Prevention May 2017

WHO DOESN’T love a good game? I know I do. I like mobile Scrabble in the checkout line, Plants vs. Zombies in the waiting room, darts and boccie and shu_eboard in the backyard. If only I were better at billiards. My dad taught me chess in kindergarten so he’d have a playmate. While the prospect of beating him rarely won out over hide-and-go-seek, I did learn to enjoy a contest. I still like car games—especially one I made up called Bupkis (I’m happy to share the instructions)— and party games, too: A group of us have a revolving game night, when we play grown-up games like Salad Bowl, Taboo, and Scattergories. Some people think games are silly or childish. Au contraire! If anyone says you’re wasting your time, Ageless Brain,…

THE WALKING CURE Reading this article was like reading my own story. I played soccer for 20 years but had to give it up after breaking my collarbone at age 50. I’ve recently found my new passion: stand-up paddleboarding. It’s great exercise and very serene. Mimi Halligan / Havertown, PA Your focus on walking is lovely. Three years ago, I joined an acquaintance in trying to walk 2,014 miles in 2014. I bought a Fitbit and by mid-November had reached my goal. Ute Heidenreich / Norfolk, VA AMERICA’S OPIOID CRISIS One issue not addressed in your interview with the Surgeon General: When doctors prescribe too many pills and only one or two are taken, the rest have to be disposed of. It’s a waste of money and pills, and the…

Go to prevention.com/premium. Tired of worrying about your weight with warmer weather approaching? Join the Prevention Premium Summer Shape-Up Challenge It pairs the power of community with our science-based exercise routines to help you drop extra pounds quickly and safely. The best part: It’s fun! If you love the smoothie bowl recipes on p. 76, we’ve got more for you, like this Peanut Butter & Jelly Smoothie Bowl. They’re packed with nutrition and take just _0 minutes to make! Find out more about our America’s Most Amazing Nurse contest (see p. 42), for which we’ve partnered with The Doctors TV show. Check Prevention Premium for exclusive video with our five finalists!…

THE NOSE KNOWS Certain aromas, like those of fresh _owers and baking cookies, can instantly lift anyone’s mood. Now a group of Hong Kong–based medical researchers has determined that scents may help ease the symptoms of clinical depression, too. After examining data from a dozen studies of aromatherapy, they concluded that the popular alternative medicine may be an e?ective depression treatment for many people. To experience the bene­ts at home, choose from among these essential oils that are recommended to boost mood and ease stress or anxiety. Just heat in a di?user or prepare as directed for a massage oil. • Lavender Fresh and clean • Frankincense Earthy and relaxing • Bergamot Citrusy • Roman chamomile Strong and sweet, blends well with other oils Learn more about aromatherapy and essential…

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a new alliance of governments and charities, has allocated $460 million to developing vaccines for viruses they consider potential dangers, including: • MIDDLE EAST RESPI_ RATORY SYNDROME, which originated in camels and is so far limited to the region •LASSA FEVER, spread by rodents and prevalent in West Africa • NIPAH VIRUS, transmitted by infected pigs or bats in parts of Asia There’s no need to panic, says Brian T. Garibaldi, associate director of the Biocontainment Unit at Johns Hopkins University, a facility that trains US health care providers in handling epidemics. The likelihood of any one of these viruses causing a large-scale outbreak is low, he says. But having a vaccine ready just in case is smart.…

Q: Are there any vitamins or supplements that stroke survivors should take? A: A general once-daily multivitamin that contains B vitamins including folic acid may very well be bene_cial. There is now a fairly strong and established link between folic acid de_ciency and an increased risk of stroke. I don’t recommend any of the other supplements marketed for brain health. We don’t always know what’s contained in those supplements, and it’s very hard for medical professionals to recommend things when we don’t know what’s in them. —David Chiu, medical director of the Houston Methodist Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center From the new book Healing the Broken Brain: Leading Experts Answer 100 Questions about Stroke Recovery, by Mike Dow and David Dow…