Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i Prevention

I’M GOING TO ASK YOU two things I would never bring up if we met in real life: How old are you, and how do you feel about your weight? Go ahead and answer silently to yourself! But my guess is that your first answer may have something to do with your second. That’s why we created “Lose Weight at Any Age” (page 46), a guide to what your body needs as you get older in order to stay healthy and, yes, drop pounds. We know a healthy weight is important for so many reasons—to keep your heart and brain in good shape, for starters—and sure, there are some universal truths about getting there. But let’s be honest: Aging changes the body. So we’ve looked at what happens over time…

Encouraging cancer news: A new study on mice in the journal eLife found that exercise made T cells (white blood cells essential to immunity) better at attacking cancerous cells. Researchers say the findings shed light on how our lifestyles affect the immune system, and they hope their work may lead to new immunotherapy treatments for the disease. If you or a loved one is battling cancer, talk to your doctor about exercise and which activities or routines are safe to try.…

“Sun protection is crucial year-round,” says dermatologist Heidi Waldorf, M.D. UVB rays, also known as “burning rays,” are much stronger in the spring and summer months. “However, UVA rays, the more deeply penetrating ‘aging’ rays, get to the earth’s surface all year,” she adds. “They also penetrate glass, unlike UVB rays,” so they can affect your skin even when you’re cozying up inside. Not to mention that snow reflects up to 80% of the sun’s harmful rays, meaning that they can hit you twice. That’s why it’s important to apply and reapply SPF every two hours daily, especially if you’re in a high-risk setting (say, skiing on top of a mountain). Dr. Waldorf suggests finding something that actually feels good on your skin. “If it is in your daily moisturizer,…

SPINNING “Spin is one of my favorite exercises to relieve tension,” says Mitchell. “The music gets me going, and it’s great for building cardiovascular strength, burning fat, and strengthening legs.” If you can’t go to in-person classes, consider investing in a Peloton (which lets you stream live workouts) or hop on a stationary bike and pedal to a heart-pumping playlist. STRENGTH TRAINING Exercise triggers the release of feel-good hormones called endorphins, and one study found that strength training may be particularly helpful in regulating other neurotransmitters related to mood. It helps build bone density and muscle mass and burn fat, says Mitchell. Try exercises with dumbbells or resistance bands. YOGA “Yoga is my favorite exercise! It allows you to get in touch with your body and forces your mind to…

Who would have thought a beauty trend would coincide with a health crisis? Many women couldn’t get to a colorist for months during stay-at-home restrictions, but they—and plenty of others—have been embracing the gray with social media hashtags like #silversisters and #grombre (gray + ombré). “A couple of years ago, we had this natural-curly-hair movement for women to stop straightening their hair,” says Kali Ferrara, a senior colorist and stylist at The Salon Project by Joel Warren at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. “I think that’s where we’re heading in terms of going gray.” Ready to make the transition? Here are Ferrara’s tips on how to do so gracefully. STEP #1: GET COMFY WITH A COLORIST Ironically enough, working with a colorist will be crucial on the journey…

Rachel Zar, LMFT, is a relationship and sex therapist at Spark Chicago Therapy and the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine & Menopause. We often use the words “sex” and “intercourse” interchangeably. But “sex” is an umbrella term that includes much more than penetration—a distinction many heterosexual couples don’t consider until there’s an issue with sexual functioning that prevents intercourse. That’s when I see them in my office. Maybe the diagnosis is vaginismus (tight muscles in the vaginal walls), or dyspareunia (painful sex) with menopause, or difficulty maintaining an erection. When intercourse isn’t an option, it can feel like a devastating loss. But what these couples often find, as they’re working to fix the medical issue, is that a whole world of sexual options opens up that may feel even…

STICKY RICE BOWL ACTIVE 40 MIN. TOTAL 45 MIN. SERVES 4 1½ cups short-grain white rice1 Tbsp hoisin sauce1 tsp sriracha1 tsp toasted sesame oil1 bunch small radishes, very thinly sliced¼ small red cabbage (about ½ lb), cored and finely shredded1 cup whole cilantro leaves plus ¼ cup, finely chopped2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 12 oz sweet Italian sausage, casings removed 1 1-in. piece fresh ginger, finely grated1 scallion, finely chopped1 tsp olive oil4 large eggs, fried to your liking 1. Cook rice per pkg. directions. 2. In bowl, whisk together hoisin, sriracha, and sesame oil. Add water, 1 tsp at a time, until sauce is drizzling consistency. In bowl, toss radishes, cabbage, whole cilantro leaves, and lime juice. 3. In bowl, combine sausage, ginger, scallion, and chopped cilantro. Form into…

LILIES They’re among the worst for cats; avoid both potted and bouquet varieties. SAGO PALM It’s frequently used for landscaping in the South and as a houseplant; the seeds are especially harmful. TULIPS The leaves can cause tummy upset, and the bulbs can be toxic. FOXGLOVE This common bouquet component can cause cardiac arrest.…

Help may be on the way for women who suffer from severe forms of endometriosis, a disorder of the uterus that can cause pain and lead to infertility. Michigan State University scientists tested a drug that appeared to target a specific gene mutation linked to a particularly invasive form of the disease and stopped it from spreading. Current treatments for endometriosis include surgery, hormone therapy, and pain management, but the findings may pave the way to an alternative treatment.…

SERVES 4 1 Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in large skillet on medium-high. Season four 4-oz boneless pork chops (fat trimmed) with ¼ tsp each salt and pepper; add to skillet and cook until browned, about 2 min. per side. Remove from skillet. $5.09 2 Reduce heat to medium; add 1 Tbsp oil, then 1 red onion (thinly sliced), ½ small head red cabbage (cored and thinly sliced), 2 tsp fennel seeds, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper and sauté, covered, 5 min. $2.28 3 Stir in ½ cup dried cranberries and ¼ cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated. $1.26 4 Nestle pork chops in cabbage mixture, drizzle with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, and simmer until chops are just cooked through. 12¢ PER SERVING 303…

OUR EXPERT PANEL TRAINERS • Jill de Jong• Tatiana Firpo• Adele Jackson-Gibson• Amanda Margusity• Kymberly Nolden PODIATRISTS • Miguel Cunha, D.P.M.• Rebecca Pruthi, D.P.M.• Ami Sheth, D.P.M.…

1 | BEST BODY WIPES Hiki Body Wipes, $11, hiki.com Made from biodegradable materials with odor-neutralizing probiotics, these large body wipes relieve sweaty bodies of odor and stickiness with a couple of swipes. The result is refreshed skin that makes you feel as if you’ve just hopped out of the shower—you can quote our testers on that. 2 | BEST EARBUDS Jaybird Vista Earbuds, $180, jaybirdsport.com Music can energize you during a workout—but not when your earbuds repeatedly fall out. Trainer Adele Jackson-Gibson says these are the only wireless earbuds that stay in place securely—and, happily, they have great sound quality. 3 | BEST FITNESS TRACKER Fitbit Versa 3, $230, fitbit.com This latest Fitbit has built-in GPS, so you can leave your phone at home and still know exactly how…

1 Built-In Cameras Your brain and your eyes work together to take continual snapshots of the world. The process works like this: Light passes through the colorless outer layer of your eye (the cornea), which directs it into the pupil at the center of the colorful iris. Another lens then projects the light onto the retina, at the back of the eye. The retina has cells (rods and cones) that translate the light into nerve signals that travel along the optic nerve to the brain so you can understand the colors and shapes you’re seeing. Changes to any of these parts can make things blurry. If the eyeball grows too long, for instance, light is focused in front of the retina, causing far-off objects to appear out of focus (that’s…

Google “Kegel trainer” and up pops a dizzying array of gadgets that look like sex toys but are meant to strengthen the pelvic floor, the muscles that cradle the bladder, uterus, and bowel. According to the National Institutes of Health, a quarter of women in this country have a pelvic floor issue, causing problems like painful sex, weakened orgasm, leaky urine, and constipation. While Kegel exercises are the traditional therapy, “many women don’t know how to do them properly,” says Tamara Grisales, M.D., a urogynecologist at UCLA. Here, experts discuss which gadgets might help: INTRAVAGINAL BIOFEEDBACK DEVICES WHAT THEY ARE: Made of soft silicon and wirelessly connected to smartphones, these devices sit in your vagina as an app talks you through a squeeze-and-release regimen. Some use gamelike graphics to guide…

Feeling down in the winter is not just a grown-up problem: One-third of adults report that their symptoms began when they were teens; for some, the issue started even earlier. Also, “many kids experience seasonal mood changes but don’t meet the diagnostic criteria,” says Paul Desan, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven. This year, children may be even more vulnerable, as many are shuttered inside and physically separated from friends because of the pandemic. Here’s what to know and how to help. How SAD Affects Kids Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can present differently in children: “It’s harder for kids to convey how they’re feeling,” says psychiatrist Leela R. Magavi, M.D., the regional medical director for Community Psychiatry in Newport Beach, CA.…

Next time you have to go under the knife, consider playing some electronic games a few days beforehand. A new study in JAMA Surgery found that when older adults played brain games on a tablet (targeting things like memory, speed, and attention) in the days leading up to surgery that required general anesthesia, they were 40% less likely to experience post-op delirium, which can lengthen hospital stays or delay overall recovery. This intervention likely helps because it challenges the brain, which improves mental fitness, say the researchers. They think anything that works out your brain, even if it’s an activity not included in this study such as doing crosswords or reading, could have a similar effect as you head into surgery.…

If your skin is feeling dry, flaky, or just downright unhappy, oatmeal can help—but not necessarily the kind you eat for breakfast. Colloidal oatmeal is a finely ground version of the whole oat grain, explains Heidi Waldorf, M.D., founder of Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics in New York. These particles, whose size is strictly standardized, are “far more effective” than regular oats, she says. Look for it on the labels of itch-relieving and eczema-healing products; much research has established its protective and anti-inflammatory properties, Dr. Waldorf says. The soothing ingredient often teams up with humectants like glycerin (to attract water) and occlusives like petrolatum (to seal in moisture). Prevention PICK…

1 Lie on your back with knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart; your feet should be flat on the ground about 12 to 16 inches from your butt. Hold a dumbbell horizontally, one hand on each end, positioned above your pelvis. 2 Lift your left leg, still bent, to hip height, with your foot flexed. Keeping your upper back on the floor, squeeze your glutes and raise your hips off the ground. 3 Pause at the top, squeeze your glutes for one to two seconds, then lower back to the starting point. 4 That’s one rep. Do 10 reps, then repeat with the opposite leg.…

Holograms are 3D images with a near-miraculous property: Each part of the image, examined close-up, contains the entire image within it. Over time, we’ve learned that the human body is similar. A close examination of certain parts can reveal information about the health of the whole person. Understanding these clues is vital, because we aren’t granted easy, safe, and direct visual access to bones, organs, and blood. On top of that, modern imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and X-ray are expensive and don’t always give a complete view. So physicians have developed ways to learn about overall health by observing parts of the body. It’s useful for everyone to know some of these indicators as well, since they can suggest when a visit to the doctor is…

IF SOMEONE ASKED YOU WHETHER PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT GENDERS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY OR BLACK PEOPLE DESERVED THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS WHITE PEOPLE, ODDS ARE YOU’ D SAY YES. Americans have made strides over the decades, in law and in life, in reducing overt prejudice against members of society’s marginalized groups—even as the rise of white supremacist movements and the increased awareness of police violence against Black people show that we have light years to travel before we achieve full equality. Recently, white Americans seem to have entered a new stage of reckoning with anti-Blackness. This is due to the work of Black activists, who have focused attention on police murders as well as anti-Black rhetoric and violence at Black Lives Matter protests. But the sad truth is that even…

Drink two cups of water before meals. “Water is essential for a healthy metabolism, and it helps take the edge off hunger so you won’t eat more than you should,” says Bauer. Double up on veggies. Produce is packed with fiber and water, so you’ll feel fuller longer and have less of an urge to snack throughout the day. Spray, don’t pour. Use an oil mister instead of pouring oil freehand from the bottle—you’ll use far less and save 120 calories for every tablespoon you trim. Swap in zucchini or spaghetti squash “noodles” for regular pasta. “It works for Italian (think zucchini linguine with meatballs marinara), Asian (I use this trick for my vegetable lo mein), and more,” says Bauer. Add mashed cauliflower or parsnips to mashed potatoes (you can…

LETTER TREE Which letter belongs at the top? NUMBER RIDDLE When can you add 2 to 11 and get a correct answer of 1? WORD BUILDER How many words of at least three letters can you make with the letters in BRAIN GAME? SAME OR DIFFERENT? In this set of images, find three pairs, one trio, and one that doesn’t match any of the others. ANSWERS: Letter Tree: T (convert each letter to its corresponding number in the alphabet, then add the two adjacent numbers to determine the letter above each pair). Number Riddle: When you are adding two hours to 11 a.m. or 11 p.m. Word Builder: Send your list to letters@prevention.com. Same or Different?: Pairs: B and I, C and J, D and G; Trio: E, F, H;…