Posts

What you’ll need: Masking tape, a 4-foot dowel (a broomstick works), and a doorway (32" to 36" wide) How to do it: Follow the directions for each fitness screening. If you can do the move correctly, and without any pain, you pass that test. For each screen that you flunk, add 3 to 5 years to your current age to get your “movement age.” (If you find that your movement age isn’t what you thought, consider adding strength training to your routine with Prevention’s Fit In 10 DVD....

In four separate experiments, UC-Berkeley researchers found that whether a person committed a moral transgression, suffered from a personal weakness, or failed a test, those who responded with self-compassion were more motivated to improve themselves. They also performed better the next time they were presented with a similar situation. More from Prevention.com: How To Finally Be Happy So what exactly is self-compassion? It means treating yourself with warmth and understanding during difficult times, and recognizing that making mistakes is part of being human, says study author Juliana Breines, a PhD candidate at Berkeley....

On the short elevator ride, a miracle unfolded. She looked into my eyes, took my hand, and told me how much she loved me. Then she asked if I could forgive her for all the mistakes she’d made as a mother. Years of pain seemed to melt away in the time it took for me to say yes. I was able to thank her for her love, and then to ask her forgiveness for all the times I’d pushed her out of my heart....

Week 1: Rest, ice, and elevate your foot when possible. Wear a supportive brace. Weeks 2 & 3: Stretch for 1 to 2 minutes, three times a day. Walk on your heels, stand on your toes, and lower your heel off a step to stretch your calf. Weeks 4 & 5: Strengthen your ankle. Lie on your side on a sofa with your foot off the edge, toes pointing straight ahead, and pinky toe closest to the ceiling....

Last week, we polled Prevention readers to get a sense of whether or not you meditate regularly. The results? Almost 37% of you meditate at least sometimes, and a whopping 44% said you would, if only you knew how. That’s where we come in. You already know that the benefits of meditation include stress relief, improved memory, and better relationships, to name a few. But that won’t do you much good if your blood pressure spikes just thinking about sitting still for five minutes....

As dismaying as it is, shrinking muscles are more than a vanity issue. Diminished strength equals a decreased quality of life. Minus strength, everything is more difficult: Doing chores, going for walks—simply living life to its fullest becomes a challenge. Though it doesn’t command headlines the way osteoporosis does, a condition called sarcopenia causes muscle mass to slowly shrink with age—to the tune of about 1% per year after age 40, says Doug Paddon-Jones, PhD, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston....

Who can be hypnotized? Nearly everyone, says Max Shapiro, PhD, director of education and research for the New England Society of Clinical Hypnosis and the former chief psychologist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts. He has found that 91% of the population is susceptible to hypnotic suggestion. Other studies suggest at least 75% of people can be hypnotized. For people who struggle with the technique because of pain—burn patients, for example—virtual reality may hold an answer....

Researchers analyzed the responses of more than 18,000 Americans from a seven-year nutrition survey and found that, compared to normal-weight individuals, obese adults had 5 to 12% lower intakes of all micronutrients across the board. A few specific deficiencies stood out, too: Compared to normal-weight adults, 20% more obese adults were lacking in vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium. They were also less likely to meet recommended federal requirements for calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E....

California’s Manhattan Beach recently banned the sale and distribution of polystyrene foam, following the lead of several other California coastal cities and fellow west-coast districts like Seattle and Portland. The reason: the non-biodegradable packaging is a serious hazard for marine life. Polystyrene foam (like those white foam coffee cups many fast-food chains use) and other plastic containers break down into easily ingestible bits of plastic which are easy for aquatic animals like fish and turtles to choke on or swallow, potentially causing asphyxiation and starvation—some animals can’t pass the plastic, which creates a false sense of fullness in the gut....

You survived Thanksgiving, managed not to get trampled on Black Friday, and found a gift the in-laws might actually like. But before you kick back with a well-earned cocktail, take note: Mixed drinks, and other traditional holiday fare (we’re looking at you, organ meats and gravy) are rich in compounds called “purines” that can up your risk of gout, an especially painful form of arthritis. Here’s how it works: Purines break down into uric acid; uric acid crystalizes in the blood; the crystals deposit themselves into joints or soft tissue....

The rond de jambe, back raise, and passe do just that. They focus on those lower body muscle groups by reshaping your hips, defining your buns and thighs, and fighting cellulite. Strengthening the inside and outside of your thighs, as well as the front and back, will make you quicker on the tennis court. And you’ll walk with more grace and ease. Rond de Jambe Pressing through your buttocks and right thigh, extend your right leg in front of you....

Watch More Fitness Videos

A complete pet diet requires some 40 or so nutrients, including just the right amount of vitamins, minerals, grains, vegetables, proteins, and fats. To get you started, try these nutritionally sound recipes for healthy dogs and cats provided by the Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. Bon appetit! The Doggie Bag Dinner (for dogs) Ingredient Grain: Cooked white rice Measure: 320 g (2 c) What’s it for? Carbohydrates. Can be substituted with brown rice, sweet potato, pasta, oatmeal, barley, corn, or peas for variety....

Mark celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh has a way of making every face she touches look absolutely flawless. Take the ombré-eyed makeup palette she came up with for Rebecca Minkoff’s Fall 2012 show, or the luminous looks she often creates for Ashley Greene (the beauty brand’s spokesperson). But how does Quynh do it? Check out the secrets behind her professional techniques when you read more. Less is more: “Wearing too much makeup can look hard in reality,” Quynh says....

At 48, the “Let’s Move!” pioneer isn’t at all inhibited by her age, besting both Ellen DeGeneres in a push-up contest—she did 25 without breaking a sweat!—and Jimmy Fallon in a series of physical challenges, including push-ups, dodge ball, and even a potato sack race. Impressed? So are we, especially since starting around age 35, women start to lose about a half-pound of muscle a year, and by age 50, that can jump up to a one-pound loss each year....

Nope, nope, and nope. Unless it’s your nearest emergency room, you’ve probably never heard of the facility. Same goes for most of the 50 hospitals deemed the most expensive by a new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Washington and Lee University. (Health care isn’t the only budget killer. Keep an eye out for these 10 Ways You’re Secretly Losing Money.) Researchers analyzed hospitals’ public financial reports from 2012, the most recent year available....

90: The percentage of all mushrooms eaten in the united states that are white buttons

My doctors told me a hysterectomy, appendectomy, and 18 weeks of chemotherapy would hopefully clear it. While I was relieved, I knew that spending all my time in the hospital during the early phases of a relationship wasn’t ideal. “If you want to go, you can go,” I told Robert, after explaining my diagnosis and treatment plan. I told him I would completely understand if didn’t want to stay with me while I was sick....