Prevention October 2023

I AM A VERY SLOW HIKER. Put me on a New York City street, and I can cover a mile in less than 20 minutes. But out on the trail? I’m the person you’re passing. Happily for my marriage, my husband is equally slow, which we discovered on our honeymoon in Peru 15 years ago. We were young, eager, and wearing our best hiking shoes—and everybody passed us. Kids, grandparents, people in sandals (sandals!). Naturally, we thought our son would take after us. But you know kids, they’ll go ahead and be their own people. At the Grand Canyon this year, Peter finally got a little fed up. After a trek partway down, he asked to go ahead on the way up. Since there’s literally one trail and we felt as…

WRITE DOWN THREE NATURE EXPERIENCES YOU’D LIKE TO HAVE THIS MONTH. Some ideas to get you thinking: a park or backyard picnic, camping, fishing, stargazing, leaf-peeping, a hike or nature walk, sunrise or sunset yoga, an outdoor reading or meditation moment.…

1 How do you feel after you eat? A I tend to get heartburn, and sometimes my tummy feels upset. B Comfy and satisfied. C My stomach often feels very full, tight, or bloated. 2 How often do you eat these foods: yogurt, sauerkraut, bananas, onions, garlic, and whole grains? A Rarely. B Never. C They’re part of my regular rotation. 3 Tell us about your poop. A I’m like clockwork. B I often feel constipated. C I’m regular, but it seems very smelly. 4 What does it look like when you go number two? A Brown, firm, and long. B Loose, but not diarrhea. C Like little pebbles. 5 Do you ever find yourself racing to the bathroom right after a meal? A All the time. B Nope! C Occasionally. TURN THE PAGE FOR ANSWERS ANSWERS 1 Feeling satisfied and comfortably full after enjoying…

■ Multiple “people foods” are dangerous for cats and dogs, even if they make sad eyes at us when we’re cooking. “Many human foods can cause gastrointestinal upset and acute pancreatitis; the latter can truly be life-threatening,” explains critical care veterinarian Christopher G. Byers, D.V.M. Onions and garlic celery Grapes BLUEBERRIES Cooked pumpkin or squash DAIRY Apple slices BROCCOLI NUTS Chocolate TUNA RAW BREAD DOUGH ANSWERS Dangerous foods are the ones that can cause acute pancreatitis (nuts), bloating (raw bread dough), abnormal heart rhythm (chocolate), kidney damage (grapes), and anemia (onions and garlic). Also avoid giving pets dairy, as dogs and cats can be lactose intolerant. Not listed here but important to know about is the sugar substitute xylitol, which is toxic to pets. Small amounts of the other human foods…

1 Begin in push-up position, hands firmly on the floor about shoulder width apart and back straight. 2 Slowly bend at the elbows so your chest lowers toward the floor. Try to go as slowly as you can—don’t rush—and if you feel shaky, don’t give up! 3 Lift yourself back up to starting position. 4 That’s one rep. Aim to do 10 to 15 reps (depending on your fitness level).…

The Goal ADD FIVE MORE PUSH-UPS TO YOUR DAILY SET BY THE END OF EACH WEEK. FILL IN YOUR RESULTS FOR EACH WEEK. WEEK 1 ▶ Number of push-ups I did at the end of the week: ▶ What day I reached that goal: ▶ How it felt compared with the first day of the week: EASIER THE SAME HARDER WEEK 2 ▶ Number of push-ups I did at the end of the week: ▶ What day I reached that goal: ▶ How it felt compared with the first day of the week: EASIER THE SAME HARDER WEEK 3 ▶ Number of push-ups I did at the end of the week: ▶ What day I reached that goal: ▶ How it felt compared with the first day of the week:…