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CarrotsCooked: Eating raw carrots every day for 4 weeks barely affected blood beta-carotene levels, one study found. But eaters of canned carrots had levels three times as high, because cooking skyrockets the body’s ability to extract beta-carotene.Raw: Cooking carrots may destroy some of their polyphenols—plant-derived antioxidants that can’t withstand heat. KaleCooked: Kale is high in beta-carotene, so cooking gives the nutrient a boost. Steaming especially improves its ability to bind bile acid—linked to lowering cholesterol—much more than in its raw state, found one study....

Serves 4 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 lg (or 3 small) carrot, peeled and chopped 1 yellow pepper, chopped 1 jalapeño, diced (optional) ½ Anaheim pepper, diced 1 can diced green chiles 4 c chicken broth 2 cans northern beans 1 c chopped kale 1 organic rotisserie chicken, boned, skinned and coarsely chopped 2 corn tortillas...

But this was hardly the first notable guy to be caught with his pants down. From Bill Clinton to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the list of powerful, married men guilty of illicit love affairs is only going to get longer, says Rob Weiss, LCSW, director of intimacy and sexual disorders for Elements Behavioral Health. “Behind every one of these men are a thousand other men and women, too,” says Weiss. “It’s a much more common problem than the isolated cases we see in the media....

The first study compared the gut microbiota, or bacterial makeup, of 292 Danes. A clear but totally unexpected pattern emerged: about a quarter of the people had low bacterial richness, meaning their guts were comprised of fewer types of bacteria. These “low gene count” individuals were more obese than those with high gene counts—about 80% of the study’s participants were obese—and they tended to pack on weight faster. Researchers also found that the group was more at risk for obesity-related diseases, like type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems....

The whole thing started as an accident. Toronto-based photographer Frances Darwin was working with San Francisco henna artist Darcy Vasudev to photograph women with henna adorning their bellies during pregnancy, when Vasudev mentioned that she’d just covered the head of a client battling cancer with a henna crown. Vasudev described the woman as having the grace and beauty of a maasai warrior, and Darwin, an artist at the core, knew she had to photograph her....

The study’s authors purchased 18 different samples of commercially sold bottled water from France, Italy, and Germany. Using various methods of chemical analysis, they tested the water for its ability to interfere with the body’s estrogen and androgen (testosterone and other male reproductive hormone) receptors. The researchers threw in a sample of tap water to act as a sort of ringer, and the results were stunning. The majority of bottled waters tested interfered with both kinds of hormone receptors to some degree; amounts as little as 0....

Avoid Prolonged Stooping Or Bending Postures If you’ll be performing an activity that requires prolonged stooping, bending, twisting, or lifting (think gardening, filing, or cleaning out drawers), stay as close to your work as comfortably possible and try to keep your back in its natural upright position, says Gregory Snow, DC, CCSP. “If you’re unable to maintain a neutral posture, treat the activity like exercise—warm up, do the activity, take breaks, and stretch when you’re finished....

You’d be wrong. In fact, I draw a hard line when it comes to my laissez-faire attitude toward personal hygiene, and stinky armpits definitely crosses it. But I have a difficult time saying no to any story opportunities that come my way. So when my editor asked if I’d write about going deodorant-free for 2 weeks, I enthusiastically agreed—and then spent the entire night dreading the grossness I was about to endure....

From the truth about cholesterol to natural anti-aging tips for beautiful skin, here are the top lessons we uncovered at Prevention while reporting on 2011’s health, fitness, nutrition, beauty, and weight-loss news. 8 New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Stick with in 2012 Lesson #1: Fat-free products are so-o-o over You need some fat in your diet, even if you’re trying to lose weight. The Institute of Medicine recommends that it make up 20 to 35% of your calories....

But you may not have encountered these 10 wild and crazy iterations of the traditional turducken—some kinda healthy and others 100% horrifying. Either way, prepare to be amazed. Turbaconducken The obvious first step in making an already-indulgent dish even more indulgent? Bacon, of course. That’s precisely what the folks at Bacon Today did when they made this turducken wrapped up in five actual pounds of bacon. You can see every step of the process right here....

“Look at your schedule and figure out the best days and times to fit chunks of heart-pumping cardio into your week,” says Prevention’s fitness expert Chris Freytag. “Maybe you’ll divide your 150 minutes into a 30-minute brisk walk 5 times a week, or maybe it’s a 90-minute hike on Sunday and a 60-minute Spinning class Wednesday night. You can break it up however you like, as long as you hit a total of at least 2 1/2 hours by the end of each week....