Prevention April 2014

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE TASNEEM BHATIA MD, medical director and founder, the Atlanta Center for Holistic & Integrative Medicine 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 BOTANICAL 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 KEVIN SPELMAN, PHD, distinguished lecturer, Maryland University of integrative Health BREAST HEALTH SUSAN M. LOVE, MD, chief visionary officer, the Dr. Susan love research Foundation; clinical professor of surgery, UClA School of Medicine DERMATOLOGY MARY P. LUPO, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, Tulane University School of Medicine DIABETES OSAMA HAMDY, MD, PHD, medical director,…

A Google search convinced the hypochondriac in me that the heaviness I felt must be pelvic organ prolapse—the price you pay for having twins at 40, I thought. More digging led me to a urogynecologist, a little-known kind of specialist we talk about in this issue. These docs deal with those issues—little leaks, painful sex, pelvic aches—the ones that most of us don’t want to talk about, even though one out of four women has them. Thankfully, my problem turned out to be minor and cleared up quickly. But, ladies, if you have an issue, this type of doc could be your new best friend. Anne Alexander Editorial Director P.S. We’re here for you. Please share any ideas or suggestions at suggestions@prevention.com.…

In our January issue, a Buddhist nun named Sister Dang Nghiem shared how mindfulness helped heal emotional trauma. Online, the piece sparked a stream of responses from across the globe. “She’s right: Time doesn’t heal,” wrote Danmar D. “I lost my son 8 years ago this month, and meditation and breathing kept me sane.” Another reader was inspired to give mindfulness a try. “This brought me to tears; I want to learn this,”wrote Harold R. See it: prevention.com/thehealer Do You Practice MINDFULNESS? Our readers reveal how often they set aside time to breathe and reconnect. Daily 21% Weekly 6% Occasionally 18% Never 55% HOW TO TUNE IN BE PRESENT Reconnect to the present moment by noting the sounds, sights, and smells around you. SET AN INTENTION Acknowledge your pain, then…

From our earliest lessons to the latest headlines, we’ve been told that exercise does a body good. But knowing and doing don’t always go hand in hand. There are days when we need to bribe ourselves with the promise of off-road alone time (see here); other days, the reward might be ultracool sneakers (see p. 69). And for those really tough days, we’ve designed a blink-and-you-miss-it, mood-enhancing workout that will leave you-after just 8 quick minutes—with a fired-up metabolism and an afterburn so satisfying, it’ll be hard to pass up the next one (p. 94). Tell that to your couch.…

Don’t Be a Metal Head Iron in your supplements. Copper in your water. Aluminum in antacids. Metals make their way into our bodies in a variety of ways. That can be bad news, considering the growing number of studies linking high levels of them to Alzheimer’s disease. As we age, our bodies don’t always properly regulate and store certain metals, which can then end up in areas of the brain where they shouldn’t be, says Ashley Bush, MD, of the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia. Once in the body, they react with oxygen to produce free radicals that damage brain cells. While you can’t eliminate exposure altogether, you can reduce it with the tips on the next page. COPPER: High levels of this metal plus…

ALnything you take regularly that fizzes in a glass or dissolves in your mouth can be packed with dangerously high sodium levels, reports a new study in the British Medical Journal. Taking these medications was associated with a 16% increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and vascular death, compared with using sodium-free versions of the meds. Sodium’s blood-pressure-raising effect is likely to blame, say the study authors. "For the average healthy person, occasional use of these is OK," says lead researcher Jacob George, MD. "The real risk comes with prolonged use, especially for people at risk of heart disease." Check product labels; most will tell you the sodium content. If you’re wondering about other medications, rest assured that most swallowable pills are sodium-free.…