Prevention July 2013

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE Tasneem Bhatia, MD, medical director and founder, the Atlanta Center for Holistic & Integrative Medicine James A. Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy: The Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies from the World’s Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs Tieraona Low Dog, MD, director of the fellowship, the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona Andrew Weil, MD, director, the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine; clinical professor of medicine, University of Arizona BREAST HEALTH Susan M. Love, MD, president, the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation; clinical professor of surgery, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA DERMATOLOGY Mary P. Lupo, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, Tulane University School of Medicine FAMILY MEDICINE Rob Danoff, DO, director of the combined Family Medicine/Emergency Medicine Residency Programs at Aria Health…

Years ago, when I was working in Manhattan, a huge pack of high-speed cyclists once whizzed past me in Central Park, looking like a brazen school of fish in tight formation. There was something about their speed and intense concentration that caught my imagination. A few weeks later, I bought a racing bike, even though I had not ridden a bike in years. I fell in love. Every day after work, I joined the throngs of cyclists in Central Park; on weekend mornings, I would quietly trace the West Side up to the George Washington Bridge and cross into the leafy miles of Palisades Park in New Jersey. The guys in the bike shop recognized my condition immediately: I had caught the fever. Somehow everything in the world just felt…

A childhood favorite gets a sophisticated, fitnessfriendly makeover. These yummy, nutrient-packed ice pops, developed by the fit-minded chef and nutritionist at trendy NYC fitness spot Bari Studio, will help you chill out, trim down, and fuel up. —Bari Lieberman *We used 3 to 4 oz ice pop molds in these recipes. Energize VANILLA CHIA POP COOL BENEFITS: Loaded with omega-3 fats, fiber, and protein, the chia seeds in this puddinglike pop help boost your energy all day, so you have the stamina to go from working out to running errands. Scrape seeds from ½ vanilla bean into bowl. Stir in 1 cup almond milk, 3 Tbsp chia seeds, 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup, and a pinch of cinnamon. Let stand until gel forms, about 1 hour. Divide among 3 ice…

These easy-to-use gadgets track how much you move, eat, and sleep, providing real-time stats and analysis so you can make smarter lifestyle choices. When you see how simple tweaks (like sitting less and taking a lunchtime lap around the office) have big payoffs, you’ll be motivated to improve your score day after day. —BL JAWBONE UP $130; jawbone.com The UP seamlessly becomes part of your everyday life, thanks to its extralong battery life (10 days) and sleek design. For extra motivation, use the app to keep an eye on the activity levels of friends who also have the tracker. HOW TO USE IT: Wear all day around your wrist; just remove if taking a swim. FUN FEATURE: The smart alarm wakes you up at the optimal time of your sleep…

What do a cup of coffee, a bowl of beans, and a couple of ibuprofen have in common? Surprising answer: They all reduce pain. “Popping a pill may be easier, but it does nothing to cure the underlying cause of your pain like eating the right foods can do,” says Beth Reardon, RD, director of integrative nutrition at Duke Integrative Medicine. And the number of foods proven to offer relief is growing. Here are six common aches and pains and the foods that help fight them. ACHY JOINTS Food Rx: Cherries, turmeric Here’s sweet news: Preliminary research suggests that eating about 20 tart cherries may be as effective as taking ibuprofen for reducing pain. In a more recent study, eating about 45 cherries a day reduced C-reactive protein, a major…

Can’t kick your snickerdoodle addiction? Spend too much time on Facebook? Some “vices” you’ve long assumed were naughty or simply unproductive can actually offer pretty nice health perks — as long as you don’t overdo it. See if you can guess the surprising answers to the following questions: Which “bad” habit… Boosts brainpower and curbs cravings? 1. Having a smoke 2. Eating a T-bone 3. Chewing gum 4. Sniffing a cleaning solvent Answer: 3. Chewing gum boosts thinking and alertness in part by increasing blood flow to the brain, finds a new study. Previous research found that people who chewed sugarless gum before eating had fewer sweet cravings and ate about 36 fewer calories, says Judy Caplan, RD, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson. Helps ease allergies? 1. Living…