Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Prevention

TAKE OUT YOUR PENCIL! You know that a walking routine supports head-to-toe physical and emotional health. Here’s one way to juice up yours: People who walked somewhere new or consciously looked for novel things on their regular routes were happier and more hopeful, recent research suggests. Next time you hit the road on foot, treat it like a positivity scavenger hunt—explore an unfamiliar trail, neighborhood, or park, or view your regular trek with fresh eyes. WRITE DOWN THREE THINGS YOU SPOTTED AND APPRECIATED ON YOUR WALKS THIS WEEK.…

These indoor activities don’t require a lot of space or fancy toys, and they’re a great way to spend quality interactive time with your pup or kitty while getting them moving. PICK AT LEAST THREE ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR PET THIS MONTH. Tug-of-War “You can have a great play session using household items like a sturdy rope or an old towel,” says Cooper. Tug-of-war can offer stress relief, stimulate dogs’ natural instincts, and help burn energy. Feline Fun Cats are self-reliant in most respects, but they still can benefit from some partnered play. “A paper ball or catnip inside a sock can keep them entertained solo for hours,” says Cooper, but they can have even more fun when you toss it so they can chase it. Hide-and-Seek “Empty boxes…

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You service your car every 5,000 miles or so, but perhaps like many others you pay attention to the needs of your body only when bits and pieces start breaking down. As a reader of this magazine, you clearly know that’s a mistake. Preventive measures now will pay off with better living down the road, says Matthew Motisi, D.O., an orthopedic surgeon at Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in Miami. The thing is, even if most of your organs, bones, and systems are in top working order, if one or two have burgeoning issues, that can reverberate through the rest of your body and create additional problems. If you’ve got specific concerns about aches, pains, or other symptoms, consult with your primary care physician right away, and don’t skip your annual…

Cholesterol is super important for the brain and the body. ▶ TRUE ■ The adult body has some 30 trillion cells, and every one uses cholesterol to maintain its shape and function. Cholesterol is also involved in manufacturing important hormones and vitamin D. Awash in the substance as well are our brains, where cholesterol assists cells. Much of the body’s cholesterol is made in the liver, after which it is carried through the bloodstream to cells, transported via particles called lipoproteins—that’s what the second “L” in LDL (low-density lipoproteins) stands for. The cholesterol the brain requires is actually manufactured there, as the blood-brain barrier prevents cholesterol-rich blood from entering. Cholesterol is so necessary that even calling LDL “bad” cholesterol is a misnomer, says Stephen Kopecky, M.D., a preventive cardiologist at…

IF YOU HAVE A STOMACH (WHICH WE HOPE YOU DO), you know that it can be sensitive, and it lets you know how it feels with constipation, diarrhea, cramping, and other fun stuff. Below, some of the culprits. 1 YOUR MIND Know how your stomach can act up when you’re nervous? “Like a direct Internet connection from your head to your gut, the vagus nerve runs from the brain through the abdomen,” says Shanti Eswaran, M.D., a professor of gastroenterology at the University of Michigan. “So if something is going on in your brain, that nerve can be affected,” causing bowel changes (diarrhea or constipation) and a more sensitive gut. ▶ THE FIX: Do what lowers stress, like meditation or exercise; if emotions are a big cause of the problem, cognitive…

ACTIVE 25 MIN. TOTAL 30 MIN. PLUS COOLING SERVES 4 1 large egg white½ cup pure maple syrup¼ cup olive oil1 tsp pure vanilla extract¼ tsp kosher salt1½ cups old-fashioned oats½ cup roasted, salted almonds, coarsely chopped¼ cup hulled sunflower seeds¼ cup all-purpose flour¾ tsp ground cinnamonMilk and fruit, for serving 1. Remove insert from bottom of air fryer basket. Cut piece of parchment paper to line insert. 2. In small bowl, lightly beat egg white with fork and transfer 1Tbsp to medium bowl (save remaining egg white for a future recipe). Whisk in maple syrup, oil, vanilla, and salt. 3. In large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flour, and cinnamon. Drizzle maple syrup mixture on top and mix to combine. 4. Using back of spoon or wet…

1 MYTH :You need to cool down leftovers before they go in the fridge. MYTHBUSTER Nope—you can put warm, or even hot, food directly in there. In fact, that’s better than leaving it out to cool, says Jennifer Pallian, a Vancouver, Canada–based registered dietitian and food scientist. Cooling food in the fridge “reduces the time it spends in the danger zone—between 40°F and 140°F—where bacteria multiply quickly,” she says. Just be sure to split up large quantities, like a big batch of soup or a piece of meat, into several shallow containers so they’ll cool faster. And cover leftovers to avoid contamination. “A large number of micro-organisms are cold-tolerant and live in the fridge,” says Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D., a food scientist and the author of 150 Food Science Questions…

YOU’RE SITTING PERFECTLY still, yet you can see the skin on your leg, hand, eyelid, or rib cage pulsing, as if a bug is bouncing on a tiny trampoline underneath. Technically called fasciculations, the twitches are spontaneous, rapid contractions of a few muscle fibers—they’re common and usually harmless, says Christopher Fry, Ph.D., an associate professor of athletic training and clinical nutrition at the University of Kentucky and codirector of the school’s Center for Muscle Biology. Unlike muscle spasms or cramps, they aren’t painful, but they can be incredibly annoying and just plain weird. WHAT CAUSES THE TWITCH? ■ These strange little flutters happen when the messaging system responsible for moving a particular group of muscle fibers fires randomly. (The tips of these neurons can be particularly sensitive, Fry explains.) If…

About 500,000 Americans are estimated to be living with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), in which clusters of fluid-filled sacs or cysts develop within the kidneys, causing the organs to enlarge. About half of patients with PKD will experience kidney failure and require either dialysis or a transplant. The symptoms typically manifest between the ages of 30 and 50, but PKD may surface in early childhood or adolescence, says Richard Fatica, M.D., vice chair of the department of kidney medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. In most cases, PKD is inherited through a mutation on a specific gene. SYMPTOMS OF PKD MAY INCLUDE: ▶ High blood pressure ▶ Back or side pain ▶ Blood in the urine ▶ A full feeling in the abdomen ▶ Headaches ▶ Kidney stones ▶ Urinary…

PARENTS OF BABIES AND PETS DON’T THINK TWICE ABOUT DISCUSSING THEIR LITTLE ONES’ POOP. They laugh over vile diaper explosions, read Everyone Poops at bedtime, scoop up puppy dookie and ponder its texture, and vent in online cat forums about a kitty practicing civil disobedience by crapping outside the box. We’re often squeamish, however, when it comes to talking about our own poop. Come on, though: It’s time to end the embarrassed silence! After all, a good poop can be almost as satisfying as the meal that precedes it, and a bad poop (or series of poops) or a lack thereof can dull your joy in life. Even more important, what comes out of our bowels can tell us tons about our overall health. Forthwith, some contemplation of—and answers to!—human…

1 What’s the smartest way to protect your eyes from pollen? A Wear sunglasses B Avoid touching your eyes while outside C Don’t go outdoors on high-pollen days D All of the above 2 If you didn’t have seasonal allergies as a kid, you won’t be affected by them as an adult. A True B False 3 Which of these is not an effective home remedy for allergies? A An air filter B A saline nasal rinse C A humidifier D Eye drops 4 Which one does not help fight allergies? A Ginger B Grapefruit C Turmeric D Honey 5 You should take allergy medication only when needed. A True B False C It depends TURN THE PAGE FOR ANSWERS. ANSWERS 1 GLASSES PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT PHYSICAL SHIELD against pollen and other allergens, so consider a giant pair of shades to be protective gear. Try not to touch your face when outdoors,…

Protein is a macronutrient that’s crucial for much more than just building and maintaining muscle. It’s important for your body to use to grow and repair cells, and it also aids in hormone regulation, keeping blood sugar stable, and maintaining healthy hair and nails. Vegetables probably aren’t the first foods that pop to mind as protein sources, but quite a few provide at least a little bit of it, so making them a consistent part of your meals can help you reach your daily protein goals. Here, top protein players of the veggie world. MARK THE ONES YOU’LL BE ADDI NG TO YOUR GROCERY CART THIS MONTH.…

These days you can hardly turn on the TV without seeing an ad directed at men suffering from “low T.” But it’s not just guys who are looking to boost their testosterone levels; many postmenopausal women are jumping on the bandwagon as well. You see, while men have more of it, testosterone is not a “male hormone”—it is a human hormone that is just as important in women as it is in men. And just as happens for men, women’s testosterone levels drop as they age. There is controversy, however, about the benefits of giving women testosterone. Why? Simply put, the fact that women’s levels of this hormone drop with age does not necessarily mean that supplementing with testosterone will be beneficial for them. Before asking for a prescription, check…

MMM…GARLIC. OR MAYBE BUTTER AND SUGAR. When a yummy smell wafts from the kitchen, your digestive system kicks into gear. Starting with your tongue and ending with your colon, “it’s an amazingly complex system,” says Chris South, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Gastro Health, in Ohio. “The digestive system has many zones and organs, all united in the same goal: to turn food into fuel by extracting the nutrients we need.” Here’s how it all goes down. 1. EYES Behold, a gooey wedge of Death by Chocolate! When you visually take note of the texture, color, and shape, all of a sudden you want it, even if you weren’t craving cake before. 2. NOSE Scent receptors register aroma, and this may lead you to salivate. 3. MOUTH The saliva pooling in there…

IT’S JUST ONE PART of the machine that we call the human body, but your gut is the engine for good head-to-toe health. “A harmonious gut microbiome is absolutely foundational,” says Jaclyn London, R.D., a nutrition consultant and the author of Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked). “Food is filtered through the gut before the nutrients enter your bloodstream to be brought throughout the body. Research is exploring the specific role gut health plays in our immediate and long-term health, but we know it’s critical to feeling our best.” A healthy gut microbiome requires a balance of good and bad bacteria, which depends in part on what we eat. Prebiotics—plant-based foods that feed these helpful bugs (probiotics)—let them thrive so they can help support your immunity, digestion,…