Latest news with #Elektra
Axios
27-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
Midi launches insurance-backed longevity program for women
The women's telehealth company Midi said Tuesday it's launching a longevity care program that will be covered by private insurers nationwide. Why it matters: Longevity care is booming, but it mostly serves the wealthy. As preventive health messaging and midlife care becomes more common, telehealth businesses are pushing to broaden access. Midi is advertising the program, called AgeWell, as the first longevity offering designed specifically for women — and covered by payers in every state. The company contracts with some major health insurers including Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield and UnitedHealthcare. How it works: Accepted insurance will cover an annual diagnostic visit as well as hormone therapy, bloodwork and screenings. There isn't a membership fee, but copays could still apply. Patients who join will be asked to complete a panel of blood tests, come back for a virtual visit to discuss the results and receive a tailored care plan. What they're saying: This isn't "fancy longevity doctors and cash blood tests" or "biohacking," said Joanna Strober, CEO and founder of Midi Health. Women need "really good care that's grounded in biology, backed by science" that isn't just "reserved for rich people." Yes, but: Some genetic tests are not yet covered. Also, Midi is not in-network with managed care plans and doesn't participate in Medicaid or Medicare. Between the lines: As longevity becomes a health buzzword, more companies are thinking of ways to expand familiar services with preventive care in mind. Women, specifically, who are becoming more educated about menopause myths and outdated advice, are increasingly seeking personalized, expert care. Hormone therapy has also shown promise for longevity, not just treating perimenopause symptoms. What we're hearing: Telehealth companies including Elektra, which accepts insurance and government plans, are working to further expand plan offerings, Elektra's chief medical officer, Nora Lansen, told Axios earlier this year. "It's great that you're hearing about [menopause care] from celebrities and online, on social media and — you know — from your neighbor and your sister, but if you can't use your health insurance to pay for it. … That just feels not fair." On the policy front, there's been an uptick of menopause-related legislation in at least dozen states — some of which could expand insurance coverage, too.
Gizmodo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Charlie Cox Thinks Fans Could Make a Daredevil Movie Happen
Since 2015, Daredevil has dominated the small screen across his two shows on Netflix and Disney+. Fans have kept the character going on TV for the past decade, and actor Charlie Cox thinks that same passion could get ol' hornhead back on the big screen. In a recent interview at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Cox said he was the 'worst person to ask' about the chances of a Daredevil movie, since he knows jack all about it. Any questions or demands should go to 'the grown-ups,' aka Disney and Marvel. 'Write letters, just everyone write letters,' he urged. For him, the show's not too far removed from the cinematic experience, since the cast and crew got to watch the first two episodes of every season in theaters, something he thinks it absolutely 'deserves' for everyone, not just the people who made it. Now, Cox could probably be lying his ass off, a thing he's pretty good at doing when it comes to playing this character. If there were any time to bring him to the movies, fans think it'd be now: Deadpool & Wolverine reintroduced audiences to Jennifer Garner's Elektra (from the 2003 Daredevil and her own solo movie), and the recently delayed Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars are looking to bring the old X-Men back for one last hurrah. And if not there, there's always Spider-Man: Cox has already reprised the role for the animated Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day in 2026. Wherever Daredevil shows up next outside of his own show returning in 2026, Cox is happy to tell Matt's story and remains 'so thrilled to be here.' And if this is any indication, fans are ready to follow him anywhere. [via GamesRadar]
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ben Affleck's Daughter Violet Recalls Heated Argument With Mom Jennifer Garner Over L.A. Fires And Covid
Ben Affleck's daughter Violet Affleck recounted a furious argument she had with her mom, Jennifer Garner, in the wake of the destructive L.A. fires that affected most of the city earlier this year. Violet, who asserted that she was sure such an event would occur, said that she was "surprised at" Garner's bewilderment at the inferno. Ben Affleck's daughter is known for her activism as she demanded the imposition of "mask mandates" in medical facilities and called for an end to all "mask bans" following the COVID-19 epidemic. Ben Affleck's daughter, Violet, detailed an intense argument she had with her mom, Jennifer Garner, over climate change in an essay for Yale Global Health Review. The 19-year-old penned her thoughts about how climate change played a part in the L.A. fires that hit most parts of the city in January, noting how the behavior of the "wealthiest citizens" was a driving force behind the "climate crisis." In the essay, which she titled "A Chronically Ill Earth: COVID Organizing as a Model Climate Response in Los Angeles," Violet said she "spent the January fires in Los Angeles arguing with my mother in a hotel room." Violet established that while her mom was "astonished" by the disaster, she said she was "surprised at her surprise." "My question had not been whether the Palisades would burn but when," Violet continued, adding that the "Elektra" actress was "shell-shocked, astonished at the scale of destruction in the neighborhood where she raised myself and my siblings." "I was surprised at her surprise: as a lifelong Angelena and climate-literate member of generation Z, my question had not been whether the Palisades would burn but when," she added. Violet went on to note in her essay that not only was she sure that the disaster would happen, but that her perspective was quite different from everyone else's around her at the time. "As I chatted with adults in the hotel where we'd gone to escape the smoke, though, I found my position to be an uncommon one: people spoke of how long rebuilding would take, how much it would cost, and how tragically odd the whole situation had been," she penned. "The crisis was acute, a burst of bad luck. It had come from a combination of high winds and low rains," Violet Affleck wrote, arguing that society mishandles systemic crises like climate change and pandemics, treating them as isolated events rather than ongoing, interconnected problems needing long-term solutions. She went on to describe the "climate crisis" as "existential and accelerating," adding that it was "driven by unsustainable consumption patterns concentrated among the wealthiest citizens of the wealthiest countries, all of which have already subjected most of this country and the world to deadly temperatures, fire-flood cycles, rising seas, and dying crops." Elsewhere in her note, she pointed out how privilege and opulence heavily influence who gets help and who is ignored. "The FEMA assistance quickly rushed to homeowners in the Palisades – many of whom are significant political donors – has flowed much more slowly to Asheville, North Carolina, where thousands were stranded in disastrous floods in 2024," she wrote. Violet penned how the "stringent COVID-19 precautions" that were initially being observed during the pandemic "melted away as it became known that Black and disabled people were most vulnerable" to the illness and death. She argued that "centering disability justice and refusing eugenicist logics" are "essential to climate justice strategy." Violet, who hasn't stopped wearing a mask after COVID, has always been an advocate for healthier and safer public health practices. Last year, she demanded the imposition of "mask mandates" in medical facilities and called for an end to all "mask bans" in a passionate plea to the governing body for Los Angeles County, per the Daily Mail. "I demand mask availability, air filtration, and Far-UVC light in government facilities, including jails and detention centers, and mask mandates in county medical facilities," Violet said. "You must expand the availability of high-quality free tests and treatment, and most importantly, the county must oppose mask bans for any reason. They do not keep us safer." Meanwhile, her essay has been met with praise from Americans on the Internet. "She's an excellent writer and thinker! A good soul," an X user said. Another wrote, "This is a very well-written piece. Especially coming from a 1st year university student. She's going to be a force to be reckoned with. Thanks for posting this." A third person noted, "People like Violet give me hope. Not just for myself but for the world, in general. She's special!"
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ben Affleck's kind act to homeless man after his new film rakes in $25M at box office
Ben Affleck was seen extending a hand and doing a kind act to a homeless man in Los Angeles over the weekend. On his way to meet up with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, for their child's school play, the actor, 52, saw a man with a sign and handed him a stash of cash from his car window. This comes after his new movie, The Accountant 2, kicked off with an opening weekend that grossed a whopping $24.5 million. Later, he was seen parking and getting out of his car to meet up with his family. The Gone Girl alum kept a stoic composure as he strolled outside to his destination. He sported a casual yet stylish look as he paired his signature knit cardigan with a light gray denim jacket and medium-wash jeans. The sneakerhead — who recently explained why he refused to buy expensive shoes for his son Samuel in spite of his alleged $150 million net worth — donned colorful low-top kicks, one red and one blue, for his casual weekend excursion. Affleck shares three children — Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and 12-year-old Samuel — with his first wife Jennifer Garner. He was previously married to the Elektra actress from 2005 to 2018. He was married to and recently separated from his second wife Jennifer Lopez after two years of marriage. Earlier this week, a source claimed to In Touch that the Oscar winner is 'dating again.' They said that Ben is 'not giving up on love,' though his most recent romantic failure is reportedly still affecting him. However, he's reportedly 'looking forward to meeting someone new,' as the source claimed the Armageddon actor does best when he can count on 'the stability of being in a relationship.' And just a little over a week ago, Affleck celebrated the premiere of his latest movie, The Accountant 2, as it hit theaters on April 25. The film is the sequel to his same-name action thriller, which premiered nearly a decade ago in 2016. The movie debuted at the third spot domestically in its first weekend but has already grossed twice as much as his biggest directorial bomb Live By Night. In his new movie, Affleck stars opposite Jon Bernthal and J.K. Simmons. And in the short amount of time since its release and the initial SXSW premiere, The Accountant 2 has opened to critical acclaim. On the other hand, the original film, while a box office success, did not get the same reception and that may have attributed to the sequel's long delay. In the sequel, Affleck reprises his role as Christian Wolff as the forensic accountant teams up with his estranged but highly lethal brother to track down mysterious assassins. The Accountant 2 is now playing in theaters.
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Is muscle soreness after a workout good or bad?
Humans have long glamorized suffering, hailing it as an essential ingredient of growth. In the ancient Greek tragedy Elektra, Sophocles wrote: 'Nothing truly succeeds without pain.' In the 1980s, the actor and aerobics instructor Jane Fonda told people: 'No pain, no gain.' But when it comes to workouts, how much pain – specifically, how much post-workout soreness – is actually a good thing? The answer: it depends. 'It's not terrible if you become sore,' says Dr Michele Bird, a clinical assistant professor of applied exercise science at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, but soreness 'is not required to maintain our overall fitness level'. So how sore is too sore? We asked experts. Muscle soreness after a workout is also known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or Doms. Doms usually sets in 12 to 24 hours after a workout, says Bird. It feels like a dull achiness within the muscle. If the pain is sharp, or centered around a joint, that is probably not muscle soreness but something potentially more serious, says Bird. It's not exactly clear what causes muscle soreness, says Dr Sarah Kuzmiak-Glancy, an assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Maryland. Right now, she says, there is a general consensus within the medical community that the soreness we feel after a workout is a result of the body's repair mechanisms. 'When you do a workout, specifically resistance exercise – though also aerobic exercise to a degree – what you do is damage the muscle cells and connective tissue,' Kuzmiak-Glancy explains. As the body repairs this damage, it results in hypertrophy, or an increase in the size of muscle cells. This repair process can lead to soreness, which may be a result of inflammation that takes place while the body heals. Whatever causes Doms, it's not lactic acid, she says. But what about all the PE teachers who said soreness was the result of lactic acid buildup in the muscle? 'We have to kill this myth,' Kuzmiak-Glancy says. Lactic acid is an important chemical that the body uses to fuel muscles with oxygen. While it may be responsible for pain that occurs in the midst of exertion – the burn on your last three biceps curls, for example – it is generally metabolized and gone from the bloodstream within an hour. It depends on who you are and what your goals are. There are times when one might want to push their physical limits, Bird says – maybe you're trying to win a competition or achieve a personal record. Soreness after a workout like that is to be expected. But not every workout can or should be that intense. 'One of the most common mistakes we make is that we keep trying to make personal bests each time we work out,' Bird says. Instead, vary the type of exercise you do and the intensity of your workout – that way, the body has time to recover. You are more likely to be sore when you first start a new type of workout that moves your body in ways your muscles are not accustomed to moving. 'Soreness is your muscles learning something new,' says Jessie Diaz-Herrera, a certified fitness instructor and co-founder of Power Plus Wellness. Diaz-Herrera says that while some people 'associate soreness with doing a good job', others may already struggle with chronic pain and want to avoid any additional discomfort. 'We don't want to exacerbate that pain,' Diaz-Herrera says. Diet culture – which emphasizes appearance and control, and does not take mental and emotional wellbeing into account – has co-opted much of fitness culture, Diaz-Herrera argues. 'In reality, exercise is supposed to help our longevity,' she says. 'Our goal is to make sure we can functionally live better every day.' Soreness isn't necessary for that, she says. If you want to avoid Doms, Diaz-Herrera suggests measuring the success of your workout by asking yourself questions like: do I feel energized? Happy? Less stressed? And something is better than nothing, experts say. 'Every contraction of your muscle is better than no contraction,' says Kuzmiak-Glancy. Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion If your mobility is severely limited in the days after a workout, you've probably overdone it. 'If you can't get food to your mouth because your triceps are too sore so you can't bend your arm all the way, or you feel like you can't lower yourself on to the toilet with control because you went too hard on legs the day before, that's probably too sore,' says Kuzmiak-Glancy. Additionally, if Doms lasts longer than three days, 'we've probably pushed well past our limits', Bird says. Generally, it's fine to exercise when you're feeling a little sore, experts say. But exercising when you are experiencing excessive soreness puts you at risk for injury like muscle strain or joint injuries, says Kuzmiak-Glancy. Not only that, you won't be able to progress meaningfully in your workouts because 'you're not setting your body up in a way to perform optimally', Kuzmiak-Glancy. If you're extremely sore, it's important to give your muscles time to rest and recover. You can also engage in gentle movement like stretching or walking. 'The best thing you can do for your body is continually moving your body,' says Diaz-Herrera. First, make sure your body is adequately prepared and has enough fuel and water to make it through a workout, and to recover after. 'If we're dehydrated, we will definitely be sore,' says Diaz-Herrera. If you're going into a high-intensity workout, eating some carbs beforehand can be helpful, Diaz-Herrera says. And protein after a workout is important to help your muscles recover. 'That could look like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or hummus and pretzels,' she says. An effective training plan that builds 'day to day, week to week with slow, progressive increases' can also help mitigate Doms, Bird says. This also means only increasing one variable at a time – bumping up either speed or distance when running, for example, or only weight or reps during weight training. Training different muscle groups on different days can also prevent overexercising any single muscle. 'I don't work out the same muscle group two days in a row,' Kuzmiak-Glancy says. 'So maybe I'm going to the gym seven days a week, but I only do biceps one day a week.' If you are sore after exercising, massages, foam rolling and light yoga can help muscles recover. But the best way to recover is to stick to the basics, Bird says: good nutrition, adequate sleep and managing your stress.
