Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Prevention

READERS! YESTERDAY, one of our mailboxes hit “full” and would not accept another e-mail. (We’ve since made room.) Your response to my call for comments has been intensely gratifying. You tell me you’re happy with the ad-free model. You mention you’d like to see more men (turn to “Eat Clean, Stay Lean,” p. 42, and “Diabetes in the Family,” p. 86). And you note that you enjoy seeing yourselves—your real-life words, faces, physiques, even coloring-page artwork—in our pages. One of the first things I did when I arrived was to invent more ways to connect with you. Here’s another: Do you have a decisive moment in your life story to share with us? Send your “mini-memoir” in 200 words or less and we might ask you to expand it for…

YOU ASKED Q Can probiotic supplements help me lose weight? ANSWER: Supplementing with probiotics can help you slim down, especially if you take more than one strain for 2 months or longer, according to research in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. While the review didn’t look at which strains are best, lactobacillus (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, or L. plantarum on product labels) has the most research on efficacy. Look for products like Nature’s Bounty Ultra Strength Probiotic 10 and Nature Made Digestive Probiotics Daily Balance (shown below), which have lactobacillus and third-party testing to prove they contain the bacteria promised. YOUR BRAIN ON MARIJUANA As the use of medical marijuana continues to grow, scientists are finding more preventive and therapeutic roles for the drug. The latest: Researchers…

People who boost their magnesium intake to 368 mg per day—just above the RDI for adult women—for 3 months can lower their blood pressure by several points without making other changes, according to the journal Hypertension. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, which increases blood flow, decreasing pressure. But approximately 60% of adults don’t get enough magnesium. Foods are the best source of the mineral, especially these: 16 Number of pounds the average Thanksgiving turkey has increased since 1930, when turkeys were 13 lb, compared with today’s 29+ lb bird…

IWAS A teenager in Miami Beach when I had my introduction to meditation. These were the halcyon days before we’d heard the words skin and cancer used in a sentence together, so I was slathering on baby oil under a scorching sun when I heard a melodic sound coming from an oceanfront hotel. Following the music inside, I found a gaggle of gorgeous hippies. They invited me to join them for a round of chanting in their pop-up ashram. They were so friendly I couldn’t resist. Looking back, they were probably hungry and thought I might have snacks in my bag. I stayed for only an hour because I had chemistry homework to avoid doing at home. Brain science teaches us that mantra meditation can produce a dopamine rush, but…

On average, every death leaves behind four or five grieving survivors, and for most of them, the more extreme feelings will fade within 6 months, according to the National Institutes of Health’s News in Health. Talk therapy can help speed the healing process. “Talking about grief helps to normalize death and loss as human experiences,” says Mary Sussillo, a psychotherapist and the director of New York City’s Center for Bereavement. “Sharing memories of loved ones helps bring the lost relationship alive, creating an often-needed sense of continuity while at the same time enabling the mourner to gradually face the reality of the loss.” But for some, grief can linger and even worsen. Roughly 15% of bereaved people are susceptible to what’s called “complicated grief,” according to research by Holly Prigerson,…

Let Them Eat Cake “When I take time to bake a cake, I want the presentation to match the effort. This hand-pressed glass stand makes cakes look beautiful, no matter any frosting flaws.” Sarah Toland, food and nutrition director Serve Sides with Flair “I’d never seen a baking dish with such unique handles, but they make it so easy to lift and serve. Plus, the dish is so stylish, you never have to replate food for a holiday table.” Anthony LaSala, photo director Gift and Go “These stamps are a fun way to get children involved in baking and gifting cookies. And they look so pretty in a tin or on a serving plate.” Lindy Speakman, research editor…

Fight the urge to overindulge in tempting sweets this time of year by using the latest nutritional know-how. The key: choosing foods that are both filling and satisfying. In this smoothie, apple cider vinegar and cinnamon stabilize blood sugar to dull a sweet tooth, while apples and oats, both high in slow-digesting fiber, promote fullness. Almond butter has satiating protein and monounsaturated fat, shown to reduce belly fat, says registered dietitian Frances Largeman-Roth, author of Eating in Color. BINGE BUSTER SMOOTHIE Blend until smooth: ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk; ¼ cup oats; 1 Tbsp almond butter; 1 tsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp cinnamon; and 1 apple, chopped.…

MINDFULNESS APPS WE LOVE Buddhify This $5 app lets you customize guided meditation sessions for 15 different parts of your day, like your commute or bedtime. Our editors say: “Contemporary and friendly, with soothing British accents.” Calm This free guided meditation app lets you choose what you see and hear during sessions that last from 2 minutes to almost 30 minutes. Our editors say: “Like having a portable therapist in your pocket.” Headspace This free 10-session program teaches you to train your mind for meditation in 10 minutes a day. Our editors say: “User-friendly and relatable— you don’t have to have any experience with meditation.” SLEEP DOCTOR The Beat Goes On Instead of counting sheep, try listening to Debussy before bedtime. In a study from the Journal of Alternative and…

GYM BEFORE KNIFE FOR KNEE PAIN If you’re considering surgery for persistent knee pain, you may want to try some simple exercises first. When middle-aged people with knee pain performed exercises that help strengthen the supportive muscles around the joints 2 or 3 times per week for 12 weeks, they reduced their pain as much as those who went under the knife, while improving their muscle strength as well. Discuss your options with your doctor before signing up for exercise or scheduling knee surgery. Energy Patches Caffeine has been called the world’s most popular drug, but not everyone can drink coffee or tea without suffering an upset stomach or jitters. Caffeine skin patches claim to deliver the stimulant without side effects. WHAT’S IN THEM? Red Star Energy has the caffeine…

RESEARCH examining this question is contradictory. Cortisone is one of several corticosteroids —hormones that perform important functions throughout the body, such as reducing inflammation. A shot of a corticosteroid together with a numbing agent to the space between the dura (a membrane surrounding the spinal cord) and the vertebrae—called an epidural steroid injection (ESI)—may be recommended when oral anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy fail to relieve lower-back pain, pain from a herniated disk, or sciatica pain in the lower back, buttock, or leg. Study results are inconsistent, but overall they suggest that ESIs are most effective for managing sciatica pain. But ESIs are shrouded in controversy. The FDA has approved the agents in ESIs for other clinical uses but hasn’t approved ESIs, saying effectiveness and safety have not yet been…

Thinking about the brain is a lot like contemplating the limits of outer space: So much lies outside our grasp that it can be dizzying—especially when some of our fondest-held beliefs are challenged and proved wrong. Even then, some myths live on, defying logic and proof, so persistent that they’ve earned their own name: neuromyth. Neuromyths flourish because they seem to explain, albeit with dubious logic, otherwise bewildering phenomena. Even our educators may be misguided. In one study, teachers believed nearly 50% of common neuromyths, such as right brain/left brain pseudoscience. Here are some talking points to use when you’re confronted with a myth-conception. MYTH: Men’s and women’s brains function differently. · REALITY CHECK: “Americans tend to think of women as being more verbally than mathematically adept,” says clinical psychologist…

Eating clean is one of the most effective and sustainable ways to lose weight. It’s simple, too: Rather than cutting carbs or counting calories, you eat whole foods that are fresh or minimally processed, with no chemicals or added sugars. You also eat smaller quantities more often, helping rev your metabolism and keep you full. The results are often life changing, as four Prevention readers discovered when they ate clean for 6 weeks on the plan in the book Eat Clean, Stay Lean: The Diet (Rodale, December 2016). Here, they share how they did it—and how you can do it, too. Jenny Sucov, 47 Pounds lost: 7 Inches lost from waist: 1.5 I didn’t eat much processed food before the plan, but I would have chocolate or cookies as a…

Can Almost Never Skip Rabies vaccine is mandated by law in most states, annually or every 3 years, depending on where you live. But if your pet has had a bad reaction to the vaccine in the past or is very ill, you may qualify for a rabies waiver. Check with your vet to see if that’s an option. Can Sometimes Skip Guidelines suggest that certain “core” vaccines— parvovirus, adenovirus, and distemper for dogs; parvovirus, calicivirus, and herpesvirus for cats— be given to all adult pets every 3 years. But these shots can sometimes be skipped if your pet is considered to be at high risk of having an adverse reaction or if he has a positive titer test. Can Often Skip “Noncore” vaccines are recommended only for pets deemed…

While researchers have long asserted a strong link between alcohol and cancer, some are now doubling down on that claim. In the journal Addiction, Jennie Connor, a professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand, concludes that alcohol “causes cancer” in seven areas in the body, including the liver, colon, and female breast. Based on years of data, the review is in line with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which found that even light drinking, defined as consuming fewer than two drinks a day, can increase a woman’s breast cancer risk, in part because alcohol boosts hormones. Most doctors agree that women should limit drinking to 5 oz of wine, 12 oz of beer, or 1.5 oz of liquor per day. ⅓ The proportion of antibiotics prescribed…

Pilates may seem gentle, but it’s a great way to add muscle tone if you don’t have a lot of time to exercise. “You don’t need to do Pilates for hours a day to see results—even squeezing in a few simple moves at home 4 or 5 times a week can provide similar benefits,” says New York–based Pilates trainer Chelsea Streifeneder, who created this toning routine. Perform as many reps as possible with good form and repeat the circuit twice. 1 LEG PULL-DOWN Start on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders and abs engaged. Lift right leg to hip height; hold 2 seconds. Using core, pull right leg slowly back down. Repeat with left leg. Alternate legs for 30 seconds. 2 SCISSORS Lie on back with legs extended0 over hips.…

VOCAL CORD DAMAGE Yelling or even speaking loudly can result in temporary hoarseness and produce lesions that can damage vocal cords and even lead to permanent voice loss. BACK PAIN Tension puts pressure on back muscles, leading to aches and pains, especially as you age. WEIGHT GAIN Arguing causes stress, triggering the release of cortisol (a hormone linked to increased cravings, overeating, and weight gain), particularly around the middle. WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM Increased production of cortisol weakens immune cells, leaving you vulnerable to infection and illness. STIFF NECK Clenching your jaw and neck muscles during an argument can lead to neck pain. HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES Outbursts raise blood pressure, leading to atherosclerosis and increasing the risk of stroke. ARGUE BETTER 1. EAT BEFORE YOU TALK. Couples are more likely…

I’VE SPENT most of my life in the southwestern US desert, where the dry heat sucks the moisture out of my skin and lips. I started making soothing lotions and balms to protect myself and my loved ones before natural products were available in most stores. Many now carry organic and eco-friendly skin care products, but I still enjoy making small batches of lip balm for family and friends, as I have for more than 35 years. It’s comforting to know you’re using something that has only natural ingredients, instead of the preservatives and artificial colors and flavors contained in some conventional balms. The recipe I use (at right) calls for supermoisturizing shea butter and almond oil. For a bit of flavor, I usually add peppermint essential oil, which is…

I buried my husband, Joe, on Christmas Eve 25 years ago. He’d been diagnosed with leukemia 6 months after we got married. While he was sick, I never allowed myself to think about what it would be like to raise our four children alone, and we never spoke of his death. I didn’t know what his wishes were for me or our children. Life without Joe was inconceivable, so I thought, Why go there? I just wanted to enjoy him and our family. And I did, for 7½ years. We got married when I was 30 and he was 41. Around Thanksgiving of that first year, he had what he believed was the flu. But it kept dragging on. The women at his office and I told him, “This is…

Is your brain a beehive of activity? Are you frequently multitasking, even though recent research shows that our minds are not meant to? (One study finds that multitasking can even temporarily lower your IQ as much as if you’d lost a night’s sleep.) If you’re still struggling to cram everything you can into a 24-hour cycle, stop. Calm down, take a deep breath, and let our health and wellness experts offer you the ideal, sometimes surprising, times to do almost anything. am GET INTIMATE 7 AM Instead of reaching for the snooze button, reach for your partner. Men’s and women’s testosterone levels (which play a big role in arousal) are at their peak first thing in the morning and lowest around bedtime, when most people have sex. Get Weighed 7:30…

At age 51, Karen Stevens was the healthiest she’d ever been in her adult life. Over the past several years, she’d traded smoking for a steady gym habit. Working her way from two weekly strength-training classes to four, she now saw toned muscles she’d never thought she would have. And she felt great: “Once you get into a routine and see changes happening to your body, it’s cathartic and invigorating,” says Stevens, who was single and living in Los Angeles at the time. Another positive: She met a man who shared her interest in an active lifestyle. On a ski weekend with him at Mammoth Lakes in northeastern California, she took a turn too slowly and her ski got stuck in the snow. Stevens fell down hard, tearing a meniscus…

GRATITUDE, IT has been said, can do wonders for your health. Recent research holds that a thankful attitude can improve sleep and self-esteem, reduce pain, alleviate anxiety and depression, and increase your overall satisfaction with life. This season, let appreciation color your world. While you work on the design at right, consider all that you’re grateful for. That mental exercise requires an almost meditative focus that will enhance your creativity. When you’re finished coloring, write down your thankful thoughts. Studies suggest that keeping a gratitude journal and writing about positive experiences can amplify happiness and optimism. Here, we’ll start: We’re thankful for you! *Must be US resident and at least 18. By submitting artwork to Rodale, you grant Rodale permission to feature the artwork in Prevention and use it for…