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Cutting fat makes you slim! Low-fat foods are the key to a trimmer figure! Slash fats to watch your waistline shrink! These breathless headlines were ubiquitous when news outlets across the country covered a recent review sponsored by the World Health Organization, which found an association between eating less fat and losing weight. When researchers looked at 33 randomized controlled trials, they concluded that reducing fat resulted in 3.5 pounds of weight loss after six months....

The answer: it really depends. Healthy adults should aim to get no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day—about the amount of salt you’d find in 13 snack-sized bags of potato chips. That might sound like a ton, but get this: the average American adult consumes a whopping 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day. And that 2,300-milligram limit isn’t right for everyone, either. If you suffer from (or are at risk for) conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease, you’ll probably need to slash your sodium intake even lower....

blogging partner is perfect for the bumper crop of zucchini you’re likely about to encounter (either at the farmer’s market or from your own backyard!) Elizabeth says, “My mom used to make this delicious dish as frequently as our zucchini was plentiful when I was growing up. It reminds me of long summer days and lively family dinners outdoors in the warm night air. Although she’s not actually Italian, I suspect she got this simple recipe from her mama-in-law, who most definitely was....

There is no better use for lentils than dal, the loosely defined family of stewed, spiced bean dishes ubiquitous in India. The idea here is to cook red lentils long enough so they begin to break apart and become creamy—which takes less time than you think. Toasted cauliflower adds another layer of texture and requires little extra work while the dal cooks. The upshot is a flavorful, unexpected dish that’s super easy to pull together and also happens to be vegan....

By now, research has linked a Mediterranean diet to heaps of health benefits, from a reduced mortality risk to slower cognitive decline. But just when you’re wondering whether there’s anything this nutrition plan can’t conquer, we’ve got one more perk to tell you about: Dining the Mediterranean way seems to protect the body from exhaustion, muscle weakness, and other symptoms of age-related frailty. This latest finding, published in The Journal of Nutrition, drew on data culled from roughly 700 seniors living in Northern Italy....

SERVINGS: 4 1 lb ground beef3 Tbsp tzatziki2 tsp Greek seasoning blend½ tsp saltGround black pepper4 sliced buns COMBINE ground beef with tzatziki, Greek seasoning, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.2. SHAPE into 12 mini burgers, about 2" wide.3. HEAT a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.4. COOK burgers 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, or until desired doneness.5. TRANSFER to sliced buns and spoon a dollop of tzatziki over each burger....

New observational research finds, to the surprise of no one, that pageant moms (and dads) may be hurting their kids by putting them in beauty contests before they’ve even lost their baby teeth. On a hunch, Martina M. Cartwright, Ph.D., RD, an adjunct professor in the University of Arizona’s department of nutritional sciences, cast her gaze on the kind of pageants portrayed on Toddlers and Tiaras. Her finding: That parents are playing a game of princess by proxy feeding their own need to succeed at the expense of their daughter’s self esteem....

Cotton Candy GrapesNo need to hit up a circus for a taste of that spun sugar you got your hands sticky with as a kid. Scoop up Grapery’s cotton candy-flavored green grapes, freeze, and enjoy as a sweet summer treat. A half-cup serving contains 14 g sugar, slightly more than regular green grapes, which have 12.5 g sugar per half-cup. PineberriesThese white strawberries look like something straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory....

After analyzing the outcomes of more than 2,000 patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine identified a startling pattern: Patients with a healthy body weight actually had “significantly elevated” mortality rates compared to those who were overweight or obese. More from Prevention.com:Find Out Your Diabetes Risk With Our Quiz “We were very surprised,” says lead study author Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, an associate professor of preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine....

More from Prevention: The Right Meditation Style For You

Often pain killers don’t improve a person’s ability to function well (because they feel too sedated) or their quality of life, which should be the main goal in treating pain. More from Fox: Tips to Boost a Fading LibidoMost pain experts advocate a more comprehensive approach to managing pain including exercise and what’s known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT includes talk therapy to change the way you think about your pain as well as behavioral approaches that reduce stress, improve sleep and manage anxiety....

Just over half of all cats and dogs in US households are either overweight or obese, reports the APOP 2009 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Study, and the reasons our pets are packing on the pounds aren’t that different from the reasons their owners are. Just as we’re eating larger portions and more snacks than a generation ago, so are our pets. Because our lives are busier, we’re less likely to get the exercise we need—and less likely to take a long walk with our dogs or engage our cats with a ball of yarn....

After comparing drug use in 5,183 people involved in car accidents with more than 31,000 similar people who weren’t in accidents, researchers found that those involved in accidents were more likely to have been taking psychotropic drugs. Because psychotropic drugs affect the way the brain functions, it can—and does—impair a driver’s ability to control their vehicle. More from Prevention: 14 Health Mistakes Even Smart Women Make But this doesn’t mean you should toss out your meds if you ever want to drive again....

LungeStarting position:• Step backwards with your left foot, with your hands on your hips.• Keep your right foot and knee in alignment with each other. Movement: • Bend your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor.• Hold for 2 seconds, then slowly rise back up. Repeat 15 times, then switch legs. [sidebar]Media Platforms Design Team AbductionStarting Position:• Lie on your left side with both legs extended.• Support your head with your left hand, and place your right hand flat against the floor in front of you....

In the study, people who had between two and seven glasses of red per week faced the lowest risk of depression than any other group of drinkers—including abstainers. Researchers believe that red wine’s potent antioxidant resveratrol—which has also been shown to have cardiovascular benefits—may have brain-protecting qualities, too. So should you trade in Paxil for pinot noir? Of course not. Keep consulting with your doc for your best depression treatment, but if you want to have a glass or two with dinner, go for it....

Unfortunately skin cancer doesn’t just disappear once you have your mole removed; survivors of melanoma are 9 times more likely to develop a new melanoma, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Even more concerning for patients with melanoma that has spread to lymph nodes, despite complete surgical resection, melanoma recurs up to 70% of the time. Researchers are trying to change that with a vaccine. Here’s the thing you should know about cancer cells: they’re tricky....