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Pets may do more than provide unconditional love—they may also help us heal. One study found that time spent with dogs decreased anxiety and despair levels in cancer patients, while another discovered heart attack and stroke patients with pets were more likely to survive one year after being released from the coronary care center. The Beverly Hills Cancer Center is now using Chiclet, a Minature Doberman Pinscher that weighs just nine pounds and is only six inches tall, as one of their newest cancer-fighting weapons....

Acetyl L-CarnitineIn a double-blind study of people with diabetic neuropathy, supplementing with acetyl-L-carnitine was significantly more effective than a placebo in improving subjective symptoms of neuropathy and objective measures of nerve function. People who received 1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine three times per day tended to fare better than those who received 500 mg three times per day. AloeTwo small controlled human trials have found that aloe, either alone or in combination with the oral hypoglycemic drug, glibenclamide, effectively lowers blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes....

Guacamole lovers, rejoice! People who eat a daily dose of avocado are typically healthier than those who don’t, according to a new survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers asked 17,567 adults to record everything they ate in a 24-hour period, then analyzed their diets and health. The 347 people who ate an average of half a medium-sized avocado reported more balanced diets containing more fiber, good-for-you fats, vitamins, and minerals....

You’re about to meet the clean nachos of your dreams: Rich, shredded brisket slathered in spicy sauce, crunchy-cool cabbage slaw, and the supreme overlord of all condiments (guacamole, of course) all piled on top of crunchy corn chips. Trust us: You’ll never microwave Tostitos with shredded cheese again. Serves 6–8 Brisket 4 Tbsp macadamia or coconut oil, divided 2 red bell peppers, roughly sliced 2 red onions, sliced thin 4 sm red chiles, sliced thin 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp oregano ½ tsp cinnamon 2 tsp salt, divided 2½ lbs beef brisket 1 can (14....

One major reason this doesn’t happen has to do with our diets. When you consume starch and refined sugar, these foods enter the bloodstream quickly, causing a sugar spike. Your body then produces the hormone insulin to drive that sugar from your bloodstream into cells. But over time, excessive levels of insulin can make your muscle cells lose sensitivity to the hormone, leading to type 2 diabetes and heart disease....

Win a trip for 2 on the official Zumba Cruise! Click here for details. Michelle LombardoRocky Hill, CT Media Platforms Design Team In January 2012, nearly two years after receiving her Zumba instructor certification, Michelle Lombardo, 45, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a common type of breast cancer that develops in the milk ducts. To prevent the cancer from spreading to the surrounding breast tissue, Lombardo underwent a partial mastectomy and two reconstructive surgeries....

For years, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended daily aspirin use—which can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure—for women with an elevated risk of heart disease. So with this recommendation in mind, researchers surveyed more than 200,000 women and found that roughly 30,000 of them should be taking a daily aspirin. So how many were? Only 41 percent of them—which means more than half of women who could benefit weren’t, says study author Cathleen Rivera, MD, professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M; University....

You bet, and some kids’ brain food goes straight to the head of the class. Leading nutrition researchers are learning more every day about the power certain foods have on growing bodies. Not only can these nutrition all-stars help build a better brain, but they can also supply school-age children with the focus needed to navigate their time tables, sit still during story time, and still have energy for a fierce game of freeze tag....

Everyone’s pain is individual, so each person’s pain management should be, too. If you haven’t found what works for you yet, don’t give up. Talk with your doctor about what other remedies are out there, remembering that you may do best with a combination of strategies—not just one. Here, 14 of the many options available. MORE: Millions Of Americans Are In Pain Every Day. Are You? NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) Effect: Reduce Inflammation Examples:...

[sidebar]Pre-work workout “Get up early and exercise before work,” says Jenna Bergen, fitness editor for Prevention magazine. Yes, it’s tough to wake up earlier than necessary, but you’ll be rewarded with a quiet gym floor and your pick of the machines. Why? Peak hours for fitness centers are between 4 and 8 p.m. You’ll also be more likely to stick to your routine for the long haul if you do it first thing, says Bergen....

No, this study was not published in The Onion. (You may be thinking of the influential “New Study Finds College Binge Drinking to be a Blast.”) It was actually published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and the work actually offers valuable data about how alcohol use can impact how couples bond. More Sex Partners Linked To Higher Risk Of Drug Addiction, Alcoholism Here’s how: The researchers took a group of prairie voles and paired them off, male and female....

To figure out bioactive levels of BPA in the body—in other words, the form of BPA that could pose a risk if present in high enough levels—researchers fed study participants meals of canned food and then tested their blood and urine over a 24-hour period. The bioactive form of BPA was so low it was undetectable in 83% of the people tested. So is it safe to say we should all start eating out of BPA-lined metal cans and plastic water bottles again?...

You can also put together one of our vegetable filling suggestions or just cook what you have on hand—a great way to get in an extra veggie serving and use up leftovers. Add crusty French bread for a quick and classy meal. Here’s how to make the perfect omelet: Classic Cheese Omelet Use whatever cheese you like: cheddar, jack, Fontina, feta, Brie—almost anything. If you’re cooking for more than one, make one omelet at a time (so much easier than a large one) and keep them warm in a very low oven, or just serve them as they’re done and encourage everyone to dig in!...

Reclining Cobbler Pose Bridge Pose Warrior II Pose Web Therapy

This timesaving workout approach combines two popular forms of exercise into one total-body firming routine. Here’s how it works: While you’re lunging or balancing in a yoga pose, your legs and torso muscles are working hard to keep you upright. Pick up a pair of dumbbells (2 to 5 pounds) and suddenly your upper-body muscles are in on the act. The result: The yoga yields a stronger lower body, greater flexibility, straighter posture, and reduced stress....

Jill’s answer: Hormones direct our body’s responses: how we respond to outside stimuli, like food, exercise, stress, sleep, and more. They play a huge role in how your metabolism functions—how you use food for fuel, whether food gets stored or burned, whether you feel hungry or full, whether you experience cravings or not, your mood, and even your motivation to exercise. With that said, it’s important to understand that there’s no absolute level they need to be in order for you to lose weight....

The high-fiber part, paleo diet devotees maintain, is the key. Because fiber is bulkier and harder to digest, it serves as an appetite suppressant by effectively turning off hunger signals. Except that’s not what scientists found when they put the ancient paleo diet to the test—in a test tube. (For more on the right way to eat Paleo clich here.) MORE: This Food Isn’t Actually Food Gary Frost, from Imperial College London, and his colleagues wanted to confirm how our Paleolithic ancestors addressed their energy needs....

Media Platforms Design TeamNEW fromPrevention!Get long and lean with sexy Flat Belly Yoga!

1. Inhale, and stretch your arms over your head, giving a sigh of relief and lowering your arms as you exhale. Relax and keep your arms lowered for the rest of the exercise. 2. Now imagine that you’re inhaling a stream of peaceful energy into a spot a few inches below your navel. 3. Inhale the warm stream into the base of your spine, then imagine it traveling up your back to the top of your head....