Prevention January 2026

MY HIP IS BEING WEIRD, so I made an orthopedist appointment, to which I showed up last Tuesday—a full week early. Another day, my phone pinged about a Zoom with my dad and his lawyer in five minutes, so I ran to the ladies’ room. When I saw my coworker with especially gorgeous hair, naturally I had to ask her which products she used… and I forgot all about the call. I was 10 billable minutes late. Gah! Oh, and I assigned the same article to two writers—luckily, our eagle-eyed deputy editor Marisa Cohen caught the issue. My best friend has reassured me dozens of times that no, my mind isn’t going. “You’re just doing too many things,” she says. “Try to slow down.” (The day after she last told me…

Toast to a new year by setting your intentions for 2026, starting with a look back—but only at your wins! Recalling achievements can boost resilience, confidence, and mental health, making it easier to pursue (and imagine reaching) new goals, says Taryn Marie Stejskal, Ph.D., author of The 5 Practices of Highly Resilient People. “It fills you with positive emotions that help combat our brains’ negativity bias, a predisposition to recall problems and shortfalls versus accolades and successes.” JOT DOWN PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS (EVEN SMALL ONES COUNT!) AS WELL AS A FEW NEW AMBITIONS YOU WANT TO PURSUE THIS YEAR.…

GET HYGGE WITH IT Adopt this Danish approach to winter. Actually pronounced “hoo-gah,” it’s the mood evoked by a warm, comforting environment that lets you enjoy what’s around you; studies suggest that hygge can boost happiness and lower stress. So savor the perfect cuppa, or play a game by candlelight with your honey—whatever you do, embrace it. SAVE SOME LIVES National Blood Donor Month is a great reminder to share this priceless gift if you’re able. Someone in the U.S. requires blood or platelets every two seconds, according to the American Red Cross. You can help maintain the blood supply and feel like a hero: Visit redcrossblood.org to find a local drive. SLURP UP SOME SOUP This National Soup Month, we’ve got our spoons in hand! A pot of soup…

1.The one symptom that signals an eye infection as opposed to allergies is: A Pain B Discharge C Itchiness D Swelling 2.Which is the most common reason for floaters? A You have something (a speck of dirt or an eyelash) stuck in your eye. B You’re sleep-deprived. C You’re sleep-deprived. D You’ve reached a certain age. 3 Which choice is not key for healthy eyes? A Zinc B Lutein and zeaxanthin C Protein D Vitamins C and E 4 Everyone’s eyesight changes throughout life—except if they have 20/20 vision. A True B False 5 Which condition can an eye exam not detect? A Migraine B Heart disease C Cancer ANSWERS 1 IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING EYE PAIN, make an appointment with your eye doctor—allergies won’t cause pain, so you could have an eye…

Daily life asks a lot of us, so you may feel panicked when you have a bunch of looming tasks on which you’ve procrastinated. But believe it or not, leaning into that dread may help you finally get stuff done. “Scary Hour” is a scheduled one-hour period devoted to tackling your obligations. “We’re used to showing up for what’s on our calendars, so if you block out the time and are specific about what you’ll be doing, you’re more likely to do it,” says Alexis Haselberger, a time-management and productivity coach in San Francisco. “I’ve been implementing this practice in my business and life for years.” For a successful Scary Hour, START HERE: PICK A PEAK TIME “It’s important to plan this hour for when you’re likely to have the energy…

SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAKFAST COOKIES ACTIVE 15 MIN. TOTAL 35 MIN. PLUS COOLING SERVES 8 2½ cups quick-cooking oats1 cup almond flour2 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp ground ginger½ tsp baking powder½ tsp kosher salt (we used Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for Morton, use about half as much)1 cup canned butternut squash puree (not no-salt)⅓ cup coconut oil, melted2 Tbsp pure maple syrup1 tsp pure vanilla extract6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped2% Greek yogurt, for serving 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In medium bowl, whisk together oats, almond flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, and salt. 3. In large bowl, whisk together butternut squash puree, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add oat mixture and dates and stir to combine (mixture will be thick). 4.…