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Eight glasses of water is just a guideline; everyone’s fluid needs vary according to activity level and body. But eight is a good starting point. All fluids (and water-packed foods) count toward your overall fluid intake. We call this recipe Sassy Water, in honor of its creator Prevention nutrition director Cynthia Sass, and because it’s a heck of a lot perkier than plain old water. The ingredients aren’t just for flavor: The ginger also helps calm and soothe your GI tract....

For maximum flavor, chop the avocado and kiwifruit into fine pieces, but not so small that they become mushy when stirred. 1 avocado, diced 2 kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped ¼ c finely chopped red onion ¼ c finely chopped red bell pepper 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ tsp salt, divided ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided 1 Tbsp olive oil 1½ lbs dry (not packed in liquid) sea scallops, tough muscle removed COMBINE the avocado, kiwi, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, chile pepper, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of the black pepper in a bowl....

Find out where you might be tripping up—and how easily you can make food safety changes in your own kitchen. You wash your hands before cooking Yes, it’s a good first step—but research shows you need to wash several times while cooking to stay safe. Try to wash up every time you switch to a new component of the meal—say, when moving from meat to veggies to spices. Most “violations” occur when you go back and forth between meat (or poultry, egg, or seafood) and ready-to-eat foods such as salad fixings without washing hands in between, suggests a recent food-safety study led by Anderson....

More from Prevention: 12 Fish To Never, Ever Eat 3. Rice Dr. Cottingham’s study didn’t show a significant association between rice consumption and arsenic levels, but that’s likely due to the fact that her study participants weren’t big rice eaters. Other studies, though, are pretty compelling, she says, showing that people who eat rice closer to the amount the average American does (about half a cup per day) have consistently high arsenic levels....

Let’s be real: Even the cleanest of clean eaters can’t resist a buttery blondie now and again (besides, research shows naturally thin people never deprive themselves of the occasional treat). This recipe nixes refined all-purpose flour for a more healthful blend of brown rice and coconut flours, and the final product packs a ton of satisfying flavor into each 250-calorie square. Makes 12 blondies 6 Tbsp unsalted butter ¼ c coconut oil, melted 1 c organic light brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs 1 c brown rice flour ½ c coconut flour 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder ¼ tsp sea salt ⅛ c white chocolate chips ⅛ c miniature gluten-free dark chocolate chips...

Bottom line: The earlier you change your habits (roasting is a healthier cooking technique), the better off you’ll be. Eating five or more daily servings of fruits and veggies may also offer significant protective benefits.

Here are 7 ways owning a pet can benefit your health and help keep you young: Makes you less of a couch potato Nothing makes you spring into action faster than your pooch’s I’m-about-to-pee-on-the-new-rug-unless-you-take-me-out-NOW warning whine, and a new study shows owning a pet keeps you in motion. Pregnant women who own dogs are more likely to be active than those who don’t, according to the University of Liverpool. Researchers say dog walking, a low-risk, low-intensity exercise, is perfect for women who want to up their activity level and prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy....

Sneaky ways restaurants try to make you fat A growing body of research finds that everything from loud music, cold temps, and bright colors can derail even those with the best of dieting intentions. The solution? Take back your dining experience with these six tips. The lazy way to live longer You don’t have to be a gym rat to do your body good. All you need, says the National Institutes of Health, is 10-minutes of moderate exercise, such as playing with your pet and cleaning dishes, to increase life expectancy by up to 4....

If you’re over 45 and notice that working out is starting to hurt your breasts, a new study offers up an unexpected reason: Your girls move differently, and sports bras aren’t designed to support them. According to the new study, breasts of different ages move in different ways—even if they’re the same size. Women in their 20s and 30s experience a large amount of up-and-down bouncing while exercising, but those aged between 45 and 65 typically experience more left-to-right and in-and-out motions....

Eating Junk Food The question: Should you cheat a little bit every day or be disciplined on the weekdays and go wild on the weekends? The answer: Allowing yourself a little bit of a “bad” food every day is a better option, says Joan Salge Blake, RD, LDN, a clinical associate professor at Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics....

And I don’t see any reason to feel badly about my PB habit, either: Research shows that peanuts and tree nuts may offer protection against heart disease, and, despite their high fat and calorie counts, don’t appear to cause weight gain. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean all things peanut butter will keep you slim and healthy. The all-American spread is often guilty by association, as it’s featured in some of the most delicious (and caloric) desserts and treats around....

Sure, we all love dunking our baby carrots and pita chips in this creamy-dreamy dip, but it turns out hummus can ramp up flavor and health benefits (hellooo, protein and fiber!) in some truly unexpected dishes. Here are 14 of our favorite hummus snack hacks. 1. Alfredo Sauce Make a healthy alfredo sauce by mixing a dollop of hummus with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and tossing with cooked whole-wheat pasta....

More from Prevention: 21 Easiest Herbs And Vegetables To Grow

A group of 68 menopausal women suffering from multiple daily hot flash flare-ups underwent several rounds of attention and recall testing. Each woman also answered questions related to her mood, memory, and menopause symptoms. The findings: Hot flashes were linked to poorer verbal and visual memory scores as well as forgetfulness. (While verbal memory refers to your ability to recall words and abstract ideas, visual memory has more to do with your memory of a visible information—like where you set down your car keys, or the time your watch displayed the last time you checked it....

HEIGHT: 5'4" CURRENT WEIGHT: 125 lb POUNDS LOST: 100 HEAVIEST WEIGHT: 225 lb Media Platforms Design Team LIGHTBULB MOMENT: Realizing she lacked the stamina to play with her stepson BIGGEST BENEFIT: Stamina to perform show after show and dance from curtain to curtain From the time I first took the stage in a production of The Sound of Music when I was in elementary school, I knew I wanted to be on Broadway....

Start with location Look for gyms near your home, workplace, or favorite shopping center. Even a 15-minute drive out of your way can reduce the chances that you’ll use the club as often as you should. Determine your must-haves Because your goal is weight loss, comprehensive weight-management programs or nutritional counseling should be at the top of your list. Then consider the types of activity you like–classes, solo cardio machines, yoga, Pilates, racquet sports, water exercise, or martial arts....

“This supports the notion that women are more likely to misperceive themselves as heavier than they really are,” says Eric Stice, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Texas in Austin. “It should be a wake-up call for women to not be so hard on themselves.” It was for most of the women—and should be for you too. [pagebreak] Jennifer Wiley Age 35, 5’ 5 1/2", 145 pounds Jennifer, a pharmaceutical industry sales director, describes herself as “more muscular than the average woman....

But even those who do use birth control aren’t off the hook either. A new study uncovered a startling revelation: Only one in five women know which birth control method is the most effective. And after checking the failure rates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I found out I was guilty of not knowing myself! Study Finds Over 110 Million Americans Have An STD It doesn’t just stop at condoms and the pill....

Scientists gave 75 adults fake pills for motion sickness, then made them ride inside a nausea-inducing rotating drum. One group was told that the meds would protect them; another was told that the pills were dummies. Cruelly, a third group was warned that the pills would make them feel worse. But afterward, this group fared the best—their stomachs were at least 30% calmer and their nausea scores were 2 times lower than those in the other two groups....

Plan walk-and-talk meetings. Instead of sitting down at a table, take a brainstorming stroll with a colleague. If you need to keep notes, book a distant conference room. Get fit on the phone. Stand up to double your calories burned while you chat. Pace or march in place and you can blast about 225 calories for every hour you rack up throughout the day. Use a small water glass. You’ll boost your step count getting up for refills and bathroom breaks....