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Researchers at 23andMe, a genetic testing service, compared the genes of over 34,000 men and women to their answers to a survey about stretch marks. This information helped pinpoint a genetic marker associated with the development of said marks. “This research could lead to better treatments,” says Joyce Tung, PhD, and author of the study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. “But my other hope is that women will come to accept their stretch marks—it’s genetic, so there’s not a whole lot you can do....

How, exactly, do they squeeze in healthy lunches, and what do they pack? (And heck, what should we?) Here’s how seven of the hottest names in fitness brown bag it. Get the full menu at Well+Good!

For a while the other adults in our life—my father, aunt, and uncle—pleaded with her to see a psychiatrist, but she wouldn’t. And she wouldn’t relinquish custody of me and my sister. My father, baffled, changed jobs so he could move down to the cottage, and for the next 6 years we lived with a woman with untreated psychosis. Then a small miracle occurred: My father talked my mother into a voluntary commitment so she could prove that the government really had implanted electrodes in her brain....

Organic refers to a specific way plants and seeds are grown. To earn this label, they must be raised and processed in accordance with the USDA’s National Organic Program. The label prohibits the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetically engineered seeds and materials, sewage sludge (biosolids), and fresh manure. Organic growers and processors, as well as the plants and seeds they produce, must also be certified by an inspection agency accredited by the USDA....

Given our ravenous collective appetite for meat sticks, we think it’s time everyone knows what’s really in hot dogs—because, as we found out after reading over the Hot Dogs and Food Safety Fact Sheet from the USDA, there are quite a few ingredients in these mystery meats. For example, here is the ingredient list, given in descending order of predominance, of one popular brand of “classic wieners” that shall remain unnamed: MORE: We Tried It: A Liver-Based Protein Bar Mechanically separated turkey and chicken: The USDA defines this as a “pastelike poultry product produced by forcing bones, with attached edible tissue, through a sieve or similar device under high pressure....

Contrary to what you might think, swishing a spoonful of oil in your mouth to boost oral health wasn’t just dreamt up last week by some crunchy health blogger. In fact, oil pulling’s been a fixture of Ayurvedic medicine for centuries as a way to stave off tooth decay, gum disease, bad breath, plus other ailments like migraines, asthma, and diabetes. While the traditional oil of choice was sesame, most modern-day devotees instead use coconut oil, citing its antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties....

Ashley’s answer: Let’s start with you answering a question: Why do you want to shave 500 calories from your diet? If you’re overeating by at least 500 calories, you could remove 500 calories every day—as long as you ensure that the remaining calories are good quality. But if calorie cutting backfires and results in overeating after a few weeks or even months, then you haven’t found a successful approach for lasting results....

When you think “kid food," you probably harken back to childhood dinners of chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers, and yes, the sad and lonely broccoli pile you never wanted to eat. Turns out, neither did your parents: According to a 2012 Mintel report, broccoli purchases plummet once a couple’s kids move out. We understand why parents want to cram their kids full of broccoli and its cruciferous cousins: Both broccoli and cauliflower are chock full of vitamins and minerals....

Hutton could be the poster child for the nation’s caregivers—typically women in their late 40s who spend more than 20 hours a week caring for their mothers, reports the National Alliance for Caregiving, a nonprofit organization in Bethesda, MD. Last year, 44 million people looked after a disabled, ill, or aging family member; 38% were adult children caring for aging parents. Though caregiving is an act of love, for many, the physical, emotional, and financial demands can overshadow any rewards, says Suzanne Mintz, cofounder of the National Family Caregivers Association, a nonprofit organization in Kensington, MD....

They looked at me aghast. What about grape juice stains, they asked? Coffee spills? I asked if they could remember the last time they drank grape juice (the answer was no). I reminded them about napkins. I said, “Spills happen. What’s the point of keeping unspilled-upon clothes in your closet, waiting for the time you finally feel special enough to wear them? What about taking the bull by the horns?...

“On average, we lose 50 to 100 hairs a day,” says Francesca Fusco, M.D., a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair loss. “That’s just hair going through its cycles, and there will be a new one to replace it.” Don’t assume you’re the only one going through this. “Hair loss is extremely common in women. In fact, it’s getting more and more common,” says Gary Goldenberg, M....

More from Prevention: Are Calorie Counts On Menus Actually Making Us Fatter?

The cold winter weather offers lots of excuses to skip workouts, which can result in a sluggish metabolism and weight gain. The lack of fresh, low-calorie peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon may have you snacking on mixed nuts and leftover cookies instead. Plus, less daylight may be affecting your mood, furthering your inclination to hibernate, adds Dr. Cheskin. To Boost Your Activity: Explore winter snowy sports such as cross-country skiing or ice skating, and keep your metabolism revved by building muscle through weight training....

Important meetings. Dates at swanky restaurants. Heck, even outdoor picnics. For high heel aficionados, a towering shoe can work in pretty much any scenario. Better to be overdressed than underdressed, right? But please, trust us: You don’t want to start wearing ’em to the gym. Yes, high heel workouts are now a bonafide trend. According to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, a growing number of fitness classes (including “Stiletto Strength” and “Heel Hop”) are orienting themselves around breaking a sweat while wearing sky-high footwear....

When researchers compared the mood benefits of yoga and resistance training to no exercise at all, they found that both significantly reduced depression symptoms. However, the researchers found that resistance training was best for boosting body image while yoga was the most beneficial for improving fatigue, self-esteem, and quality of life. The body image-boosting power of strength training is at least partially due to its quick results, says Wayne Westcott, PhD, director of exercise science at Quincy College....

In a study published in the Journals of Gerontology, two groups of adults 55 and older were tested on cognitive skills such as planning, problem solving, and multitasking. Then they were split into two groups: One group did gentle yoga for 60 minutes 3 times a week, and the other did a series of stretches and strengthening exercises, like bicep curls and flutter kicks, for the same amount of time....

But beneath the flashy packaging, clever advertising, and crap-ton of artificial flavors and colors, what makes limited-edition Oreos stand out from their tried-and-true, black-and-white predecessor? Based on our research, not a whole lot. Here, seven “variations” on the American dietary staple (sigh) that vary by no more than a handful of lab-made ingredients. Chocolate Creme Microsoft Word wants to add an accent over the first “e” in “creme,” but that would signify the white stuff in Oreos had even the slightest bit of dairy in it....

Foods with high-glycemic index numbers (more than 70) make blood sugar levels as well as insulin levels spike fast. We now realize that’s a health threat. Mounting research suggests keeping blood sugar levels from spiking pays off in many ways. Foods low on the glycemic index appear to stave off heart disease, prevent type 2 diabetes, help you evade serious side effects if you have diabetes, curb your appetite so you lose weight, and perhaps even help you feel more energetic....