Posts

Curious to know the answers ourselves, we sought out Runner’s World special projects editor Jennifer Van Allen, author of The Big Book of Marathon & Half-Marathon Training. Coming on the heels of National Running Day, here’s what walkers and runners alike need to know. Prevention: Is there unique advice you could offer on how to run safely in different climates? Are there ideal times and temperatures to run in? Jennifer Van Allen: One of the best things about walking or running is that you can do it anytime, anywhere, regardless of the time of day, weather conditions, season, or whatever else is going on in your family and work life....

“Every entity around the world that has investigated food waste has highlighted expiration dates as key in reducing food waste,” says Dana Gunders, one of the report’s coauthors and a food and agriculture staff scientist at NRDC. As it is, 40% of the food produced in the U.S. never gets eaten—and that’s a lot of water, fuel, and land devoted to food that goes from farm to trash can. Research from the United Kingdom has shown that 20% of food waste there can be attributed to confusion over “use-by” and “sell-by” dates....

In fact, sunshine is considered the single biggest cause of visible aging. But you don’t have to succumb to the damaging rays. Even if you haven’t been sun savvy in the past, it’s never too late to start protecting your skin, says Darrell S. Rigel, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City. Here are a few important skin care tips for sun protection....

Over the last six years, CFS, along with their partner Equinox Clubs, has raised $28 million towards these studies. The cause has even found a dedicated fan and ambassador in former Olympic gold medalist Shannon Miller. You might know Miller, 35, as one member of the “Magnificient Seven,” the 1996 US Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team that won our country’s first-ever gold team medal for the sport. But you probably didn’t know that she’s also a cancer survivor....

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, which probably means you’ve got romantic tunes on the stereo and a bottle of delish red wine just waiting to be opened. But are you stocked up with the right foods to set the mood? Certain edibles do a terrific job of lifting your libido. Oysters, the most famous aphrodisiacs, supply a whopping 43 mg of zinc, which helps produce testosterone. They’re also packed with dopamine, one of the key brain chemicals responsible for feelings of happiness....

[sidebar] Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove and leave the oven on. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the flour, nutmeg, and the pinch of salt. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the milk until the flour dissolves. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until thickened....

Watch More Fitness Videos

Most traditional ab exercises, like crunches and sit-ups, only work in a single, front-to-back plane of motion (think of them as 2-D moves). They go up-and-down, primarily working the rectus abdominis, the muscle that runs down the center of your abs. The problem is, there’s a lot more to a strong core than a rectus abdominis. (Get the body you always wanted with just 10-minute daily workouts. Here’s how.) But by simply adding a few twisting motions to your routine, you’ll still hit the rectus abdominis and target the internal and external obliques, the VIP muscles that run along the sides of your torso, and are the key to a shapely waist and an injury-free body....

But a new investigation published in the Tampa Bay Times suggests that some claims about our food aren’t just misleading—they’re intentionally falsified. The paper’s food critic, Laura Reiley, had noticed an uptick in local restaurants claiming they were “farm-to-table”—in other words, the chef sourced ingredients directly from small, local farmers. Many even listed the names of these farms right on the menu or on chalkboards posted in the dining room....

Watch More Fitness Videos [sidebar]

What does it take to be the heirloom apple of Whole Foods’ eye? Company execs worked with environmental nonprofits and growers to develop the following requirements: Good: meets a standard array of good farming practices (like regular soil testing and crop rotation) plus: • none of the pesticides Whole Foods has determined to be “high-risk” • GMO transparency • no food that’s been radiated to kill germs • no biosolids (fertilizers made from treated municipal waste) Better: meets all “Good” requirements and gives extra consideration to: • rivers, lakes, or oceans • farm worker health and safety • water/energy conservation • soil health Best: meets all “Better” requirements and shows: • a commitment to protect pollinators • “industry leadership” on pest management and environmental protection MORE: When Eating Clean Kills You Currently, the labels are assigned to about half of all produce and flowers sold at Whole Foods....

But sadly, there are drinks out there that seem like innocuous picks—There’s no chocolate sauce dripping down the glass! There’s muddled fruit in there! It’s a whiskey drink, it’s not sweet!—but are actually crammed with more calories, sugar, and dirty ingredients than anyone needs at happy hour—or really, at any hour. These five drink orders are perfect examples: Anything “Sour” Not all sours are created equal. While none are exactly nutritional superstars, a classic whiskey sour made with real ingredients like lemon juice, sugar, and egg whites clocks in at around 175 calories, which isn’t so bad....

After her joyous reunion with Jackie, Mandy walked over to each family member to be petted. “Everyone was in tears,” says Ward. “Mandy just knew that was the right thing to do.” Though Jackie passed away 24 hours later, Mandy gave the gift of love when it mattered most. “This work is as good for the owners as it is for the patients,” says Ward. “And I get my own therapy dog, 24/7....

What’s the smartest thing you can do (foodwise) to improve your health and maintain and/or achieve a healthy weight?A) Count calories. If it fits into your measly budget, you’re set. If not, tough luck.B) Stop obsessing over calories and focus on a food’s actual nutrient content. If you picked A, we apologize for all the crappy food you’re probably eating and all the stress you’re probably dealing with. If you picked B, congratulations!...

Provided by Some research has shown that cinnamon may help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, and in at least one study it also had favorable effects on cholesterol and triglycerides. Since cinnamon has known antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, not to mention a wonderful flavor, it can’t hurt to up your intake—and it just might help. Buy whole cinnamon sticks and grind them in a spice or coffee grinder for the best flavor and aroma....

Positive affirmations address something in our lives that we want to adjust or replace with something better: change an overweight body into a slim and fit one, or replace an unhealthy daily habit like smoking with a healthy daily habit of drinking more water. The reason we feel better when speaking these positive thoughts as verbal statements is because the positive energy of good thoughts and pictures in our mind raises our vibrational frequency and causes chemical changes in our body that tell us we’re happy....

1. DeodorantIf you barely notice sweat, just odor, you can use deodorant, which is free of aluminum, the ingredient that blocks sweat glands.Try: Arm & Hammer Essentials Solid Deodorant ($6, amazon.com) or Lavanila Laboratories Healthy Deodorant ($14, lavanila.com). 2. Regular-Strength Antiperspirant/DeodorantRegular-strength formulas contain aluminum compounds that keep perspiration to a mimimum by plugging up your sweat glands, says Dee Anna Glaser, MD, president of the International Hyperhidrosis Society.Try: Ban Invisible Solid Antiperspirant/Deodorant ($4, drugstore....

The claim: If you’re considering seeking a fuller pout or fewer wrinkles through injectables, listen up: You have a 1 in 100 chance of developing painful—and potentially disfiguring—lumps due to bacterial infections, finds a new study published in Pathogens and Disease. The research: Researchers at the University of Copenhagen tested the potential for three different kinds of gel fillers to act as incubators for bacteria by injecting the fillers into mice....