Posts

More than half of people in their 50s have some degree of hearing loss. But the Stones and The Who may not be entirely to blame. In fact, some deficits are temporary and can easily be reversed. Here are three common causes of hearing loss in midlife adults—and how to turn the volume back up. Clogged Ears About 12 million people (that’s 1 in 20 adults) visit the doctor each year to have earwax removed, according to a report from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)....

“In this country, with our highly publicized war on drugs, we believe such meds are addictive no matter how you take them,” says James Campbell, MD, professor of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and chairman of the American Pain Foundation. Not only is that not true, these drugs are often the smart choice for someone in intractable pain. Here’s the real story on the opium-derived drugs you take for pain relief....

Tick Tock Chelsea Streifeneder Lie on your back and place one weight between your ankles and one between your knees. Make sure this feels comfortable—you may need to move the weights up or down so they’re not right on your joints. (If any of these exercises feel painful, try this active plank series that will sculpt your core.) Bring your legs up toward the ceiling, straightening them as best as you can, and pull your core in....

Whether yours are thinning, fading, or graying, we help you get them in shape! Your Arch Enemy: Vanishing Brows Illustration by Samantha Hahn The Problem: “Like thinning hair, sparse brows come with age, so they make you look older than you are,” says Eliza Petrescu, owner of Eliza’s Eyes in New York City. The Solution: Use a brow powder to fill in patchy spots and make your arches look thicker....

Soon after, he’s noticeably leaner and more energetic—a happy customer. That’s when the trouble starts. After a coworker asks him for the details of his diet, my client suddenly finds himself in a heated interrogation. Doesn’t your nutritionist know red meat causes cancer? And that potatoes cause diabetes? Shouldn’t he tell you to eat less salt, to prevent high blood pressure? The upshot: Myths just made my job a lot harder....

CAMOUFLAGE CROW’S FEET. Nix heavy cover-up, which makes lines more obvious, says Matin Maulawizada of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. Instead, brighten the area with concealer under the outer third of your lower lashes and a creamy highlighter such as Benefit Ooh La Lift ($18, amazon.com) just below any lines. REDUCE “PARENTHESES.” To diminish the lines that run from your nose to your mouth, apply concealer one shade lighter than your skin over the shadow below the fold only, not over the entire crease, says Maulawizada....

MYTH: White potatoes make you fatFACT: One medium baked potato has only 161 calories, plus 4 g of filling fiber Added bonus: Chilled, cooked potato is packed with resistant starch, a fibrous substance that could help you lose weight. (For more information on resistant starch, visit prevention.com/resistantstarch.) “If you keep portion sizes in check—no more than one medium potato in a given meal—and eat the fiber-rich skin, potatoes make a satisfying, low-cal, nutrient-rich side dish,” says Michelle Dudash, RD, a Gilbert, AZ-based nutritionist....

Constipation can be painful and uncomfortable, revealing itself through bloating, cramping, and the feeling that you need to poop—but when you try nothing comes out. Left untreated, it can lead to other problems like hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and sometimes even an intestinal blockage. “Constipation happens when intestinal activity has slowed, which causes the stool to harden and makes it difficult to pass,” says Taz Bhatia, MD, an integrative health expert and founder of CentreSpring MD....

Happily, it doesn’t have to be that way. As these clever recipes prove, it’s easy to make fruit and veggie kabobs that are truly delicious. Don’t let summer pass you by without trying them all. (Got 10 minutes? Then you’ve got time to lose the weight for good with Prevention’s new 10-minute workouts and 10-minute meals. Get Fit in 10: Slim and Strong for Life now!) Rainbow Vegetable Kabobs Threading a random assortment of veggies onto skewers can look sort of haphazard, and it’s almost impossible to ensure that everything cooks evenly—so you end up with a mix of awkward-looking hard, undercooked pieces and charred, burnt bits....

So instead of flaking on your friends, try swapping the nacho-wing combo platter for cleaner picks, like these. You’ll still have an awesome time—except tomorrow morning you won’t feel like a whale that got stuffed into a sausage casing. Olives Because there aren’t many other rich, buttery things that you can chow down on for only 4 calories apiece. Green, black, and kalamata olives are all fair game—just steer clear of ones that are tricked out with fatty extras....

Authors Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson, who write for The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, have applied the market rules of cold hard capitalism to the economy of your marriage to help you efficiently allocate limited resources such as time, money, sanity, and, yes, even your sex drive. Prevention.com chatted with the authors to learn the top seven marriage mistakes even smart couples make. Splitting the housework 50/50....