge” market of women who are conservative or religious—and fit. “It’s a huge market. You’ll notice a lot of big fashion brands moving into the modest world and some even releasing exclusive collections that cater to modest consumers. Athletic brands haven’t really got the gist of it yet so we’re proud to put our foot forward first.” The startup clothing company has raised nearly $16,000 of its $26,000 goal on Kickstarter, and the line is available to preorder right now with prices ranging from $49 to $59.

MORE: How 6 Pieces of Performance-Enhancing Activewear Can Boost Your Workout

As you could probably imagine, there aren’t a ton of options available to fit women who are both conservative and fashion-minded, which is why Veil’s 23-year-old founder decided to fill the gap. “We noticed the scarcity of options available for women, especially with sportswear,” Ghanem told us, adding that while there are existing sportswear options for women who are conservative or religious, the existing choices usually involve buying two or three sizes too large, or shopping in the men’s section. “Anybody can make modest attire, but we wanted to differentiate ourselves by giving that athletic, flashy, stylish vibe to complement the coverage. Nobody should have to sacrifice one for the other,” Ghanem added.

Veil

So far, the company has designed a zip-up sweater and a hoodie, and while your regular Lululemon or Adidas line might focus just on style or function, Veil also has to consider whether the garment is conservative enough for modest women. This means including coverage panels in the front and back, and designing a scuba hood that will replace a headscarf and won’t fall off. “When it came down to sizing, we had to work with a middle-ground mentality and create something that isn’t so tight, yet isn’t so loose,” Ghanem said, adding that the tops will be available in sizes ranging from XS to 3XL.

Next up, Veil’s looking at designing a swimwear collection in the same vein, but for now the focus is on raising the final $10,000 of its Kickstarter goal.

STYLECASTER

Day-drinking is fun and easy. It’s indulgent, even—what says I don’t have a single worry in this world better than a chilled bottle of rosé on a friend’s roof in the sunshine or skipping out of work early on a summer Friday to drink Aperol Spritz out of red cups in the park and keep your fingers crossed that there’s no police presence?

What is not fun, and not easy, is when 7 pm rolls around and your pleasant buzz and joie de vivre takes a turn for the groggy, with a dull headache to match. That’s it; you’ve been defeated. Game over, go home, pass out on the couch, wake up at midnight filled with self-loathing because you missed “Game of Thrones.” (The fact that you need to be ready for work in eight hours pales in comparison to that misstep.)

But there’s a better way to approach day-drinking that helps to avert the likelihood of an afternoon spent in a fugue state. You must know going into it that a spirit of adventure and reckless abandon does not apply here (well, alright, you might be able to swing it in small doses). Thoughtful planning beforehand is key, because most rational thought starts to go out the window real fast once the keg is tapped.

Sure, you could also not drink, but if that’s just not in the cards, then take some of the sting out of the morning/early-evening after by doing it right. Here, 5 crucial pieces of wisdom from the people who know best:

MORE: 20 Healthy (Alcoholic) Drinks to Sip This Weekend

You need to stay hydrated. Anyone and everyone—your mom, your most responsible friend, the volunteer paramedic in the medical tent at the second-tier music festival where water is $3 a bottle—will tell you this, because it’s true. “Having a glass of water in between drinks has always been my trick,” says culinary nutritionist and health consultant Mikaela Reuben. “A hangover is largely due to dehydration from alcohol,” confirms nutrition expert Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD, so staying on top of your water intake is essential.

Co-owner of East Village cocktail bar Goodnight Sonny Peter Canny prefers potassium-rich coconut water mixed with some cold-brew coffee for maximum hydration plus a hit of caffeine to keep you on your feet. Reuben also swears by a B complex vitamin before and after drinking: Alcohol prevents the body’s absorption of B vitamins, which are key for general mental and physical well-being, so replacing those nutrients is very, very important.

Eating to your advantage makes all the difference. The two huge slices of pepperoni pizza you devour three hours in may sound in theory like an effective way of sopping up alcohol and keeping the ball rolling, but having one large, carb-heavy meal isn’t the best way to do things—in fact, it’s basically like the food equivalent of taking an Ambien. “Start off by eating something healthy before you head out,” recommends Spano. “An empty stomach means you’ll get drunk sooner and make poor food choices later.”

A big, boring salad will do the trick and help to boost your nutrient intake, too, but it still isn’t enough to sustain you for a long day that turns to night. “Eating small plates throughout the day always helps,” says Canny. That’s right: Instead of waiting until you’re drunk and ravenous to order French fries and mac and cheese, keep yourself satiated with reasonably-sized, fairly nutritious snacks. Nuts, some pretzels, hummus, fruit salad, some sad rice cakes, a sandwich, whatever—just eat throughout the day to avoid that late-night binge, which will only make you feel shittier come morning (and by morning I mean when you wake up dizzy and disoriented in front of the TV at 3 am).

MORE: 21 Real People Spill Their Wildest Music Festival Drug Stories

Your drink of choice matters. Alcohol is alcohol, but a glass of wine affects you differently than a shot of tequila. Here’s a rundown: beer’s comparatively low alcohol content makes it a decent pick for all-day drinking, since you can down a lot of it without getting too smashed provided you pace yourself. It is awfully filling, though, so the bloat is the real downside. Wine is super acidic, which is irritating to the stomach, and the carbon dioxide in sparkling wines speeds up alcohol absorption so you get drunker faster, so if you think you’re being virtuous by taking a pass on the hard liquor, you may want to reconsider.

Clear spirits—vodka, tequila, and gin—are actually your best bets. (Avoid darker ones, they’re the worst; studies have shown that hangover severity from bourbon is twice that of vodka.) Steer clear of anything too sweet—and not to speak badly of your favorite $3 well drink spot, but the quality of the liquor also contributes to how bad your hangover will be, so it’s up to you to decide whether saving money by drinking the cheapest booze on the menu is worth the suffering later on. Problems also arise when you change up your drink frequently—”I make sure not to mix too many different types of drinks,” says Canny, because drinking all the alcohols means reaping all their unique ill effects.

There’s no shame in a power nap. Sometimes the best thing to do is take a breather, which can help stave off a much more serious must-sleep-now situation later on. “I work behind the bar enough on the weekend to witness people in full day-drinking mode,” says Canny. “Some should definitely go home and pass out, but others hold it together.” If you’ve already had too much and haven’t paced yourself properly, go home and pass out. You may not waking up feeling fresh, but you’ll at least have slowed your roll enough to rejoin the general public.

MORE: 15 Nutritionist-Approved Recipes That Help Beat Hangover Misery

Canny’s game plan, for when you find yourself dragging but can’t skip the party: “I start early, take a disco nap before dinner, shower and throw on some fresh clothes, eat a good meal, and throw back a shot of tequila or mezcal to get me back in the game.”

Then, the only thing left to do is to treat the aftermath accordingly. It’s very rare, practically unheard of, to wake up in the morning after a day-long excursion feeling like the world is your oyster, so even the most minimal hangover will require some triage. “The best way to recover the next day is to drink fluids,” says Reuben. “Adding lemon to water and eating citrus can help replenish vitamin C, and fresh coconut water and bananas are good for replacing potassium.” Eat smart, drink smart (hair of the dog is never a good idea), and make rest and hydration a priority. “We have to rehydrate and flush some of the toxins from the body, replenish the vitamins we lost, and catch up on sleep.”

Oh, and wear sunscreen! It’s not going to help your hangover, or give you a second wind after you fall asleep under a tree, but it will save you the trauma of getting a gnarly sunburn to complement your throbbing headache.

MORE: We Asked 28 Real People: What’s Your Foolproof Hangover Cure?

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We’ve read too many interviews with models who say they “hardly work out” or just “drink lots of water” to maintain their flawless good looks. And sure, genetics play a deciding role in who gets to walk on a Victoria’s Secret runway and the rest of us who just walk to the subway for our nine-to-five jobs, but you just know that these women must be saying no to extra fries and clocking serious hours at the gym too.

So, to find out just want the rich and beautiful do to stay, well, rich and beautiful, we asked Karlie Kloss to share her exact workouts from last week, and to give us a little insight into her diet. In addition to dominating the high-fashion space for a decade, Kloss has just been appointed a Swarovski brand ambassador—a top-tier gig also held by Miranda Kerr. Here, the supermodel shares with us the exact three workouts she sticks to every week. 

Go-to meals: I usually start my day with an egg white omelet with avocado and tabasco sauce and coffee with almond milk. Lunch is protein and vegetables or a Sweetgreen salad. Dinner is a lean protein like fish with greens and vegetables. For snacks, I always carry almonds, apples, and an oatmeal pack. and I also love anything with dark chocolate.

Nike

Workout goals: Increase my strength and flexibility.

Weekly workouts: I try to work out around four times a week. When I’m traveling or can’t get to the gym, I try to stay active as much as possible.

Diet mantra: I don’t follow a specific diet. Instead, I try to eat as healthy as possible and choose foods that make me feel great. I try to stick to lean proteins and vegetables with healthy snacks in between.

MORE: Miranda Kerr Shares Her Food and Fitness Diary

Favorite fitness classes: I’ve been loving group fitness classes [and] I’m really into AKT—I love using my skills from dance in a high-intensity workout. It’s a ton of fun and I always leave feeling rejuvenated.

Monday: AKT Progressive Happy Hour class
What I did: 90 minutes in the morning taking an AKT Progressive Happy Hour class that focused on cardio and strength intervals.
How I felt: Energized and limber. I love dancing so I always look forward to AKT.
What I listened to: The class had a killer playlist. It had everything from Beyoncé, Rihanna to some throwbacks!

Adidas

Tuesday: A long run and ab workout
What I did: Went for a long run outside and finished with ab exercises in the park by my house, [which took] 60 minutes. [I worked out in the] early morning—I had a very busy day!
How I felt: Great! I always feel strong after going on a run. I had a full day of work, so I woke up a few minutes earlier to give myself enough time to work out.
I listened to: I like to mix it up between current and throwback songs. Anything that’s upbeat and gets my energy going. [I usually listen to] Beyoncé anything, Rihanna, Drake, Bruno Mars, and The XX.

Adidas

Wednesday: Pilates
What I did: I took a 60-minute pilates class that focused on core and upper body in the evening.
How I felt: Relaxed and rejuvenated. I was a bit tired after a long day at work, but going to the class was worth it.

The school of thought surrounding fat in your diet has officially swung from avoid at all costs, to consume readily. Throughout the ’90s–until Atkins began really monopolizing the fad-diet industry in 2003, and we all promptly agreed to hate carbs instead—oily foods were the devil, lurking in any supermarket product not clearly marked with “low-fat” and just waiting to settle permanently only your hips. 

Now, of course, the tables have turned: Wellness tastemakers and thought leaders in 2016 can’t get enough of high-fat foods. Specifically: avocado, coconut, and plant-based fats. Health blogs have even started using the phrase superfats to really drive home the superfood-like qualities of this greasy, delicious food group. Perhaps my favorite myth to bust is that eating fats will make you become fat—because in fact the complete opposite is true. While definitely calorie-rich, a high-fat diet keeps you feeling full for longer, and has been shown to prevent overeating and help people to actually lose weight. There are thousands of experts—and plenty of research—that will back me up about this.

MORE: Your Complete Guide to Crystal Healing

Fats are also critical for healthy bodies (not just skinny ones) and can fight inflammation, including signs of aging, and help your heart, brain, eyes, and more. “Fat aids in brain and eye development (the brain itself is made up of 60 percent fat), regulates blood sugar, promotes tissue healing and proper immune function, and is critical for vitamin D synthesis,” nutritionist and author of Inflamed, Dr. Shelley Malone, spelled out for us. It’s also the vehicle your body uses to deliver certain vitamins (A, D, E, K) and nutrients that are believed to have a role in preventing cancer and inflammatories. “This is why not consuming enough fat could result in various skin symptoms, brittle nails, aching joints, depression, ADHD, diabetes, and weight gain,” Dr. Malone explained. 

Dr. Malone suggests eating one serving of oil with every single meal, whether it’s from seeds, nuts, fish, or avocado. You could try adding one or two tablespoons of oil as a salad dressing, or a couple of tablespoons when cooking—or you could click through the slideshow and try one of these (healthy) fat-filled recipes. Go ahead, eat the avocado!

MORE: Follow This 7-Day Diet for a Flatter Stomach

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There’s been a lot of talk about bisphenol A—BPA—lately, a synthetic hormone that mimics estrogen and is often used in cans, food packaging, hard plastic bottles, containers, even the receipts you get at supermarkets. Depending on who you talk to, BPA’s either harmless or a cancer and infertility-causing monster.

Some reports about BPA border on hysterical, warning against ever eating packaged foods or drinking from water bottles, while the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and American Chemical Council both continue to tell us to relax, as there’s no risk of the chemical actually causing harm. Then, there’s other research suggesting that BPA-free alternatives might share the same risks as the chemical itself, so you should just avoid plastic and cans altogether for the rest of your days.

As for why companies even use BPA: It’s relatively cheap to synthesize, and it’s key for crafting hard plastics that won’t fall apart when the temperature changes (like in the fridge or microwave.) It was first developed and investigated in the late 1800s for use as a synthetic estrogen—it wasn’t until the 1930s that we decided to forget about its hormone-disrupting qualities and use it to make plastic.

Regardless on which side of the fence you sit right now, the fact remains that there’s an alarming amount of conflicting—and confusing—information swirling around about bisphenol A. So here’s what you really need to know‚ from the products that contain the chemical, to the possible risks, and why the FDA hasn’t banned it.

What products am I using that have BPA?

Cheryl Rosenfeld is an associate professor of biomedical science at the University of Missouri, and told us BPA is found in a number of common household items, including “plastic containers, food cans such as soup, canned vegetables, and even cat and dog food cans, cardboard items, dental sealants, and print receipts.”

Nonprofit EWG just released a list of products that may contain BPA, publishing a searchable product database with a whopping 16,000 products from 926 brands. It found brands Campbell’s and Goya to be two big offenders when it comes to packaging with the synthetic. If you prefer to err on the side of caution, this database is a game-changing resource since companies using the chemicals don’t have to disclose it or include warnings on packaging.

How serious is the risk?

There have been around 1,000 animal-tested studies on BPA, and most show that the chemical may be linked to certain health issues, from changes in fertility to increased risk for cancers and heart issues. Rosenfeld says the risks are numerous and include “reproductive disorders in males and females, neurobehavioral disruptions, including learning and memory disorders, increased aggression in children, heightened anxiety, and social deficits that are similar to those observed in autistic children.”

Other studies show an increased likelihood for cancer, metabolic disorders (including greater risk for obesity and diabetes), and cardiovascular changes. Some research even suggests you only need to consume low dose to be at risk.

MORE: 101 Ways to Lose a Pound

Last year California officials added BPA to the list of about 800 chemicals requiring Proposition 65 notices, which basically means products with the chemical will also have to show a warning that they contain a chemical known to cause cancer or infertility. Since that decision the state has dragged its heels on enforcing the decision, but it still goes a long way to show just how dangerous BPA can be.

Why isn’t it banned?

Despite all of the independent research pointing to the dangers of BPA, FDA’s own studies haven’t proven any risks associated with BPA for adults (although it is currently restricted from baby products.) In 2012 FDA flat-out rejected a petition from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to ban BPA from food packaging, citing that the studies suggesting a risk were too small to be conclusive, and weren’t based on human results. “There remain serious questions about these studies, particularly as they relate to humans,” the FDA wrote in a statement following its ruling. Meanwhile other countries have been quicker to act—France, for example, bans all traces of BPA in food packaging.

How do I completely avoid BPA?

Yes, it’s scary stuff, but there are things you can do to limit exposure to BPA. Sophia Ruan Gushee is the author of A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures and has dedicated years to researching toxins like BPA. She suggests avoiding packaged products whenever possible—including takeout—and eating more organic whole foods. “Avoid canned foods and foods that are packaged in plastics,” she suggested. “Instead, eat fresh, whole foods that may also boost your body’s natural defenses against toxic exposures.” 

Also, she says not to take cash register receipts when you don’t need them. “While some governments have banned BPA from cash register receipts, BPS (bisphenol S) has often been the replacement chemical, which may cause even more hormone disruption than BPA,” she said.

Instead of using plastic containers to store your food and water, opt for glass or stainless steel. “BPA can leach from food containers into your food; and the leaching process is accelerated by detergents, extreme temperatures (such as heat from dishwashers and microwaves), and normal wear and tear,” Gushee said. If you decide to keep plastic food containers, toss out worn pieces.