Ashley’s answer: I get this question so often—including from my own parents. It seems that so many couples are comprised of one who swears by prunes and fiber-rich foods and supplements, and another who finds them the enemy of their digestive system. What’s more curious: usually it’s the man who loves prunes, and the woman who hates ’em. I’m not sure what to make of this anecdotal information, but I share it so you don’t feel like you’re the weird one!...
Does this mean you should give up the pleasures of homegrown tomatoes and fresh-picked bouquets? Not if you set up your garden to avoid the strain, use smart tools designed to lighten the work, and take time to prepare your body. We asked gardeners from the Buehler Enabling Garden at the Chicago Botanic Gardens to give their input on how they face challenging obstacles yet still are able to plant and tend their plots....
If you interact with your inbox as often as you socialize with real people, join the crowd. Most people communicate via social networks or email about as often as they speak face-to-face, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan. In a survey of 3,000 Generation X-ers involved in the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, the average person reported about 75 face-to-face conversations a month, compared to 74 electronic interactions on Facebook, Twitter, email, and Skype....
When researchers tested the effects of strength training on men and women with type 2 diabetes before and after they ate, they found something surprising: Those who did resistance exercises 45 minutes after dinner—including the calf raise, chest fly, leg curls, shoulder raises, and crunches—had glucose levels 12% lower and triglyceride (or blood fat) levels that were 92% lower than when they exercised 75 minutes before dinner. “High-circulating levels of both glucose and triglycerides are associated with vascular disease and poorer vascular function,” says study co-author Nathan Winn, a graduate student at the University of Missouri....
By now, you know that eating organic drastically lowers the levels of pesticides circulating in your body. But protecting your family from these toxic chemicals doesn’t end with food choices. Scientists are linking low doses of pesticides commonly found in the home to all sorts of health setbacks, including certain cancers, ADHD, and even asthma and food allergies. It’s clear that pesticides and children don’t mix—their young bodies are the most severely affected by the chemicals, as the American Academy of Pediatrics cautioned in a groundbreaking statement this week....
Ready to break out of your salad rut? This unique blend features farro, an ancient grain rich in cholesterol-fighting plant sterols, and watercress, a trendy salad green that’s actually a weed. (Seriously, check out any streams near where you live—you could very well stock up for free!) Top it all off with spicy radishes and tangy tahini dressing for salad that blows your regular veggie bowl out of the water....
The research: More than 14,000 U.S. adults reported everything they ate and drank over the past 24 hours. When the researchers analyzed the data, they found that people who ate half a cup of rice or more in the past day had generally healthier diets than people who didn’t eat rice—consuming more fruits, veggies, and whole grains, plus more iron, potassium, and fiber. The downside: Rice eaters also consumed more sodium and oils....
To appreciate the differences, it’s helpful to establish some context. The two countries are just about the same geographical size, though at 317 million, the US population is 58% larger. And while Brazil’s per capita GDP ($13,027) still lags well behind the US’s ($53,328), a huge surge in the Brazilian middle class in recent years has catapulted that country to the world’s 6th or 7th largest economy. There is, understandably, a rather self-centered tendency in the US to leave Brazil out of the conversation of the world’s progressive countries and to think of it as a “developing nation,” albeit one that is doing so while smiling, dancing the samba, and playing futevolei (soccer volleyball) on Copacabana Beach....
But just because the beach countdown clock is ticking, you might not want to bust out of winter hibernation mode just yet. That’s why we love this gentle Pilates exercise: It feels good and opens the chest while toning bathing suit hotspots like your arms and waist. The move you need to try: the Pilates Snake. Typically performed on on a piece of fancy equipment, Pilates expert and author of Women’s Health Big Book of Pilates Brooke Siler shows a variation of the sculpting move that requires only a mat....
The flaw: Itchiness In spring, your face is exposed to invisible airborne allergens like pollen, dust, and mold that can set off inflammation and a release of histamine, a neurotransmitter that dilates blood vessels (translation: redness and itching). The Fix: Use a daily serum with linoleic acid like Philosophy Keep The Peace Super Soothing Serum ($40; philosophy.com) to strengthen skin’s top layer and keep allergens from penetrating. “Wash your face as soon as you get home so allergens don’t sit on skin,” adds New Orleans derm Mary Lupo, MD....
Bulk up.Laura Schoenfeld, R.D. Since Paleo emphasizes foods like grass-fed beef and pastured chicken—both are significantly more expensive than conventional—the biggest cost increase for most people tends to be the price of meat. To lessen the sting, try buying your meat in bulk when possible, says , who follows a Paleo diet. “Look for a local farmer who will sell a package of mixed meat cuts for less than the cost of purchasing those products individually,” she says....
Taneisha’s story I never worried about my weight in high school, but after I graduated, the weight started piling on. My parents both worked, and to help them out, I babysat my little brother during the day and attended college at night. I had zero time for myself. Pretty soon, food—whether it was pizza, sugary drinks, or cereal—was the highlight of my day. By the time I was 25, I weighed around 230 pounds....
It’s easy to get carried away when eating snacks; they lend themselves to mindless eating. If you’re not able to refrain from finishing the whole bag of chips, or an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting, this slideshow is for you! We’ve got five sweet, savory, and totally satisfying snacks that are all under 100 calories! Kale Chips For a nutrient-rich chip, grab yourself a bunch of kale....
Fortunately, researchers have identified steps you can take immediately to bounce back faster. For starters, you should get adequate sleep, a good 8 to 9 hours each night. During the first 2 hours of sleep, your body experiences a spike in the production of growth hormone, which is vital to all the body’s healing processes, says Elizabeth G. Motyka, MD, coauthor of The Rapid Recovery Handbook. She also advises a nurturing diet rich in lean proteins, vitamin-packed produce, and healthy fats....
Initially, Duggan went to a chiropractor several times a week for relief. “It helped some, but I got tired of having to go so often.” Her physician suggested the ancient art of tai chi. Says Duggan: “He thought the combination of slow movements, meditation, and breathing would help strengthen my spine and increase my flexibility. I thought, Why not?” After all, the Chinese have been maintaining their health with tai chi for centuries....
[sidebar] More from Prevention: Bone Health: Your Stay-Strong Plan Dr. Hawkins cautions that if you already have osteoporosis or osteopenia, your best option is to protect your bones by improving stamina and balance, which will help you avoid falls. He recommends cardiovascular-endurance exercise such as walking, low-impact aerobics, and dancing. These serve the additional purpose of building muscle strength, which will help keep you upright and free from fracture-inducing falls....
Sunscreen’s the first must-do to prevent sunburn. Beyond that, I believe in lavishing the skin with two herbs that limit sunburn or undo sun damage. Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) Snake oil salesmen used to soak their hands in echinacea and then pick up hot coals to entice the crowd to buy their “miraculous” medicine. What the crowd didn’t know: Echinacea blocks the transmission of pain from burn receptors in the skin....
