Madeleine Aggeler

Washington, D.C., United States

Lifestyle and Wellness Reporter at The Guardian

love to laugh!! lifestyle and wellness reporter for @guardianus madeleine.aggeler at theguardian dot com

Articles

Four tips for home care, from vacuuming your mattress to … cleaning your dishwasher?

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

I am fairly tidy. I stay on top of vacuuming and laundry; I wipe down counters and sinks. But when it comes to appliances and structural issues at home, I don’t know a thing. If you told me my AC was run by a family of small penguins who blow cold air through the vents, I probably wouldn’t believe you, but nor would I have a better explanation. Enter: Kyshawn Lane, the man behind the wildly popular Instagram account Weekly Home Check.
This livestream of baby bald eagles is the only thing keeping me sane

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

The internet is an unpleasant place, full of grim headlines, misinformation and social media content designed to make you feel ugly and unsuccessful. But there are good bits too. Take Jackie and Shadow, a happy couple who live in a home with breathtaking views of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino county, California. They currently have two children, Sunny and Gizmo, who are preparing to leave home and make their own way in the world.
Cleanse, moisturize and protect: how to start a skincare routine

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

To hear many social media influencers tell it, a proper skincare routine requires dozens of expensive lotions and potions applied in complex, multistep sequences multiple times a day, and an understanding of advanced chemistry that would put Marie Curie to shame. As customers stock up on all the creams, toners, masks and acids the epidermis supposedly requires, companies are cashing in.
Do you really need to do Kegels? Physicians on five common pelvic floor myths

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

The pelvic floor is an essential but often overlooked and misunderstood part of the human body. Some people don’t even know they have one. “We’re never really taught about it,” says Dr Sara Reardon, a board-certified pelvic floor therapist and author of Floored: A Woman’s Guide to Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage.
Why do I get car sick and my boyfriend doesn’t? I asked experts

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

The other day, I tried to read an email on my phone while in the backseat of a moving car. Almost immediately, I was overwhelmed with nausea. Next to me, my boyfriend was happily scrolling through news articles. He tried to show me a headline, but I was too busy staring out the window, breathing deeply and trying not to vomit. This happens basically any time I am in a moving vehicle that I am not personally piloting. It’s a little embarrassing.
Antihistamines, masks and showers: how to manage seasonal allergies

3 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

Allergy season is always rough, and it has only been getting worse. Warming global temperatures and an increasing number of extreme weather events have made the pollen season in North America 20 days longer than it was in 1990, according to one 2021 study. “Pollen seasons are effectively year-round in some parts of the country,” says Melanie Carver, the chief mission officer at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
‘An optimal state of consciousness’: is flow the secret to happiness?

4 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

What is the secret to happiness? In a 2004 Ted Talk, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi boldly claimed to have the answer: flow. Flow is the experience of being completely absorbed in a particular task. Sometimes we call it being “in the zone”. Csikszentmihalyi described it in his Ted Talk as an “effortless, spontaneous feeling” and an “ecstatic state”.
Five people break down their wellness budgets: ‘incredibly expensive and time-consuming’

1 month ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

What does it take to be well? The answer varies from person to person. For some, it may require prescription medication and yoga classes; for others, it could be a vegetarian diet and regular doctor visits. One thing is certain: it costs money. Americans spend more than $6,000 (£4,500) per person a year on wellness, according to the Global Wellness Institute. This makes the US “the largest wellness economy by far”. In the UK, per capita average wellness spending is $3,342 (£2,505).
Five people break down their wellness budgets: ‘incredibly expensive and time-consuming’

1 month ago | aol.co.uk | Madeleine Aggeler

What does it take to be well? The answer varies from person to person. For some, it may require prescription medication and yoga classes; for others, it could be a vegetarian diet and regular doctor visits. One thing is certain: it costs money. Americans spend more than $6,000 (£4,500) per person a year on wellness, according to the Global Wellness Institute. This makes the US “the largest wellness economy by far”. In the UK, per capita average wellness spending is $3,342 (£2,505).
How to start … anything: expert tips for trying something new

1 month ago | theguardian.com | Madeleine Aggeler

The hardest part of any new habit or activity is starting it. Do you need special equipment? How do you know if you’re doing it right? What are the basics you need to master before you can take your practice to the next level? In the series How to start, we ask experts to break down how to start, well, anything – including weightlifting, running, dating and talking to strangers. How to start runningRun for short periods, then walk to recover – this makes the workout more manageable.