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Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something isn’t quite right. More often than not, you have some idea of what’s behind it. But when it comes on suddenly, lingers longer than usual, or just seems different, it calls for medical attention—and the sooner, the better. According to our experts, all of the following pain conditions should be considered red flags. Chest pain “If patients were to become well versed in what I think of as the subtle language of the heart, many could avoid needless worry and expense,” notes Arthur Agatston, MD, a preventive cardiologist....

In 2004, Dr. Philippa Darbre, a research scientist at the University of Reading in the UK, published a small but pioneering study that showed high concentrations of parabens in human breast tumors. Women everywhere flipped over their moisturizers to read the list of ingredients. “That first paper shocked people because it was the first time intact parabens had ever been measured in the human body,” says Dr. Darbre. And while the study did not show that the chemicals cause cancer, it sounded a serious alarm....

Researchers from the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle examined five recent studies that show a decrease in the prevalence of dementia around the world. After crunching the data, the researchers credit the positive change to better education and awareness, improvements in preventative health care, and increased importance of a healthy lifestyle. “The key concept here is that if dementia onset is delayed, people may avoid the disease altogether or spend less of their lifespan experiencing problems associated with dementia,” says Eric B....

Landers, the author of a brand-new environmental book called Eating Aliens, is a 34-year-old professional hunter with crew-cut hair, a crisp khaki shirt, and a knife poking out of his back pocket. He’s not from these parts. Perhaps that’s why he’s eyeing that dirty city pigeon like it’s lunch. Doesn’t he know where those things have been? He creeps closer to the bird, rock in one hand, apple in the other....

But you also might be a psychopath, says a new study published in the journal Appetite. Researchers gathered a sample of about 1,000 adults and asked them to rate preferences for foods with distinct flavor profiles. Then, the participants took a battery of personality tests assessing antisocial personality traits. We’re not talking skip-the-party-and-Netflix antisocial—this is the psychological kind of antisocial, categorized by behaviors that harm or lack consideration for the well-being of others....

January comes with a natural energetic boost. After all, it’s the start of a new year. Then February comes along, the New Year and your new goals don’t seem as fresh, and the colder weather and shorter daylight hours are starting to get to you. If this sounds about right, it might be time for a winter recharge to enhance your energy levels. Make it happen with these tips: Junk in equals junk out....

A yellow light food might be - salted nuts, trail mixes and “power” bars. I proceed with caution. I yield toward NOT having them. Salt is the new sugar, so I watch those salty sweet cravings and if I don’t have one bite, I’m in the safe lane! If in doubt with those nutty things, I use a measuring cup or as they say, if in doubt, I do without....

Roasted Butternut Squash With Ricotta Salata SERVINGS: 6 1 med butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (Check out these shortcuts to make cutting butternut squash easier.) 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ c crumbled ricotta salata cheese PREHEAT the oven to 425˚F. Place the squash on a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper to coat....

Prevention Premium: Double Your Energy With This Simple Fatigue-Fighting Makeover Start by doing these moves at least 3 times a week. Once you’ve gotten rid of the sciatica pain, keep doing the exercises at least once a week to keep sciatca pain from coming back. Reclined Pigeon With Prep Stretch Lie face-down and bend your knees so your heels are right under your knees. Take your hands to the front of your thighs, slide them to the root of the leg where it meets your pelvis, and push the heel of each hand into the bottom of the leg bone....

Not a fan of jogging? Don’t sweat it. Research shows that while aerobic exercise spikes arousal levels for about 15 to 45 minutes post-workout, there may be an even more effective way to heat things up: A 30-minute strength training workout can keep you in the mood for up to 90 minutes, says Tierney Lorenz, PhD, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University. It takes longer for strength training workouts to activate your nervous system, but once it’s activated, it stays that way for a longer period of time....

“There’s very little that we do day-to-day that encourages a backbend movement in our body. Our whole back-body is generally not in an engaged state,” says Christina Hatgis, co-founder of Brooklyn’s Mala Yoga, where workshops on backbends are often on the schedule. “And then we go to yoga class once a week, and we’re asked to engage it.” Your spine is not like a switch you can just flip on....

A: Replace heavy cream in both the biscuits and topping with thick, velvety Greek-style yogurt for a substantial savings in saturated fat. Cut back the butter and sub whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose flour to create a more sensible—but still delectable—shortcake. By the numbers, our version has 39% fewer calories, 33% more fiber and 82% less sat fat. Yum! Work time: 20 minutes Total time: 50 minutes Servings: 6 1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced 1/4 c + 3 Tbsp sugar, divided 2 containers (6 oz each) fat-free Greek-style yogurt, divided 1 c + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/4 c + 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut in 1/4" pieces 3/4 tsp vanilla extract 1....

1. Take your gossip session on a walk.Instead of catching up with friends over food and drinks, suggest a reunion on the move—you’re likely to work out 104% harder if you have an exercise buddy. Suggest a weekly walk-and-talk session, form a friendly fitness club, or take advantage of gym specials together. You’ll motivate everyone to get moving while you grow even closer. 2. Try the Roll-Up.Hold a resistance band taut between hands and lie on the floor face up, with legs extended and arms overhead....

Researchers observed more than 32,000 men from 1990 to 2008. Every two years, participants reported their physical activity, which ranged from running and biking to tennis, swimming, and stair climbing. At the end of the study period, those who had engaged in both weight training and aerobic exercise had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those who did only one type of exercise. Why? The combination of cardio and strength training delivers a long-lasting one-two punch that keeps blood sugar low and reduces insulin dependency....

The research: Twelve recreationally trained cyclists were studied by University of Nebraska at Omaha researchers as they cycled in both outdoor and indoor settings. The cyclists were told to exert the same perceived effort (a measure of intensity based on a scale) for both the indoor laboratory effort and the outdoor 40 km trials. The result: when outdoors, cyclists exerted more power and had higher heart rates than when they were indoors, despite similar environmental conditions and exertion....

“People focus too much on weight and can become discouraged when it doesn’t change. Investing some time and energy in your bone health instead will ultimately set you up for a longer, healthier life and a fitter, firmer body,” says geriatrician Diane L. Schneider, author of The Complete Book of Bone Health, noting that the same simple strategies that strengthen your skeleton can also help streamline your core. Plus, the more you do now to build a strong structure, the more active and independent you’ll be in the future....

[sidebar]“Estimates show that modern humans have significantly less lean muscle mass than archaic humans and require less oxygen to support that mass,” says lead study author Nathan E. Holton, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of orthodontics at the University of Iowa. “And one of the questions we’ve been interested in addressing is to what degree might energetic requirements, such as oxygen consumption, play in nasal evolution,” he says....

FOR STRONG JOINTS: SESAME SEEDSTwo tablespoons provide more than 80% of your daily intake of copper, an anti-inflammatory that may help ease arthritis pain. Get your fill: Mix tahini (sesame seed paste) with olive oil and use it as a salad dressing. FOR YOUTHFUL SKIN: SUNFLOWER SEEDSTwo tablespoons supply nearly 40% of the rda of vitamin e, an antioxidant that helps prevent sun damage. Get your fill: For a healthier crunch, sprinkle these onto your salad instead of croutons....

We didn’t speak to each of you, but we managed to reach quite a few. To view video from the event, look below. If you were at the Team Prevention walking event, click on the link next to the person you recognize, she had a camera and was out walking with you, recording video. Or just click on any of the links just to see how the day went. We’re still adding more video, so check back soon to see if we captured your story....