Posts

“Not only are we getting added sugar from obvious places like cakes, candy, and soda, but it’s also coming from healthier-sounding packaged products like salad dressing, pasta sauce, and yogurt,” says Elyse Powell, one of the report’s coauthors and a doctoral researcher at UNC. (To be clear, by “added sugar” we’re talking about the super-processed sweet stuff you’d add to a batch of cookies, not the natural sugars found in whole fruit, veggies, and plain milk....

I’m a believer in the power of walking, and not only because of the research. Walking has always felt like an effortless way to be active and has long been my preferred way to get from point A to point B. My commute to-and-from work and out to grab lunch used to add about 2.5 miles worth of steps to my FitBit, but about three years ago, I began working from home and all that changed....

Q: Is psoriasis contagious?A: No, psoriasis is not something you can “catch.” While the scales may be unsightly, they do not pose a threat to others’ health. It also does not spread from one part of your body to another. Q: What causes psoriasis?A: Experts are still scratching their heads about the exact cause of this disease, though it does seem to involve an immune system malfunction. Normally, skin cells form then push up to the surface, where they eventually die and flake off....

(The 21-day plan in Love Your Age is the life-changing reset every 40+ woman needs!) Move as much as you can. “I take yoga, ballet, strength training, and body alignment classes three to four times a week. I still dance—and teach Pilates and barre classes—every chance I get.” —Sarita Allen, 53, New York City (You can sculpt your arms and tighten your tummy with the energizing—and fun—routines from Prevention’s Flat Belly Barre!...

Pain in the back can be a real pain in the you-know-what. If you’re looking for relief, take note: Walking is just as effective at easing lower back pain as muscle-strengthening exercises, according to a new study out of Tel Aviv University in Israel. For the study, researchers put 52 patients with chronic lower back pain on an exercise regime—half on a strength training program, and the other half on a walking program....

The team of scientists says they’ve replicated in the freezer what happens in nature—when plants freeze in winter and thaw crisp and green in spring. Natural freezing and thawing succeeds because plants accumulate substances like sugars and proteins, which keep the cells alive. And your typical bag of defrosted vegetables is so soggy because the thawing process destroys the cells, says Federico Gomez, associate professor of food technology at the Lund University and one of the team’s researchers....

A team from Baylor University exposed adult lab rats to alcohol and put them through a number of tasks, including a swimming maze and a coordination test. Although the older rats kept pace with their younger counterparts before boozing, physical and cognitive performance dropped significantly among the whiskered seniors after the alcohol dose. Coordination, balance, and memory all suffered, the study authors say. But before you chalk this up to a rodent-only effect, rats and people share a remarkable number of biological similarities—meaning alcohol’s effect on rodents is very likely to translate to people, the researchers say....

(If you need even more convincing, check out all 7 Nasty Side Effects of Drinking Diet Soda.) A healthier choice: Instead of mixing drinks with sugary soda, use tomato, orange, or cranberry juice.

“It’s pretty incredible that the ‘good news’ here is that almost 1 in 10 American kids under the age of 5 is obese,” says David Katz, MD, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. “This evidence of progress is certainly very welcome, but a decline in obesity among under-5-year-olds from 14% to 8% is a very long way from mission accomplished.” Childhood obesity has been linked to a higher risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke later in life....

With every natural-foods devotee singing the praises of fermented foods for a healthy gut and body, it was only a matter of time before the trend jumped from the pickle jar into your night cream. And that’s not just a fad gone wild—according to a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, the active compounds in fermented red ginseng may fight wrinkles better than those in unfermented red ginseng, giving you smoother skin with minimal irritation....

For Judd, the role is a natural evolution of her blockbuster work in Heat and Kiss the Girls, merging her earthy relatability and jaw-dropping beauty with double-fisted action. Off screen, Judd is devoted to higher learning (she’s a 2010 Harvard grad) and her involvement in global concerns like human rights. Clearly, she’s a woman of action. Here are some keys to Ashley Judd’s charmed life. [sidebar]Know your “pig.” “My godmother has a pig as a pet and a lot of people think that’s very strange, but she just throws her hands up and says, ‘Well, it’s what I’ve got; that’s my pig....

Scientists reviewed a collection of studies that all pointed to the pros of a positive mood. Happy men had a more holistic approach to problems than negative guys, meaning they were able to recognize innovative solutions others may have missed. How come? Research suggests when you’re happy, you release more dopamine—a neurotransmitter linked with motivation—which increases your control over your mind. Happiness also boosts activity in areas of the brain that handle decision-making, learning, and processing....

Protect Your Brain Still think beer kills brain cells? It might feel like you’ve zapped some neurons after a few too many cold ones, but it’s time to put that old myth to rest. Consider new research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: Researchers at China’s Lanzhou University subjected rat brain cells to a host of stressors, mimicking the conditions thought to cause diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s....

Finn is not alone, as 50% of women experience some kind of hair loss by age 50. “It’s far more common than people realize,” says Robert Leonard, DO, founder of Leonard Hair Transplant Associates in Cranston, RI. But even though the problem is widespread, it’s only now that help is more readily available. “More women in my practice are addressing this condition,” says Mary Gail Mercurio, MD, an associate professor of dermatology and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester....

Today there’s a growing number of foods fortified with extra calcium. If you’re short on calcium, adding one or two of these foods can help. Examples are Nutri-Grain Bars with 200 mg, Viactiv Energy Fruit Smoothies with 300 mg, calcium-fortified citrus juices with 300 to 350 mg per glass, and Kellogg’s Special K Plus with 600 mg per bowl. To make sure you don’t overdo… 1. Add. Total up the calcium you get in a day by looking up the percent Daily Value for calcium of any food or supplement you have regularly....